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LAIPA

LAIPA's Story

LAIPA's mission is rooted in the belief that reclaiming our cultural identity is part of our healing process and a powerful act of self-empowerment. By embracing our traditional ways, self-advocacy skills increase, which are crucial for individual, family and community well-being. Due to the alarming rates of severe depression in Los Angeles County, LAIPA is dedicated to demystifying mental health through culturally appropriate, gender-responsive, and healing-informed strategies especially with RAZA populations. Our commitment to healing, diversity, equity, and inclusion is rooted in our guiding principles of human rights, kinship, and interconnectedness. This guides our impact of creating healthy communities while building self sustainable pathways., Over the course of 32 years working in LA, we recognize the importance of facilitating the healing kinship circles have on the well being of indigenous families within the county.

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LAIPA was. the local Los Angeles affiliate of the International Indian Treaty Council, through which we organize and coordinate human rights advocacy and international policy making at the United Nations level.  We were involved in organizing the Peace and Dignity Journeys 2004, a trans-national organizing and spiritual run in 1992, 1996 and 2000, 2004, and 2008 dedicated to the survival of indigenous cultures, spirituality, and communities.   In 2000, LAIPA facilitated 6 stationary and 6 mobile Questionnaire Assistance Centers for the U.S. Census 2000 to assist our community members in filling out and returning their Census Questionnaire.  Through this effort we were able to increase the number of registered indigenous people from Mexico and Central American who were counted though our outreach efforts.  This collaboration helped bring to light the fact that over 50% of all Native Americans in California are from Mexico. Since 2002, LAIPA has worked with international non-governmental organizations to advocate for a United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  On September 2007, the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was finally adopted by the General Assembly.  In 2006, LAIPA co-created Assembly Bill 2695 in California.  This bill would enhance workplace safety by permitting employers to obtain protective orders for the entire worksite when an employee or employees experience violence or a credible threat of violence in the workplace. This bill is important to LAIPA due to it's accessibility for un-documented organizers to be protected without each individual having to file separately, maneuvering through very intimidating process. During the 2006 Latino Congreso, the largest gathering of Latino rights advocacy groups, LAIPA created a resolution to address the need for Latino groups to be self-critical of the treatment of indigenous peoples and to support Indigenous identity and culture.  This resolution was approved by the general membership will be used as a tool for further networking and alliance building. 

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           LAIPA has facilitated over 30 years of grassroots work by organizing, supporting, and providing resources to the community. LAIPA was founded as a direct result of grassroots mobilization efforts and has continued to build on the legacy of its establishment by maintaining community commitment. Through our community-based work, we embedded participatory strategies to gain community input and follow the lead of the communities we were serving. As a result, LAIPA supported the development of community gardens and farming to promote the importance of self-sufficiency, traditional food systems, and community building. LAIPA also contributed to the coordinating of community events focused on re-introducing indigenous health and medicinal practices and thereby positively impacting families and seniors in the community with accessible and effective methods of self-care and healthcare.

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Dr. Roberto Cintli Rodriguez was our LAIPA Board Member.

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www.LAIndigenousPeoples.org

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