Native Americans In Philanthropy

Programs: Narrative change: nap seeks to change mainstream narratives of native americans -- dominated by harmful stereotypes and racist depictions -- by centering native leaders and voices, supported by a cross-cultural network of influencers who leverage their own visibility and platforms to spread indigenous people's messages and advocate for our priorities. We want to emphasize that native issues and communities are intertwined with everyone's and that change does include national reckoning with a history of colonization and genocide within a frame of truth, healing and reconciliation. In this spirit, nap recognizes that storytelling from an indigenous perspective empowers native communities and re-centers our voices, and that non-natives also need to feel empowered to become allies and partners.

invisible no more summit and celebration: nap hosted a one-day summit and celebration, invisible no more: native movement building, on may 6 at the underground museum in south los angeles. Over 200 local, regional and national funders, nonprofit and other partners gathered to hear from native, youth and other leaders on youth organizing, native women advocacy, education, native and immigrant alliances, indian boarding schools and mass incarceration and indigenous movement building. The summit featured programming specific to the los angeles indigenous community as well as to the broader state and national movements. Our speakers drew connections between equity-based issues and communities, underscoring how common histories and modern systems of racism, colonialism and oppression must be fought in a long-term multi-issue, multicultural movement. Additionally, native youth and leaders demonstrated how native cultures, traditions and worldview can anchor this movement by providing spaces for personal and systemic healing and transformation.

the regional action network (ran) weavers continue to expand a strong network of members, partners, and allies with the intent to leverage and expand the sources of philanthropic dollars going toward native issues. Weavers organize convenings of native, philanthropic and community representatives to discuss and define both individual and collective action to improve the effectiveness of grant making in native communities (urban, rural and tribal). In 2017 our weavers led two regional convenings -- in san francisco and seattle -- centered on the generation indigenous initiative supporting native youth leadership and opportunities. Convening speakers spotlighting storytellers of youth success and innovation in native communities in the northwest and northern california regions, respectively, and introduced our indigenous lifecourse research led by native scholars. The storytellers and research provide concrete anchors for funders to better understand native perspectives and learn how to incorporate an indigenous lens into their grantmaking.