Land Acknowledgment
We acknowledge that the land on which Rhizome operates in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the ancestral and traditional territory of the Tigua (Tiwa) people and remains occupied Indigenous land. We express our gratitude and respect for the Tigua (Tiwa) people and the many generations who have cared for and continue to care for this land. As newcomers to this territory, we are committed to deepening our understanding of local Native and Indigenous communities, honoring their histories and relationships to this land, and supporting their continued presence and sovereignty.
Why do we do Land Acknowledgements?
Engaging in Land Acknowledgements prompts vital conversations surrounding the current systems - colonization, land rights, language, spiritual practices, and Indigenous history, intricately woven into our individual and collective narratives. Across generations, the indigenous communities have fostered a profound connection with the land, enriching it with sovereignty, history, contributions, culture, wisdom, and diverse experiences. At Rhizome Collaboratives, we see Land Acknowledgements as a conscious practice. It is an act of remembrance, advocacy, and accountability that keeps Indigenous presence, land rights, and systemic injustice in daily awareness. It’s one way we honor the complex histories and realities that shape our shared existence.
About Rhizome
My name is Yini Wang, and Rhizome Collaboratives grew out of my work in business operations, project management, sustainability, and community-based work, as well as my growing interest in how organizations can work better for both their staff and the communities they serve.
I’ve seen how the day-to-day details of an organization matter.
How decisions get made. How information moves. How people communicate. How resources are managed. How responsibilities are shared. How leadership, staff, boards, funders, partners, and community members work together.
We often think about these things separately, but they are connected. Together, they shape how an organization functions and what it is able to accomplish.
That is where the idea of Rhizome comes from. A rhizome, like ginger, grows horizontally through interconnected stems and nodes. It does not rely on a single point of growth. New growth can emerge from different places, while the connections between them create a larger network. I see organizations in a similar way: as networks of people, relationships, practices, and resources that influence one another.
This perspective shapes how I approach my work. My background in project management gives me a practical foundation for moving work forward, but I also want to understand what is happening beneath the surface. Where are things getting stuck? What patterns are emerging? What needs to be clearer? What relationships need attention? What systems or processes could better support the people doing the work?
From there, the work is about turning awareness into conscious action: understanding what needs to shift, making intentional changes, and putting those changes into practice.
I consider myself a community practitioner rather than a consultant because I believe good work starts with listening, observation, and understanding the people and relationships involved. I ask questions, look for connections, and work alongside people to understand what is getting in the way and what might help. My role is not to come in with a one-size-fits-all answer, but to help organizations find practical approaches that fit their people, their values, and their circumstances.
Growth doesn’t always have to mean getting bigger, and it doesn’t always have to be linear. Sometimes growth looks like clearer communication, stronger relationships, better systems, shared leadership, or bringing the way an organization operates into better alignment with what it says it values.
Sometimes a small shift in how people communicate, make decisions, or work together can create ripples that reach much further than we expect.❤️
