Programs that Make a Difference

Since our beginning, TNAS has been committed to uplifting the visibility of American Indians and advocating for the needs of our communities. TNAS appoints representatives to serve on multiple boards and commissions statewide, nationally, and locally. We also provide nonpartisan voter engagement support through our Democracy is Indigenous program alongside a nationwide network of Urban Indian Organizations supported by the National Urban Indian Family Coalition. We regularly engage with elected officials to represent the voice of our American Indian community.

For over 40 years, TNAS has hosted community meetings and community building events to connect our Triangle-area based Tribal citizens. TNAS serves as a “home away from home” for our Tribal members living in this Urban area away from our homelands. We serve an inter-Tribal “Urban Indian” community where our members represent more than 25+ different Tribal Affiliations, including representation from all of our NC Tribes as well as Tribal citizens from other Tribal Nations across the US.

Since day one, TNAS has focused on protecting and promoting American Indian identity and culture. This takes many shapes, as culture infuses all aspects of our lives - from cultural arts to foodways, hosting culturebearers and cultural leaders for events, speaking engagements, and workshops, and promoting culture through partnerships. Some programming offers public education and engagement, and some programming is reserved for Tribal citizens in order to safeguard cultural preservation.

Many of our TNAS members moved to the Triangle seeking economic opportunity. Supporting community economic development and economic mobility for our Native people is a key strategy for community prosperity. From professional development to resource building, TNAS supports economic growth for our members. TNAS is proud to support and promote our local Native-led small businesses through skillsbuilding workshops, resource and network building, and contracting Native businesses for services benefitting our community.

TNAS supports the educational advancement of our Native people through partnerships with local Title VI K-12 Indian Education programs, support for local universities’ Native student groups, and scholarship opportunities. 

The scholarship fund was established in 1985 to assist Native American students interested in pursuing an undergraduate degree. The primary focus of the program is to provide financial assistance to those students who can demonstrate a commitment to Native American people and opportunities for American Indians to better their lives through academic achievement and community involvement.

TNAS supports our community’s holistic health through an Indigenous medicine wheel model honoring cultural approaches to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. We have been active in the Healthy Native North Carolinians Network through UNC American Indian Center for nearly two decades, with annual initiatives supporting community health and wellness. Current offerings include: 

• Health workshops and events 

• Speaker series featuring Native health professionals and topics

• Resource connections for health promotion 

• Healthy meals promoting Indigenous foodways at community events

• Health Fair 

Indigenous people are defined by our inherent ties to the land since time immemorial. Though TNAS members may live away from our homelands, we retain connection to the land through partnerships and opportunities to engage our people on the land.  

• “On the Land” program series - hands-on, land-based environmental workshops - examples: 

• Environmental programming partnerships centering Native inclusion & advocacy

• Bi-annual Native People, Native Plants Symposium (2021, 2024, 2026) - in partnership with NC Botanical Garden, UNC American Indian Center, Duke Gardens, and others

• Upcoming: Native-led land stewardship of conservation land