Acknowledgements

Land Acknowledgements

The following land acknowledgements were taken mostly verbatim from Los Rios Community College’s and the University of California at Davis’ indigenous land acknowledgements. I support and embrace them both fully.

Sacramento:

In the spirit of community and social justice, I acknowledge the land on which I now live and work, in and around Sacramento, California, as the traditional homelands of the Nisenan, Maidu, and Miwok tribal nations. These sovereign people have been the caretakers of the health of the rivers, the wildlife, the plant life, and the overall eco-social balance in the greater Sacramento region since time immemorial.

Despite centuries of genocide and occupation, the Nisenan, Maidu, and Miwok continue as vibrant and resilient tribes and bands, both Federally recognized and unrecognized. Tribal citizens of these nations continue to be an active and important part of our community. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the land and my responsibility to the original peoples, the present-day Nisenan, Maidu, and Miwok tribal nations.

UC Davis:

Where I worked for almost 40 years, at the University of California at Davis, the land has been the home of Patwin people for thousands of years. Today, there are three federally recognized Patwin tribes: Cachil DeHe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community, Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation, and Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation.

The Patwin people have remained committed to the stewardship of this land over many centuries. It has been cherished and protected, as elders have instructed the young through generations. I am honored and grateful to have been able to live and work for so much of my life on their traditional lands.

Information and support:

For more information about the Nisenan and how to support them today, please visit https://www.nisenan.org/.

If you would like to donate to Native American or Indigenous communities more broadly, please consider Partnership with Native Americans, Native American Rights Fund, or First Nations Development Institute.

A percentage of my annual sales goes to one or more of the above or similar organizations in support of Native Americans and other Indigenous Peoples.

Personal Acknowledgements

As John Donne surely would have written had he been more ahead of his time: no one is an island. I didn’t get where I am by myself. The fact that I have the time, ability, freedom, and other resources to practice my art and share it with others is proof that I enjoy great privilege.

I am grateful for this privilege and will continue to work to help make others’ lives better. For part of this effort, please see my Acquire page for a breakdown of the percentage of my sales that I donate annually to help uplift those who enjoy less privilege than I.

I am also grateful to all the individuals who helped bring me here: family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances…in fact, every human interaction – pleasant and otherwise – has shaped me and moved me along. Thank you all.

A few specific shout-outs:

To Brian Sher, a true genius and one of my dearest friends (I was the best man at his wedding – or, as he likes to say, the best man he could find on short notice) for significant and substantive editorial suggestions and unwavering support. Thank you, Brian – you inspire me to be bold.
To Steve Dana, a brilliant artist and a dear friend, for my stunning caricature on the About page, and for his beautiful graphic design work on my business materials. Thank you, Steve – you make me look good, and I owe you big time!
To my sister Wendi, who always paved the way for me and who is as sweet as she seems, for her relentless – if not always super constructive – support (“Awesome, Bert!”). Thank you, Wendi – I won’t tell anyone you’re actually my older sister, even though you look two or three decades younger.
To my mom and dad, who may have hoped I would have become a birder too: sorry, maybe some day? Thank you for choosing to keep me. They don’t make parents better than you two.
To my phenomenal children, who bring me the greatest joy, the biggest tears, and give me hope for the future. Thank you.

A special thank you to my goddess-like partner, Nicole, who lets me live in her house and occasionally feeds me. Thank you for supporting my decision to quit my day job and follow my bliss – you know it’s going to cost you.