November is Native American Heritage Month! Multnomah county has the 9th largest Indigenous community in the U.S. There are many obstacles that face the Native American population, a legacy of centuries of injustice toward the original inhabitants of this land. Despite these obstacles, the Native American community continues to grow and thrive, rooted in their shared heritage as the inhabitants of these lands since time immemorial.

Founded by the community, for the community, Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) is a family of numerous tribes and voices who are rooted in sustaining tradition and building cultural wealth. The center provides culturally-specific programs and services that guide Native American people in the direction of personal success and balance through cultural empowerment. NAYA Family Center offers a holistic set of wraparound services designed to create stability in the lives of Native American youth and families. Their continuum of lifetime services create a “healthy environment that is Youth Centered, Family Driven, Elder Guided.” The center welcomes the broader Portland community, Native and non-Native alike, to share in programming, cultural celebrations and traditions.

NAYA provides all of its programs and services to individuals, families, and the community through the fundamental lens and perspective of The Relational Worldview Model — a traditional paradigm of balance and wholeness as the basis for health — (or put another way, “equilibrium”). This philosophy holds that life is made up of the four elements of existence—mind, body, spirit, and social context. Visually, this concept is shown as a circle with four quadrants, as seen in the NAYA logo. NAYA operates under the belief that individuals can be assessed and treated most effectively when all the elements of their life are considered.

With this in mind NAYA promotes healthy living through positive alternatives to high-risk behaviors, and promotes the values of sobriety, family stability, culture, active lifestyles, and education. The services provided by NAYA include:

• College and Career Services

• Community Economic Development

• Community Engagement

• Critical Services

• Many Nations Academy

• Elder Services

• Foster Care Support

• Housing

• Homeownership

• Parent Involvement

• Youth and Education

During the month of November we will match in-office financial donations to NAYA. When you check out for your appointment, simply let us know that you’d like to donate and we can add it to your credit card payment, or accept cash. Any amount helps!

You can also donate directly to NAYA (unmatched) through the button below.

Further Resources

We encourage you to learn more about the Indigenous tribes of Oregon and hear from Native American people directly. Follow NAYA on social media for updates on their winter events. For more information and links to the Multnomah tribes’ websites, see the state of Oregon’s page on the nine tribes of Oregon.