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November 7th–This year, the American Indian Cultural Center of San Francisco (AICCSF) in partnership with the Mayors office of San Francisco, recognized three local heroes at the annual Native American Heritage Month Celebration.  Sonya Tetnowski (Maka Nation), CEO of Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley & Board President of the CA Consortium of Urban Indian Health was honored as one of our local heroes. Rodney Little Bird (Standing Rock Sioux), an American Indian Community Advocate for LGBTQ-2S Community was honored as a second local hero.  Paloma Flores (Pit River Nation), Indian Education Program Director and American Indian Youth Advocate was honored as a third local hero.

Rodney Little Bird Standing Rock Sioux,  American Indian Community Advocate for LGBTQ-2S Community was nominated as a second local hero , and Paloma Flores Pit River Nation and Indian Education Program Director and  American Indian Youth Advocate as third local hero.

These honorees were nominated by AIAN community members and were selected by the Native American Heritage planning committee, members of the advisory committee, AICCSF Board president, Executive Director and Project Coordinator. The honorees were selected based on their accomplishments and contribution to create positive change for the AIAN community.

The Native American Heritage Month Celebration took place on Tuesday November 7th at San Francisco City Hall Rotunda and local heroes were honored with a certificate from Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco. Mayor Lee highlighted the accomplishments and value of our local heroes, and gave recognition to the local Urban Indian Health Organizations that are providing services to the AIAN community. It was a beautiful night of celebration with All Nations Drum and traditional Native American dancers and singers from the AIAN community.

It is important for the American Indian community to acknowledge our American Indian leaders that are working hard for Urban Indian families to have a voice and visibility in San Francisco and the greater Bay Area.  As the AIAN community struggles to access affordable housing, culturally sensitive behavioral health services, and afterschool programs that provide tutoring and culturally centered activities to strengthen the identity of our future generations of Urban Indian youth, it is the dedication of these leaders and local heroes that give voice to the needs of the AIAN community.

Native American Health Center (NAHC) has announced their plans for a celebration of their new facility expansion on Thursday, February 2nd. The three-story building, a newly renovated furniture store, represents not only a physical expansion of NAHC’s capacity to deliver care to its community members, but an expansion of their institutional commitment to Oakland as well.

Native American Health Center has been a dedicated servant of the Native communities in the Bay Area since 1972, offering medical, dental, behavioral health, diabetes and substance abuse prevention, as well as HIV/HCV care coordination and prevention. This expansion will allow NAHC to immediately enhance its administrative capacity, while also allow it to look forward to the eventual expansion of its clinical capacity and increase its already profound impact on the Oakland community.

The celebration will take place at 2950 International Boulevard between 3pm and 7pm and includes both an open house and reception with guest speakers, Native American dance and drumming performances, and unique Native American-inspired fusion cuisine courtesy of Wahpepah’s Kitchen, the first Native American woman-owned catering business in California.

Native American Health Center (NAHC), CCUIH member clinic serving the San Francisco Bay Area, will host the Grand Opening of their new school-based site –The San Leandro Health & Wellness Center. The Grand Opening will be held on Spetember 14, 2015 from 1 – 2:30 pm at 2251 Bancroft Ave., San Leandro.

The San Leandro Health & Wellness Center is NAHC’s  ninth school-based clinic. This clinic is a partnership between NAHC, San Leandro Unified School District, Alameda County Center for Healthy Schools & Communities, and the City of San Leandro.

The San Leandro Wellness Center will feature health and fitness classes (self-defense, martial arts, yoga); classes in 3-D printing, coding and computer engineering; and artistic expression classes (Dance, spoken word, graffiti art), in addition to medical, dental and behavioral health services that will be led and delivered by NAHC staff. The San Leandro Wellness Center will be open to all youth and young adults.

Established in 1992, NAHC School-Based Health provides services on school campuses and works in collaboration with school districts and several community-based organizations. The NAHC school-based health centers emphasize prevention, integrated care and the removal of access barriers. They aim to improve adolescent health, well-being and success in school by increasing access to comprehensive, high-quality health care services. Services provided include medical care, dental care, behavioral health, health education, youth development, insurance enrollment and family engagement.

To read more about The San Leandro Health & Wellness Center, click here.

CCUIH member, Native American Health Center, is excited to introduce their new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joseph Marquis (Ohlone, Navajo, Chumash).

Dr. Marquis holds a medical degree (Doctor of Medicine) from Albany Medical College and an MA in Molecular and Microbiology from San Jose State.

As CMO, he represents NAHC’s clinical departments on an executive level, driving high quality patient-centered care and supports a holistic and cooperative environment.

In collaboration with NAHC’s Executive Leadership Team, Dr. Marquis will strive to improve access and quality of care provided to NAHC’s members. He will provide administrative oversight of the integration of NAHC’s medical, dental, and behavioral health programs. He will also collaborate with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) to move NAHC toward Patient Centered Medical Home Certification and agency accreditation.

Dr. Marquis comes to NAHC from Tuoloumne Me-Wuk Indian Health Center, where he served as Medical Director and Internal medicine Physician.

Dr. Marquis was born and raised in San Jose and is excited to be back in the bay area. He enjoys spending time with his wife and five year old daughter. To stay healthy, he runs and rides his mountain bike.

Native American Health Center (NAHC), CCUIH member clinic serving the San Francisco Bay Area, has won a bid to serve as the lead health provider at a new, cutting edge facility –The San Leandro Health & Wellness Center.

NAHC’s School-Based Health Center staff and leadership team as well as senior management made a successful presentation to Alameda County Health Care Services Agency and San Leandro Unified School District for this bid, which will add a ninth (9th) school-based clinic to NAHC’s repertoire. Bonnie Trinclisti and Tamar Kurlaender have harnessed their years of clinical and management experience for adolescent health and made a dynamic presentation to county officials who commented their presentation “hit it out of the park.” The presentation also included a youth Peer Health Educator, Kathleen Fong, as well as NAHC’s all-around Health Education Superstar, Atziri Rodriguez.

Not only are Bonnie and Tamar seasoned professionals who are driven by NAHC’s core value of health care as a right and not a privilege—they have cultivated strong teams and impactful service delivery at all their clinics. Young students look up to and confide in NAHC school-based staff like Topaz Persons, and Louise Torres (just to name a couple) for health issues and mentorship.

The San Leandro Wellness Center will be located on E. 14th Street and Bancroft in San Leandro, and will feature health and fitness classes (self-defense, martial arts, yoga); classes in 3-D printing, coding and computer engineering; and artistic expression classes (Dance, spoken word, graffiti art), in addition to medical, dental and behavioral health services that will be led and delivered by NAHC staff. The San Leandro Wellness Center will be open to all youth and young adults.

Established in 1992, NAHC School-Based Health provides services on school campuses and works in collaboration with school districts and several community-based organizations. The NAHC school-based health centers emphasize prevention, integrated care and the removal of access barriers. They aim to improve adolescent health, well-being and success in school by increasing access to comprehensive, high-quality health care services. Services provided include medical care, dental care, behavioral health, health education, youth development, insurance enrollment and family engagement.

CCUIH currently works with six outstanding interns on projects ranging from legislative tracking to art & design. Over the next few weeks, we will be featuring each of our interns on our website. The first is Amanda Whitecrane, our Policy and Legislation Intern, who we can thank for her diligent work on the California Legislation Tracker. Amanda is also helping us start our Urban Indian Policy Blog.

Learn more about Amanda, in her own words:

I’m delighted to be an intern at CCUIH. I’m learning more about policy and legislation as I update the website and I’m anxious to see what the future will bring as I get to know more about their important work. I recently received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and an American Indian Studies minor at San Francisco State University.  I moved to the Bay Area nine years ago from Lame Deer, Montana.  As a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, I received my Associates degree from Chief Dull Knife Tribal College in Business.  Upon moving to California I worked in Native American non-profits before making the decision to continue my education. ​I have two daughters, ages 5 and 11, who are absolutely my world and their future is the basis of many of my educational/career pursuits.  I’m an active volunteer at NAHC in facilitating IllumiNatives, an evaluation advisory board aimed at creating meaningful and purposeful research that illuminates our community.  It ensures that evaluation projects are successful in empowering youth and parent voices within the program.  I came to CCUIH as a student and member of the San Francisco community to learn about how policy impacts Native communities.  

Through all of my endeavors I hope to someday be able to assist in the establishment of a Native American cultural center that serves as second home to the San Francisco Native community.  With the dwindling availability of space in San Francisco it is time to demand that the Native American people have a designated cultural center that can be utilized for community events, educational and cultural classes serve as a resource for residents and an opportunity to acknowledge the original Ohlone people of San Francisco.  It is essential for urban communities to offer this space for our youth to develop positive cultural identity.  Thank you for allowing me to share with you who I am and my path. Be well.