Women’s History Month
In celebration of Women’s History Month, Native American Health Center (NAHC) expresses our immense pride and gratitude for our team, composed of 72% women! These remarkable individuals bring their talent, strength, and resilience to work each day, significantly helping our members and the community. Throughout March and all year, we honor their achievements, and reaffirm our commitment to promoting gender equality within our workplace and beyond.
Honoring Mayor Thao at Red Market
On March 18th, NAHC celebrated our 20th Indigenous Red Market, where we honored new Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and her son, who is of Lakota descent. We deeply appreciate Mayor Thao’s unwavering support for our community and the essential work we carry out. The event showcased a variety of talent, including Sten Joddi from “Reservation Dogs;” Signal 99, the first-ever metal band to perform at our Red Market; the Ute Bear Dancers; local Powwow and Aztec Dancers; and the All Nations Drum Group. With over 40 vendors offering handmade goods and Indigenous cuisine, our Red Market fosters a thriving platform for local Indigenous entrepreneurs to share their work and build their small businesses.
Bringing Native Leaders Together
This March, NAHC played a pivotal role in uniting Native leaders by organizing a meeting hosted by our Chief Cultural Officer (CCO), Anthony Guzman. The gathering brought together Cultural Officers from Native-led health centers, providing an essential platform for discussing their innovative roles and exploring collaborative opportunities. These meetings are valuable opportunities to exchange knowledge and ideas. They stress the importance of culture and traditional medicine in healthcare, and make sure that Native traditions remain at the forefront of our communities’ well-being.
Resilient Fruitvale Roundtable
On February 22nd, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao visited our 7 Directions location to participate in a Roundtable discussion alongside our Resilient Fruitvale Collaborative Partners. The engaging conversation delved into the critical challenges faced by the community and highlighted the importance of working together to find effective solutions. The Resilient Fruitvale Collaborative directs its efforts towards various key areas, including public safety, food insecurity, workforce development, housing, and health and wellness. Through these discussions, we aim to make a positive impact on our community by addressing its most pressing needs.
Supervisor Lena Tam Visits NAHC!
On Friday, February 17, NAHC was honored to host the office of Alameda County District 3 Supervisor Lena Tam. During her visit, Supervisor Tam spent time speaking with staff and met with NAHC’s leadership to learn about the history of the organization, the critical services provided, recent highlights, future projects, and some of the upcoming challenges facing community health centers. NAHC was grateful for the Supervisor’s visit, and looks forward to building a collaborative relationship as we partner to better serve our communities.
Youth Spotlight
Lexi Cordero
This month, our Youth Highlight is Lexi Cordero, an enrolled member of the Susanville Indian Rancheria, representing Northern Paiute, Yurok, and Hoopa tribes. From a young age, Lexi has been passionate about academics and sports, beginning with ballet, tap, and jazz dancing at age three. After five years of competitive dancing, she transitioned to soccer, eventually joining the Castro Valley Soccer Club. Currently, Lexi is on the Varsity Cheer Team at Canyon Middle School and trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Lexi’s love for dance and performance led her naturally to cheerleading, which has bolstered her self-confidence and leadership skills. These attributes help her guide her two younger sisters and contribute positively to her community. One of Lexi’s most cherished memories was meeting Mayor Sheng Thao and sharing a Paiute hand game song taught by her great-grandmother, Barbara Marshall.
As a Native student in Castro Valley, Lexi has found it difficult to connect with her heritage. This is because there are only a few Native students in the area. However, her parents ensure she and her siblings participate in Native community events, strengthening their connection with various tribes in the Bay Area. Looking ahead, Lexi aspires to attend high school, discover her career passion, graduate from college, and pursue a fulfilling profession.
Saturday, March 4th
9 AM – 1 PM
Families and youth are invited to join us to learn about the intersection of Native American medicine wheel teachings and skateboarding culture. The first 30 registered participants will receive a premium skateboard package! All skill levels are welcome.
Saturday, March 18th
11 AM – 4 PM
Our first Indigenous Red Market of 2023 is nearly here! Everyone is welcome as gather with us as we celebrate Indigenous culture and create a platform for our local Indigenous entrepreneurs to share their art and work as a vendor.
Support our mission to provide comprehensive services to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities:
