The Urban Los Angeles American Indian Experience: Perspectives from the Field

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article reports on the findings from two studies conducted in the Los Angeles urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) community. The research investigated the relationship between the American Indian and Alaska Native cultural values and the social problems that challenge the urban Native community in the greater Los Angeles and Orange County regions, in addition to other topics. In both studies, respondents were American Indian/Alaska Native human services providers who are affiliated with the network of American Indian organizations in the region. The respondents identify and discuss the significance of cultural values, the protective functions of the cultural inheritance, and challenges confronting the native community in the urban Los Angeles region. Similar findings emerged in each study, indicating that perspectives are relatively constant despite the passage of time. However, concerns about the challenges confronting the American Indian/ Alaska Native community have not shifted substantially in the intervening years. The findings from both studies indicate that the cultural inheritance provides protective functions that promote resilient capacities and that serve as a primary resource for addressing social problems within the Native community.