Chicago Dramatists acknowledges that it operates on land stolen from Indigenous peoples. Our theatre resides within the traditional homeland of numerous Indigenous nations including the Territory of the Three Fire Peoples–the Ojibwe, Odawa and Bodewadmi–as well as members of the Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Myaamia, and more than a dozen other tribes who came through this land as a site for gathering, trade, and healing. Nearly two centuries ago this land was purchased from its indigenous people following two-and-a-half years of warfare and decades of violent encroachment and oppression inflicted on its people.

It is our responsibility as members of a community which benefits from colonization and as artists seeking to better our world through the use of story to understand and support the indigenous communities whose lives and stories were put aside in favor of the development of our nation. Currently the Chicago area is home to one of the largest urban Native communities with members of tribes from all across the continent. It is important to not only look back at the communities that existed on this land long before us but to understand that we are still living alongside peoples for whom reparations must be made. And we must work to make a more accepting and diverse community for both our theatre and the world.

Click here to learn about some of the tribes whose land you currently reside on.

Many of the tribes have websites you can go to via native-land.ca (linked above) so you can learn more about their people and where they are now. We highly encourage you to get educated and let us know if you have ideas for how our company can continue to grow and better support Indigenous peoples.