At Cordova Health Collective, we recognize that the land we live, work, and gather on throughout the United States is the ancestral homeland of Indigenous peoples who have cared for these lands for generations. From coast to coast, Native American Tribes, Alaska Native communities, and Native Hawaiian peoples have deep cultural, historical, and spiritual connections to the places we call home.
We honor the original stewards of these lands, acknowledge the histories of displacement and injustice, and recognize the continued presence, contributions, and sovereignty of Indigenous communities. We offer this acknowledgment as an expression of respect and a commitment to learning, inclusion, and building healthier communities for all.
We see this acknowledgment as more than a formality. Our mission is rooted in the belief that people and place are connected, and that wellness cannot be separated from the land it stands on. We carry that understanding into how we show up in both San Francisco and Reno
Cordova Health Collective currently operates across two communities built on Indigenous homelands, and we begin by naming that history.
In Reno, our work is grounded in Washoe County, home to the Waší·šiw (Washoe), Numu (Northern Paiute), Newe (Western Shoshone), Nuwu (Southern Paiute), and Pipa Aha (Mojave) peoples, whose presence on this land predates the county that would later take the Washoe name in 1861. These communities remain an active part of the region today, with a history and connection to this land that continues into the present.
In San Francisco, our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Ramaytush Ohlone people, the original stewards of the San Francisco Peninsula. This land was never willingly given up, and the Ramaytush Ohlone community continues to carry forward its responsibility to this place and to all who live here today.
We recognize ourselves as guests who benefit from this land, and we honor the Ramaytush Ohlone Elders, Ancestors, and descendants as the rightful First Peoples of this territory.
