Landing in Piscataway Terrain

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What does it mean to live and study on Piscataway land?

In this semester-long project, a select fellowship of no more than 14 students will learn about and support Native ecology and Piscataway livelihoods in partnership with the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park. Fellows will travel to Piscataway Park, the site of Piscataway villages for thousands of years, to assist in removing invasive plants, and to learn about Indigenous ecology. Then fellows will bring their learning back to Foggy Bottom, assessing a small portion of our campus and imagining designs that might promote native plants and honor the Indigenous people of these lands. Finally, we'll design an exhibit in the Corcoran Flagg building atrium to showcase our work via photos, graphics, etc., and celebrate our collaboration in a special on-campus event with representatives from the Accokeek Foundation.

Key dates include:

Sept 23 - Invasive plant removal and ethnobotanic gardening support at Piscataway Park (alongside students participating in GW's Welcome Day of Service, and the Accokeek Foundation's offerings for National Public Lands Day. Transportation provided via GW bus.)

Oct 20 or 21 - Native tree walk and further service at Piscataway Park (transportation provided via rental van)

Nov dates TBD - campus assessment; what's Native and what's invasive? How might we honor the Piscataway and Nacotchtank peoples upon whose land we study?

Dec 4-11 - Gallery show at Corcoran Flagg documenting our process, presenting our findings and offering speculative re-designs. Event date / time TBD.

All GW community members are invited to apply! We are actively seeking a cohort with diverse backgrounds, experiences, skillsets and areas of study. Fellows will be expected to participate in all aspects of this volunteer program. We regret that some activities at Piscataway Park may not be accessible for all bodies; accommodations will be made when feasible. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; applicants will be notified of their participation status no later than Wed, Sept 20.

Landing in Piscataway Terrain is an initiative of graduate student Shawn Shafner (MFA Social Practice Art) in partnership with the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park, and was made possible through a generous Public Service Grant Commission from GW's Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service. For more information about the relationship between the Accokeek Foundation and the Piscataway tribe, click here.

Questions? Concerns? Ideas? Email ShawnShafner@gwu.edu

What is your first and last name? *

What gender pronouns would you like us to use when referring to you? (EG she/her, he/him, they/them, etc.) *

What is your email address? *

What is your year and major? For non-students, what is your role at GW? *

Which GW school are you connected with? (EG Elliot School, Columbian College, etc.) *

What interests you about this project? Why do you want to be a Fellow? *

What background experience, skillsets or special talents are you bringing to this project? For example, photography, graphic design, botany, Indigenous history, curiosity, etc. How might you contribute to our work together, or to the diversity of our cohort? *

Is there an online space (website, social media, Google doc) where we can get a sense of your work? You may also submit a writing sample below.

Please confirm that you are available to participate and willing to commit to all the dates and activities below. We will each be able to take on different jobs based on our strengths, and other tasks may surface as well. We will likely meet once a month informally outside of these dates as well; we can choose those times together as a group. NOTE: For events with multiple options, please choose all that apply. *

Sept 23, ~12-5pm, invasive plant removal at Piscataway Park

Oct 20, ~12-5pm, Native tree walk at Piscataway Park (Option 1)

Oct 21, ~12-5pm, Native tree walk at Piscataway Park (Option 2)

Oct 28, ~12-5pm, Native tree walk at Piscataway Park (Option 3)

Nov date TBD, ~3 hours, campus audit of invasive and native plants / Indigenous representation

Late Nov, ~3 hours, gallery preparation (curation, design, printing, framing, writing wall text)

Dec 2 and / or 3, ~3 hrs, gallery installation

Dec 5, 12-1pm, celebratory public event in the gallery (Option 1)

Dec 8, 12-1pm, celebratory public event in the gallery (Option 2)

Dec 9, ~2 hrs, gallery deinstallation (Option 1)

Dec 10, ~2hrs, gallery deinstallation (Option 2)

Dec 11, ~2hrs, gallery deinstallation (Option 3)

Required

Any comments, conflicts, needs, etc about the schedule above?

Are you comfortable riding in a bus commissioned by GW for our Sept trip to Piscataway Park? *

Yes

Other:

There may be some media coverage of the Accokeek Foundation's Public Lands Day events on Sept 23. Are you comfortable being photographed or filmed? (This is not a requirement for participation.) *

Yes

Other:

Are you comfortable riding in a personal car or rental van driven by a fellow GW community member for our Oct trip to Piscataway Park? *

Yes

Other:

Are you 25 or over and willing to be a rental car driver for our Oct trip to Piscataway Park?

Yes

Other:

Clear selection

Do you have a vehicle, and would you be willing to transport participants for our Oct trip to Piscataway Park?

Yes

Other:

Clear selection

We will be documenting our work throughout the project. Do you consent to your image being used in any social media updates, blog posts, final exhibit, etc? (Not required for participation.) *

Yes

Other:

Do you have any accessibility needs of which we should be aware? If so, how can we best support you in our work together?

How did you hear about this project?

Anything questions, or anything else you'd like to share?

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