Powwow Committee

Currently headed by Jessi Felix, the AIRC Powwow committee is focused on spreading a critical message to the UCSC campus about the need for a more equitable and respectful climate for Native American Indians. The Powwow committee handles all aspects of organizing the revival of UCSC’s annual Powwow that has been dormant for a decade. Their responsibilities  include: creating schedules, budgets, weekly meetings, applications, publicity and many other tasks that eventually lead up and continue until the day of the event. The AIRC’s interns manage most of the planning for the event, but volunteers are accepted graciously to help out.

If you would like to be a volunteer and want more information please email: jalvor@ucsc.edu 

AIRC Green Team

 As an ethnic resource center, the AIRC has many goals to try to achieve in order to reach out to further than just the UCSC student community. We hope to be able to incorporate indigenous belief systems and lifestyles into our daily lives to try to create deeper understanding of traditions and to be accepting of emerging indigenous knowledge’s that can help create a great resource for future generations; traditional practices will be put as our focal point for our programs. In our future we see ourselves using different methods, such as scholarship and communal activities, to try to create social awareness and change, not only among the native community but also for the UCSC campus. We hope to adapt decolonizing strategies into our everyday activities in order to help our larger, international native community that continues to fight for their rights. Furthermore, we hope to expand to larger native issues such as sacred sites protection, environmental justice, sustainable communities, and community health and renewal.  
 In Winter 2011, student interns of the UC Santa Cruz American Indian Resource Center organized a “Green Team,” which aims to, through the use of education and work-shopping, instruct the UCSC community on traditional, sustainable, and Native American Practices. Through programs that focus on environmental education, the Green Team aims to establish a community of forward-thinking, informed Native and non-Native students, regardless of background or history. The Green Team, staying true to the values of the AIRC, strives to help foster a Native community within UCSC and higher education overall.  Overall, the Green Team, while affiliated and working as a component of the AIRC, is run entirely by students and functions as a separate entity.
 The Green Team, through collaborative work between students, colleges, and members of the Native American communities, aims to offer an accessible, welcoming space focused on further educating the UC Santa Cruz campus on sustainability, environmentally responsible behavior, and the relationship to such ideas to Native American tradition and culture.

To learn extensive information about the Green Team please vist their website: http://aircgreenteam.weebly.com/

SANAI-The Student Alliance of North American Indians

SANAI is an organization whose purpose is to increase the awareness of both the University and community environments regarding issues affecting North American Indians. SANAI also provides academic and moral support for Native American students. Major activities over the years have included "Red Rocks"- a Spring Music Festival with prominent Native American Bands, Pow-Wows, a Tribal Elders Conference and Native American Graduation Ceremonies. SANAI has a rich history of collaborating with other student organizations.

Non-Native Students and volunteers are welcome and encourages to participate.

For more info contact, sanai0809@gmail.com