Land Acknowledgement

The School of Social Welfare acknowledges that the University of Kansas occupies land that has been cared for by several tribal nations.

This land acknowledgment recognizes that Indigenous people are traditional guardians of the land and that there is an enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and these traditional territories. Our School affirms, advocates for, and supports the sovereignty of the four-federally recognized tribes of Kansas, and the other 570 federally recognized nations in the U.S.

The acknowledgment reminds us to continue our commitment to advocating for, and supporting Indigenous students, staff, and faculty while working towards decolonizing the systems of power and oppression. Please visit the Land Acknowledgment webpage for a listing of our current actions of commitment.

Taryn Atkins

Program Coordinator

Contact Info

taryn.atkins@ku.edu

785-864-1855

Watkins Home, Room 213B

Biography —

Taryn Atkins, BSW, is an enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma with descendancy from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Arapaho, and Choctaw Nation. Taryn has worked in tribal child welfare since 2013 as a permanency case manager, ICWA monitor, and Qualified Expert Witness. Prior to coming to Kansas Strong, Taryn worked as a ministry assistant to develop a grassroots indigenous youth program in Dease Lake, British Columbia. With the Tahltan people as her teachers, she developed a deeper understanding of culture and what it means to support relative-kin. She is currently a Program Coach and Facilitator with KanCoach.