January 11, 2024

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Land Use Acknowledgement

The University of Denver resides on the traditional territories of the Nunt’zi (Ute), Tsitsista (Cheyenne), and Hinonoeino (Arapaho). We recognize that U.S. public policy has been used to displace Indigenous communities, erode Tribal Nation sovereignty, and forcibly assimilate Native individuals into U.S. society. We want to acknowledge that the University of Denver’s history is connected to the forcible displacement and massacre of Native peoples. Denver is home to many different citizens of Indigenous Nations, and we recognize their enduring presence on this land by paying respects to their elders, both past and present.

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Please take a moment to consider the legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and resettlement that bring us together today and please join us in uncovering such truths at all public events. Now is the time to reflect upon and personally reconcile how the genocidal acts against Indigenous communities intersect with our learning, collaboration, and sharing of knowledge. May this acknowledgement demonstrate a commitment to working to dismantle ongoing legacies of oppression and inequities; and in the spirit of healing, and “In a Good Way,” recognize the current and future contributions of Indigenous communities in Denver.

 

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity

The Denver Law Review is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusivity, both in our membership and scholarship. Recognizing the continued impact of historical inequities in the legal profession, we believe that a commitment to these principles is essential for the enrichment of legal discourse and the advancement of justice. Maintaining awareness of both our history and the legacy we leave behind, the Denver Law Review aspires to meaningfully contribute to legal scholarship and cultivate community amongst journal members and the broader Sturm College of Law community. 

 

We recognize that all law journals, including the Denver Law Review, hold inherent privilege as institutions that maintain systems of power and oppression in the legal profession. The Denver Law Review continues to reflect on the persistence of historical inequities in the legal profession and is committed to reviewing and improving our internal policies and practices to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

Over the last few years, the Denver Law Review has undertaken numerous DEI initiatives. These include but are not limited to:

• Expanding our Executive Board to include an Equity Editor, dedicated to maintaining the Law Review’s Equity Plan, tracking the journal’s progress towards our stated goals, and providing space for students to express equity-related concerns.

• Establishing, maintaining, and growing an Equity Committee which is responsible for supporting the Equity Editor in evaluating the Law Review’s accommodations and accessibility practices, hosting DEI focused training events for Law Review members, and further developing the Law Review’s Equity Plan.

• Conducting an audit of authorship demographics and article selection criteria and amending our Constitution to integrate considerations of author diversity and the advancement of social justice. The Denver Law Review strives to include at least one article written by an author that holds a diverse identity, and at least one article that addresses a social justice topic in a manner that is respectful to any harmed or historically marginalized communities in each issue we publish.

• Evaluating the write on process and adding a candidacy element focused on assessing a commitment to the advancement of equity to provide a more holistic understanding of candidates.

• Researching and creating an expansive style guide providing guidance on using specific language relating to a variety of historically underrepresented communities.

 

The Denver Law Review acknowledges that these initiatives do not erase the historical practices that have contributed to barriers to accessing legal scholarship. However, we hope that our continued efforts will help make the Denver Law Review a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive institution.

 

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Respectfully,

The Denver Law Review , Volume 101