Native American Studies

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium is an organization dedicated to supporting and building a network of Tribal Colleges and Universities (institutions that are chartered and operated by tribal governments). AIHEC provides leadership and influences public policy on American Indian higher education issues through advocacy, research, and program initiatives; promotes and strengthens Indigenous languages, cultures, communities, and tribal nations; and through its unique position, serves member institutions and emerging tribal colleges and universities.

The Center for Native American and Indigenous Research (CNAIR) at the APS Library & Museum works with Indigenous communities throughout the Americas and with campus- and community-based scholars in many disciplines and traditions. Its goal is to assist people in finding and utilizing the extensive archival collections at the Library and Museum of the APS in innovative ways that honor Indigenous knowledge, cultivate scholarship, and strengthen languages and cultural traditions.

The Center for World Indigenous Studies is a think tank focused on Native American research. The organization brings together activist scholars in order to provide them a forum to discuss their work and to advocate for change in their communities. The organization is a hybrid academic/activist organization. The organization also hosts the academic journal, Fourth World.

Collaborative Indigenous Research is an organization which seeks to promote and expand the field of Collaborative Indigenous Research. We wish to highlight the methods, ethics, theories of change, and forms of knowledge mobilization present in Collaborative Indigenous Research methodologies. The site and organization is an initiative of The Visiting Lab (which itself is associated with the University of Toronto), a collaborative research lab focused on feminist ethics.

The Diné Studies Conference is a professional conference hosted by the Navajo Nation. The conference embraces and uphols Diné culture and language; to promote and facilitate ethical and responsible research; to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas of Diné life; and to inspire critical reflection.

The Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA) is an interdisciplinary, international membership-based organization comprised of scholars working in the fields of Native American and Indigenous Studies broadly defined. The organization welcomes faculty and students in colleges, universities, and tribal colleges, community-based scholars and elders, and independent professionals working in the field. The organization hosts an annual conferences and publishes the Native American & Indigenous Studies journal.

The Native American Art Studies Association (NAASA) exists to encourage the ongoing study and exchange of ideas on Native American art north of the Rio Grande and including the First Nations of Canada. Members include Native American artists and scholars, members of the academic community, museum professionals, writers, and others actively involved in the study of Native American art. The Association hosts biennial conferences, publishes a periodic newsletter and facilitates communication among members through an email list-serve.

The Society for the Study of the Indigenous Languages of the Americas (SSILA) was founded in December 1981 as the international scholarly organization representing the linguistic study of the Indigenous languages of the Americas. Membership in SSILA is open to all those who are interested in the linguistic study of the languages of the Indigenous peoples of North, Central, and South America.

The Visiting Lab is a collaborative research lab located in New York based in Indigenous feminist ethics. Founded by Eve Tuck, this lab is a continuation of the work started during her time in Toronto with the Tkaronto CIRCLE Lab.

The AISES is a nonprofit organization designed to increase the representation of Indigenous and Pacific Islanders in the STEM fields. The organization provides various events and opportunities for American Indian high school and college aged students to engage with STEM. It also advocates that Indigenous perspectives on STEM are unique and have the opportunity to benefit the field.

The American Indian Indigenous Teacher Education Conference is a conference hosted by Northern Arizona University to bring together indigenous educators to share ideas and experiences on how to teach and revitalize American Indian and other Indigenous languages in homes, communities, and schools. The conference shares resources for early childhood education and disseminates recent research and thinking on best practices to promote, preserve, and protect American Indian and other Indigenous languages.

The American Indian Language Development Institute is a program of University of Arizona, whose goal is to provide critical training to strengthen efforts to revitalize and promote the use of Indigenous languages across generations. This is accomplished by engaging educators, schools, Indigenous communities and policy makers nationally and internationally through outreach, transformative teaching, purposeful research and collaborative partnerships. As a result of our work, we envision that the larger society will know that language revitalization is critical to sustain and reinforce Indigenous linguistic, cultural, and spiritual health and identity.

American Indigenous Business Leaders is an organization dedicated to empowering Native American business students in the United States. Their programs are designed to engage students in activities that stimulate, enhance, and expand educational experiences beyond traditional academic methods.

The Center for Native American Health is an initiative of University of New Mexico which specializes in student and workforce development, community engagement, community-based participatory research (CBPR), community health assessment capacity building, program planning, and project management in Native American Communities. The organization focuses on community strengths such as local and unique knowledge, core cultural value systems, and health beliefs.

The Diné Institute for Navajo Nation Educators is a collaboration between Northern Arizona University and the Navajo Nation aimed at strengthening teaching in K-12 schools serving Diné and other Indigenous students. This is accomplished through a series of seminars and trainings.

The mission of Indian Gaming Association is to protect and preserve the general welfare of tribes. IGA works with the Federal, State and Tribal governments to develop sound policies and practices and to provide technical assistance and advocacy on gaming-related issues. IGA works to maintain and protect tribal sovereignty.

The Indigenous Journalists Association serves and empowers Indigenous journalists through programs and actions designed to enrich journalism and promote Indigenous cultures. The organization serves media professionals working in Indigenous, freelance, independent, and mainstream news outlets, as well as academia and students covering Indigenous communities and representing Indigenous peoples from across the world. The organization recognizes Native Americans as distinct peoples based on tradition and culture. In this spirit, IJA educates and unifies its membership through journalism programs that promote diversity and defends challenges to free press, speech and expression.

Since 1969, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development has been a driving force for the advancement of Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses. Through training, programming, and subject-matter expertise, The National Center has become the preeminent non-profit in the United States focused on the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian economies. The organization focuses on assisting business owners, driving policy, and advocating for indigenous businesses.

Despite the fact that a majority (66%) of Native Americans live in urban areas, comparatively little federal money goes to Urban Indian healthcare. The National Council on Urban Indian Health is a non-profit organization designed to work with urban based, indigenous focused healthcare systems to provide the best care for urban Indigenous peoples. The organization advocates for best practices relating to urban Indian health, facilitates the collaboration between the Indian Health Service (and other healthcare providers) and urban Indigenous communities, and helps train healthcare providers who serve Indigenous communities.

The National Indian Child Care Association is a nationally organized grassroots alliance of Tribally-governed and operated child care and early learning programs. NICCA was established to provide information, support, coordination, and advocacy for tribal child care. The organization promote and support Tribal governments designs and implements programs which are beneficial to the unique needs of their own Tribal citizens.

The National Indian Council on Aging is an organization which advocates for improved comprehensive health, social services and economic well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native elders. NICOA also operates a biennial conference where elders can educate and recommend solutions to policymakers to help improve aging services across Indian Country.

The National Indian Education Association is an organization for Native Americans educators and activists focused on advancing comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. The organization promotes educational sovereignty, language education, and improve education on reservations. The organization works with teachers in order to foster knowledge on traditional indigenous methodologies and pedagogies.

The National Native American Bar Association serves as the national association for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian attorneys, judges, law professors and law students. NNABA strives for justice and effective legal representation for all American indigenous peoples; fosters the development of Native American lawyers and judges; and addresses social, cultural, and legal issues affecting American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

National Native American Law Enforcement Association whose goal is to promote and foster mutual cooperation between American Indian Law Enforcement Officers /Agents /Personnel, their agencies, tribes, private industry and public. The organization facilitates the exchange of new techniques in criminal justice, conducts training for police officers, establishes networks of Native American law enforcement agencies, and provides a support group for Native American officers/agents/employees in the field.

The Native American Business Incubator Network is an initiative of the Grand Canyon Trust to help build up the capacity of tribal business owners in the Colorado Plateau area, including the Navajo Nation. The organization helps gather local communities, connect entrepreneurs with resources, and support native businesses. They also operate an agricultural co-op and provide credit for Navajo small businesses. It ensures that tourism dollars from the Grand Canyon actually trickle down to the tribes who live in this area.

Native American Finance Officers Association is a professional organization that advocates for sound economic and fiscal policy, develops innovative training programs in financial management, builds the financial and economic skills of the next generation, and convenes tribal leadership, experienced professionals, and economic partners to meet the challenges of economic growth and change.

The Native American Fish & Wildlife Society is a national Native American non-profit organization that serves as an informative communication network between tribal, federal, and state fish and wildlife management entities. The organization assists in the facilitation and coordination of inter-tribal communication in regard to fish and wildlife matters, including issues with treaty rights, as well as court cases related to fish, wildlife, and hunting regulations.

Native Americans in Philanthropy is a powerful and growing network of Native and non-Native nonprofits, Tribal communities, foundations, and community leaders committed to engaging, learning, and sharing resources and best practices grounded the Native tradition of reciprocity. NAP is a Native-led organization that reshapes the philanthropic sector by applying Indigenous values to build more impactful and authentic relationships in philanthropy.

The Native Nations Institute is a self-determination, self-governance, and development resource for Native nations hosted by University of Arizona. NNI's mission is to assist in building capable Native nations that can effectively pursue and ultimately realize their own political, economic, and community development objectives. This effort, which we call nation building, is the central focus of NNI's programs. It includes an Indigenous governance database, policy analysis/research, and nation building seminars.

The Navajo Nation Bar Association is a professional association of lawyers on the Navajo Nation. The website includes information about Navajo Nation laws/statutes, information on Navajo Fundamental laws, attorney listings, and information about forms and a listing of attorneys on the Navajo nation.

The New Mexico Native American Indian Nurses Association is a professional organization which is designed to advocate for the health needs of native peoples, developing nursing education activities, recommend nursing care strategies that benefit native peoples, and support American Indian students pursuing health careers. The organization is open to registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses, students enrolled in nursing programs and interested associate members.

SNACS is an organization that is designed to provide support for Chicanos/Hispanics and American Indians in the STEM field. The group hosts programs and exhibits as well as connects recent graduates to jobs.

The Society of Indian Psychologists is a professional society for American Indian psychologists and mental health practitioners. The mission of SIP is to advocate for the psychological well-being of American Indians and other Indigenous peoples and to advance knowledge pertaining to Indigenous psychology. .

Southwestern Association for Indian Arts is an organization whose goal is to bring Native arts to the World by inspiring artistic excellence, fostering education and creating meaningful partnerships. The organization is best known for hosting the Santa Fe Indian Market, one of the largest Native American art festivals. The organization also has a directory of artists from the region and resources for artists.

An overview of the American Indian Movement (AIM) by the Minnesota Historical Society's MNopedia. The American Indian Movement, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, was initially founded to support the local Indian community from police abuse and provide financial support to Indians relocated to urban areas. After the Occupation of Alcatraz in 1969, the American Indian Movement, began to participate in large scale occupations to draw attention to issues facing Native peoples such as the Trail of Broken Treaties (cumulating in the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Building) and the Occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. The organization was one of the most confrontational and significant organizations in the U.S. The American Indian Movement began to splinter in the mid to late 1970s, but still remains to this day, having made its mark on American Indian History.

The Association on American Indian Affairs is one of the oldest American Indian rights and advocacy groups in the U.S. They have played a major role in drafting legislation related to indigenous peoples. The association is dedicated to protecting and uplifting Native Nations and their citizens through our core initiatives: fostering cultural sovereignty, building up the next generations, and becoming an ally. Programs are designed to empower Native peoples by reclaiming and preserving what defines them, while fostering understanding, healing, and allyship.

The Center for Native American Youth is an initiative of the Aspen Institute. The Center is a national education and advocacy organization that works alongside Native youth — ages 24 and under — on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety and overall well-being. The organization seeks to foster civic engagement, environmental justice, leadership, awareness for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis, and community building.

First Nations Development Institute improves economic conditions for Native Americans through direct financial grants, technical assistance & training, and advocacy & policy. The organization has programs focusing on economics, land stewardship, agriculture, arts, and language. While the organization is mostly focused on California, it has programs for other states, such as New Mexico.

Established in 1990 within the United States, IEN was formed by grassroots Indigenous peoples and individuals to address environmental and economic justice issues (EJ). IEN’s activities include building the capacity of Indigenous communities and tribal governments to develop mechanisms to protect our sacred sites, land, water, air, natural resources, health of both our people and all living things, and to build economically sustainable communities.

Movement Rights assists communities confronted by harmful corporate projects to assert their right to make important decisions that impact them by passing new laws that place the rights of residents (and nature) above the claimed legal “rights” of corporations. At the heart of our work is the belief that asserting our right to create the kind of place we want to live and reining in corporate power is the next evolution of the civil rights movement. Over 160 communities across the United States have already asserted their right to local self-government and stopped unwanted harms.

The National Congress of American Indians is one of the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. The organization serves as a forum for unified policy development among tribal governments. The main goals of the Congress include protecting/advancing tribal governance and treaty rights, promoting the economic development/welfare of Native Nations, and educating the public.

The National Indian Child Welfare Association is an organization dedicated to supporting the safety, health, and spiritual strength of Native children. Grounded in Native values, we work to keep Native children with their families and their communities. The organization is dedicated to the enforcement of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), which tries to keep Indigenous children with their families and tribes.

The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, Inc. (NIWRC) is a Native-led nonprofit organization committed to ending violence against Native women, children, and communities. The organization provides national leadership in addressing violence within Tribal communities by amplifying the voices of grassroots advocates and offering resources, technical assistance, training, and policy development.

The National Native American Boarding School Coalition is the first and only national organization whose purpose is to advocate on behalf of Native peoples impacted by U.S. Indian boarding school policies. The organization does this by promoting research, setting up educational events, advocating for justice, and setting up healing ceremonies.

Disabled people can face a myriad of legal issues related to accommodations and tribal law. The Native American Disability Law Center was established to provide legal support for Native Americans who are struggling with issues related to their disabilities or treatment. The organization also provides information to Native Americans about their rights.

The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is an organization which provides legal assistance to Native American tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who might otherwise have gone without adequate representation. NARF has successfully asserted and defended the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases, and has achieved significant results in such critical areas as tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resource protection, voting rights, and Indian education.

The Native Professional Advancement Center was founded in 1961, in Gallup, New Mexico as the National Indian Youth Council, was originally founded as a youth organization designed to bring together college educated Indians to advocate for social change. This frequently included more confrontational forms of activism like "fish-ins." However, as time went on, the organization began to re-focus on providing educational opportunities for Indigenous youth. Today, the organization provides scholarships, work experience, classroom training, and other supportive services.

The Pueblo Action Alliance is a community driven grassroots organization that protects Pueblo cultural sustainability and community defense by addressing environmental and social impacts in Indigenous communities. The organization builds on the Pueblo revolution of 1680, viewing themselves as the inheritors of the revolution.

Located in the ancestral Tewa homelands of Northern New Mexico, Tewa Women United is a multicultural and multiracial organization founded and led by Native women which focuses on protecting indigenous women. The name “Tewa Women United” comes from the Tewa words wi don gi mu which can be translated as “we are one” in mind, heart and in the spirit of love for all.

Utah Diné Bikéyah is a Native American-led, values-driven organization that recognizes the deep and ongoing spiritual connection between indigenous people and the land. UDB operates at the intersection between culture and conservation, by promoting land protection that honors and includes human societies that have existed in ecosystems since time immemorial. UDB seeks to heal people and the Earth by ensuring that sacred ancestral lands remain intact for future generations of all people.

Women Empowering Women for Indian Nations is an organization for Native American woman that is dedicated to strengthening tribal cultures, educate people about the history of Native peoples, and to promote honest and dignified tribal leadership.