Founded by Right of Discovery
On March 8, 1970, about 100 members and sympathizers of United Indian People’s Council (later United Indians of All
Tribes) confronted the 392nd Military Police Company, armed with riot gear, while attempting to claim part of Fort Lawton, a 1,100-acre army post in Seattle’s Magnolia neighborhood. The United Indians, armed with sandwiches, sleeping bags, and cooking utensils, wanted to create a cultural center for Indians and Alaska natives.
A 20-acre site was eventually secured for this purpose in what is now Discovery Park. Upon it sits Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, a cultural home for the Puget Sound's urban Indian communities and setting for United Indians' annual art markets, powwow, and other cultural events.
Mission
Our mission is to provide educational, cultural and social services that reconnect Indigenous people in the Puget Sound region to their heritage by strengthening their sense of belonging and significance as Native people.
United Indians of All Tribes Foundation (UIATF) was founded in 1970 to secure a land base and offer culturally responsive services to American Indians and Alaska Natives living off tribal lands in the Salish Sea region. Our work promotes the interrelated goals of cultural connection, economic self-sufficiency, artistic expression, improved public health, school readiness, and housing stability. As an Indigenous-led and Indigenous-serving organization, we experience these issues as intertwined.
Programs
Family Services
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Daybreak Star Preschool: Weaving Native/Indigenous teachings and knowledge with the research-backed HighScope curriculum platform. Educators innovate practices to not only center Native American culture, but also to lay foundations for school readiness.
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Foster Care: Recruiting, training, licensing and offering support to all families caring for Native American children in need of access to culturally specific services and training.
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Uŋčí Makhá Home Visiting: Parent Partners provide home-visiting services for parents and caregivers of young children, assisting in supporting child development and creating a plan to get children ready for preschool, kindergarten and beyond.
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Our Strong Fathers: Focusing on Native fathers’ cultural and parental needs, challenging stereotypes of masculinity and promoting growth and healing.
Community Services
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Native Workforce Services: Supporting comprehensive employment and training activities while helping clients get the trainings and certifications needed to build a sustainable career, including job counseling, academic counseling and assistance, referrals and placement, employment-related training, and support with applications to government benefit programs, such as unemployment and SNAP.
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Labateyah Youth Home: Combining temporary crisis housing with rapid re-housing support services to move young adults aged 18-24 to permanent rental housing as quickly as possible.
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Homelessness Prevention Program: Serving individuals and families who are at imminent risk of eviction through a strengths-based program of case management and financial assistance.
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Native Veterans Program: Promoting connection with other veterans through gatherings like sweat lodge sessions and powwows, as well as providing assistance with navigating and applying for benefits like VA status, VA and alternative health care, unemployment, and food assistance.
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Tenant Services: Offering direct rent assistance as well as online workshops and 1:1 counseling for financial stability, creating and maintaining a budget, job hunting, tenant/landlord laws and more.
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Benefits Navigation Program: Assistance enrolling into various state and federal benefit programs, ensuring clients receive the support they need.
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Elders Program: Helping Elders continue to live independently while connecting them to our community to share cultural practices and intergenerational knowledge.
Additional Programming
- Daybreak Star Radio Network
- Sacred Circle Gallery
- Sacred Circle Art & Gifts
- Daybreak Star Event Rentals