I acknowledge that I live in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq nation. This territory is covered by a series of treaties of peace and friendship which recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) title and established rules for an ongoing relationship between nations. We are all treaty people. The stories of First Nations peoples have been told in Mi'kma'ki for centuries, and I commit to holding space for those stories to be retold. Moreover, as a guest on this land, I affirm that I have a duty to be mindful of my environmental impact and to reflect on and hold colonial systems accountable.
![A screenshot of the erasure poem "Competing with churches for the imagination of present-day" The [arrow to:] great cathedrals renewed interest in [an arrow bypasses the text: what was often, harsh and superficial symmetry of the money, skills, and materials, to point to:] changes: The new and sophisticated exploitation of such decorative](https://joannemerriam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Screen-Shot-2026-02-15-at-10.41.29-AM-800x600.png)