Honoring American Indian Nations

The American Indian/Alaska Native/Indigenous population of Santa Clara County is comprised of families from over a hundred tribal communities that include the local indigenous tribe of the area; neighboring California tribes to the south, east and north of Santa Clara Valley; other tribes throughout California; and relocated Indians from tribes throughout the United States. The local indigenous tribe to the Santa Clara Valley is the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Muwekma is comprised of all the known surviving American Indian lineages aboriginal to the San Francisco Bay Region and whose members are from the historic Federally Recognized Verona Band. Neighboring tribes to the Muwekma include the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, with descendents of Mission San Juan Bautista and Mission Santa Cruz; and the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen Nation, the aboriginal people of the Greater Monterey Region extending from Fort Ord to Big Sur and beyond, and from Monterey to Soledad. After World War II, the U.S. federal government Bureau of Indian Affairs started a relocation program for American Indians living on tribal reservations. Members of tribes from across the United States, including Cherokee, Navajo, Rosebud Sioux, Choctaw, Apache, Hopi, and many others were relocated to urban areas. These Indians settled in cities and have now raised two or three generations in this setting. In 1990, California had the second-largest Native American population of any state, with approximately 242,000 Native American residents, second only to Oklahoma. Visit us at www.americanindianheritage.org.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center

The purpose of the MAA Center is to provide the most current and accurate information regarding asbestos exposure and mesothelioma available on the internet. They have an extensive resource that includes information on mesothelioma treatment and access to the nations top cancer centers and clinical trials. Visit their site to learn more about the dangers of asbestos and how to prevent this awful cancer.

The American Indian Child Resource Center (AIRC)

The American Indian Child Resource Center (AIRC) was founded in 1974 to address the needs of urban American Indian youth and their families in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Today, AICRC offers a wide range of services that include foster care and family reunification, educational support, teen pregnancy prevention and health education, counseling for children and families, and family/community preservation. By providing these essential services, AICRC helps families stay together and promotes the success of our Native youth. For more information, please contact AIRC: 522 Grand Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610 PHONE:(510) 208-1870, Fax: (510) 208-1886, Email: aicrc@aicrc.org Website: www.aicrc.org

AICRC Foster Care Program - A Foster Family Agency licensed by California Community Care Licensing - Open your heart and home to an American Indian foster child. Anyone can apply regardless of race, religion, gender, marital status, etc. We are seeking homes which will be culturally supportive and make every effort to keep the child engaged in traditional values and activities to that child's tribe(s). Our foster care program offers, just to name a few - Training opportunities, Continuous foster parent support, and Monthly financial assistance to help cover each child's living expenses. If you do not wish to be a foster parent yourself but know of others who do send them our way. For every referral you make to our agency that results in a certified AICRC foster home, you will receive $200 as our way of saying Thank You! For more information on AICRC Foster Care Program contact: 510-208-1870 ext. 314 or 315, Email: fostercare@aicrc.org