Dr. Jared Orsi wears many hats. He is an author, former Colorado State Historian and professor at Colorado State University, specializing in public lands, Coloradan and U.S./Mexico Borderlands history. This Saturday, Orsi will put on another hat as a public speaker for the Longmont community at the Light of Christ Ecumenical Catholic Community. He will delve into the importance of public land history and the ways in which Longmont residents can educate themselves to advance equity and inclusion of Native populations.
Orsi noted that American history is rooted in public lands.
“Americans learn more about their national history from national parks than from any other single institution. It’s important that in those spaces we tell inclusive stories. It’s also important because the founders of the national park and the state park systems across the nation acknowledge outdoor recreation is a human right,” Orsi said.
He stressed the vital role that rights to public land have played in the treatment of people of color. Orsi said national parks and other public lands in the American West were established with ideals of accessibility for all but through erasure of culture and history, those ideals have failed to survive. At the end of the talk, he said he hopes the Longmont Community is inspired to advance accurate Native history and storytelling.
“I hope that they recognize the possibility that is fully within our collective ability to achieve and the possibility of turning those lands into spaces that do promote democracy and healing,” Orsi said.
The former Colorado State Historian will additionally take Longmont residents on a voyage through his own personal journey as the state’s historian, outlining his work within the role and his initiatives advancing Colorado history.
The event will take place on Sept. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Light of Christ Ecumenical Catholic Community located at 1000 15th Ave. and is free to the public.
