Community Organizing
Indigenous Education Now Coalition
Indigenous Education Now Coalition calls for the strengthening of Native American and Indigenous education in Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County is home to the largest population of urban Indigenous peoples in the entire country. Thousands of American Indian/Alaska Native children and youth – including Tongva, Tataviam and Chumash youth, North American Tribal youth, and Indigenous youth from Mexico and Central America – are students within all of Los Angeles County school districts.
The stark failure of the educational system points to a systemic need for drastic reforms. Indigenous Education Now has launched a campaign to hold the Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest school district in the county, accountable to the greater Native and Indigenous community.
The Indigenous Education Now Coalition (IEN) calls on LAUSD to make vital reformations beginning with the proper Tribal Consultation in fulfillment of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements.
We are also in a critical critical moment to advocate for LAUSD to begin investing in its next budget. We are advocating for them to allocate $12 million to launch the Indigenous Student Achievement Initiative.
This money would be used to address the crisis Native and Indigenous students are disproportionately facing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as a part of the District’s larger COVID response and recovery strategy.
This historic coalition brings together students, parents, community members, local Tribes, and Native and Indigenous-led nonprofit organizations to collectively exercise their power in relationship to the systems that are accountable to serve them. Indigenous Education Now says Native and Indigenous peoples can no longer be overlooked by the educational system.
Members
Coalition members include: Gabrieleno-Tongva Band of Mission Indians, Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Missions Indians, California Native Vote Project, Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory of North America, UCLA American Indian Studies Center, Pukuu Cultural Community Services, United American Indian Involvement Clubhouse, and American Indian Community Council.
Supporters and partners include: Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission, and the UCLA Human Rights in Action Clinic.
For additional information, please contact info@canativevote.org.
