Association On American Indian Affairs Inc

TO ASSIST AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITIES IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE FULL ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CIVIL EQUALITY, AND TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS.

CULTURAL SOVEREIGNTY: THE ASSOCIATION'S CULTURAL SOVEREIGNTY PROGRAMS INCLUDE EFFORTS TOWARDS THE RETURN AND REPATRIATION OF NATIVE AMERICAN TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE THAT HAS BEEN STOLEN AND LOOTED DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY; AND THE PROTECTION OF THE SACRED, WHICH INCLUDES SACRED PLACES, ANIMALS, PLANTS, FOODS, MEDICINES, WATER, AIR AND SOIL, AS WELL AS LAND BACK AND TREATY RIGHTS PROTECTION EFFORTS.

THE NEXT GENERATION: THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN PROVIDING GRANTS AND OTHER ASSISTANCE TO STRENGTHEN AND BUILD OUR NEXT GENERATION OF ADVOCATES AND WISDOM KEEPERS. THE ASSOCIATION IS THE OLDEST SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDER TO NATIVE STUDENTS SINCE 1947; AND HAVE BEEN PROVIDING FUNDING FOR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAMMING SINCE 1963. MAINTAINING AND HEALING OUR FAMILIES IS ALSO PARAMOUNT TO OUR NEXT GENERATION PROGRAMS. THE ASSOCIATION BEGAN ITS ADVOCACY IN INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ISSUES IN THE 1960S AND ITS RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY DIRECTLY LED TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT OF 1978 - WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER ATTACK BY DEEP POCKETS. THROUGH LITIGATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, THE ASSOCIATION IS FIGHTING TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF NATIVE FAMILIES. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO IS WORKING TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE RESOURCES IN OUR YOUTH JUSTICE PROGRAMS TO KEEP YOUTH IN SCHOOL AND OUT OF DETENTION AND INCARCERATION.

BUILDING ALLYSHIP: BUILDING ALLYSHIP IS THE ASSOCIATION'S PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. WE KNOW OUR WORLD CANNOT CHANGE UNLESS WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES RIGHTS AND VALUES ARE TO SUSTAINING OUR WORLD. THE ASSOCIATION PROVIDES PUBLIC EDUCATION ON NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY, LAW AND POLICY, DEVELOPS PARTNERSHIPS WITH NATIVE NATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS AND ENTITIES AND WORKS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT BEING A BETTER ALLY AND ADVOCATE. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO PRODUCES A NATIVE NEWS AND TALK SHOW CALLED "RED HOOP TALK" THAT HIGHLIGHTS INDIGENOUS PEOPLES FROM ALL OVER INDIAN COUNTRY THAT WORK TO PROTECT THEIR NATIONS AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. THE ASSOCIATION FURTHER PROVIDES EDUCATION ABOUT MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, BOARDING SCHOOLS, FEDERAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, LANGUAGE, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND OTHER URGENT ISSUES THAT ARISE.