Story of the Land

The Story of the Land series provides context and information for our campus community as we reckon with our collective past and seek direction for how we move forward, connecting the story of the land to our CMC values and actions. Understanding our campus history is learning about our campuses in Glenwood Springs, Western Colorado, and the area before Colorado statehood in 1876. 

The ability to narrate history entrenches power, leads to institutionalized racism, and can lead to generations of disenfranchisement. Through our collective power as an organization, CMC has an opportunity to break these cycles through our curriculum and practices. 

Inspired by Ernest House, Jr.’s 2022 MLK Day presentation, as well as a desire to expand the scope of our collective understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, I have embarked on research about the heritage of Spring Valley and Glenwood campuses. As someone new to the state and the area, I found so many captivating facts about our past, in what came to be my informal campus history course. Some things surprised me. Others delighted, dismayed, and enlightened me.

There is so much to learn when we study history; it increases our understanding and opens our eyes to the experiences of those who were here before us. In the short term, elevating our collective understanding of the campus history can also lead us to an appropriate and respectful land acknowledgement action. In the longer term, I hope we can further our dialogue and campus action, thus leading CMC to be an agent of change in Colorado.

The following pages are derived from the emails initially sent to the CMC community and will continue to expand through with further investigation into the Story of the Land. I invite you to explore and learn more about this important topic.

Thank you for all the feedback. Your continued input and corrections are highly encouraged. Although I absolutely strive to share the most accurate information, when delving into history – especially protohistory – the chances of making an error are highly likely.

I want to acknowledge Dr. Heather Exby’s support to both embark on this project and to share it with our CMC campus community, even when the truths make us feel complicit or uncomfortable. Please feel free to share and forward to anyone who may be interested. 

Thank you,

Abraham Korah

Adjunct instructor, Business | Former Director of Library Leaning Commons

akorah@coloradomtn.edu