Land Acknowledgement

The ASCA recognizes that the 2026 Annual Conference is being hosted on the ancestral lands of the Nacotchtank (Anacostan) people, as well as the Piscataway and Pamunkey nations. These Indigenous communities stewarded the Potomac and Anacostia River region for thousands of years, cultivating thriving societies long before the founding of Arlington, Virginia. Through colonization, broken treaties, land seizure, and forced displacement, these nations were pushed from their homelands by federal and colonial policies that denied Indigenous sovereignty and cultural continuity. Today, members of these nations, and many other Indigenous peoples, continue to live, work, and resist in the region. We acknowledge that all members of the ASCA community have benefited from the use and occupation of this land, and we honor Indigenous nations past, present, and future.

Labor Acknowledgement

The ASCA also recognizes that the 2026 Annual Conference is being hosted on lands that once passed legislation that did not value the labor of those who were not white. Legislations such as the Black Exclusion Law of 1857,  banned slavery but also made it illegal for Black people to own real estate, make contracts, vote, or use the legal system. Along with the legalization of public segregation, the Black Exclusion Law of 1857 created injustices that perpetuated the idea of being able to work on the land but not have any ownership or fair access. It was not until 1965 that Black people had all of their restrictions lifted.  Legislations such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, banned the immigration of Chinese Laborers for 10 years with the exception of merchants, teachers, students, travelers, and diplomats. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 created unequal and inequitable access to these lands and was then made permanent by the Geary Act in 1902. It was not until the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 that exclusionary and restrictive immigrant policies were lifted for Chinese immigrants. We recognize that policies like these continue to plague marginalized communities. As guests on these lands, we respect and give honor to the marginalized groups that have labored and been denied access to opportunities past, present, and future.