Reconciliation at Fort Lewis College

Fort Lewis College is committed to a reconciliation process that acknowledges our historical impact and honors our responsibilities to Indigenous communities, students, faculty, and staff. We recognize this is an ongoing process requiring an intentional focus on healing. Our reconciliation is critical to our future.

We began our reconciliation process and established the Committee on FLC History in 2019. We started a multi-year conversation about our federal boarding school origin and its historical impact on Indigenous students and communities. Since then, the campus has hosted several listening sessions to open a dialogue about reconciliation and develop recommendations. Our first act of change was our ceremony to remove incorrect public displays of FLC history.

The Diversity Affairs Office leads our continued reconciliation work with faculty, staff, students, and Tribal Nations. Through this work, we aim to improve the well-being of Indigenous students by increasing their sense of belonging and upholding our responsibilities to our Indigenous and College communities.

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HB 22-1327: The Native American Boarding School Research Program Act

Governor Jared Polis signed the Native American Boarding School Research Program Act (HB22-1327) into law on May 24, 2022. This act establishes the federal Indian boarding school research program and directs History Colorado to investigate the lived experiences of students at the one-time Fort Lewis Indian Boarding School in Hesperus, CO, and identify potential burial places of students who perished while attending the school.

Fort Lewis College leadership in consultation with the two Colorado Ute Tribes advocated for HB22-1327. FLC partners with History Colorado to complete the work of HB22-1327. 

HB22-1327 & History Colorado Q&A

What is the Native American Boarding School Research Program Act?
What is Fort Lewis College’s role in the Native American Boarding School Research Program Act?
What is the history of Federal Indian Boarding Schools?
What is History Colorado?
What is History Colorado’s role in the Native American Boarding School Research Program Act?
What is the research timeline for the Hesperus site?
Who is leading the research for History Colorado?
Who is responsible for sharing information with the public?
How are these sites used today? Can the public visit them?
How does HB22-1327 differ from FLC History Committee/Indigenous Working Group?
How many other Native American boarding schools operated in Colorado?

Contact

Inquiries

Regarding FLC

Nardy Bickel, Media Relations Strategist
Email: nbickel@fortlewis.edu

Regarding HB22-1327

Dr. Holly Kathryn Norton
Email: holly.norton@state.co.us

Tribal Council Advisory

Contact: Heather J. Shotton, Ph.D. (Wichita/Kiowa/Cheyenne), Vice President of Diversity Affairs
Email: hjshotton@fortlewis.edu