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SDAIHYC is now hosting the San Diego Urban Inter Tribal Sports teams, and the this week we've held our first official basketball practice! We have been playing basketball quite a bit in the last three months, but now it's for real; we have a court reserved most Mondays and Wednesdays (some Thursdays) through the month of January and for the rest of the ITS basketball season. If you haven't already signed up (ITS is for ages 5-18), let us know at the Youth Center! Following basketball season is volleyball, softball and both kinds of football (American and the rest of the world kind, or as we call it, "soccer"). We hope you can join us!
Our very own Daniella turned a blank canvas from UCSD's Native American Student Association into a work of art! She chose a variety of symbols to represent the sheer diversity of Native nations that attend our Youth Center, and left room for the youth members to place the names of their tribes and those of other youth members who weren't present in the borders, surrounding the painting with all of our identities. The painting will be on permanent display at the Student Affirmative Action Committee Lounge at UCSD, included in a mosaic of other paintings from other student of color organizations.
The tree seems to be in a lot of our recent posts, huh? Here is a picture with the Elder Group (meets 11PM-1AM on Tuesday mornings) in front of the tree!
20 youth members and staff participated in this year's World AIDS Day candlelight vigil, starting at the LGBT Community Center and culminating at the 20th Annual Tree of Life Ceremony at Hillcrest Village. Youth member Joseph made an Ojo de Dios during Cultural Arts class specifically to hang on the Tree of Life! After the mile walk on a nippy (well, at least in California) 55 degree night, attendees were treated to baked goods from Kona Coffee before local politicians and host Mama's Kitchen spoke about the theme of World AIDS Day 2011: "Getting to Zero." After the Tree was lit and candles flickered in memory of those who have lost their lives from this disease, the mood was shifted with a performance by the San Diego Gay Men's Chorus. Check out pictures of this and other December 2011 festivities here.
The winter holidays are upon us, and we kicked them off at the Youth Center on Monday with festive decorations all around (including our tree, with Western decorations, Ojos de Dios, member-made ornaments, angels, and apparently, a skating antelope...). Check out the monthly calendar, because December is jam-packed with a multitude of events!
November is National Native American Heritage Month. This year, the City of San Diego Human Relations Commission, in partnership with Councilmember Todd Gloria, the Council of American Indian Organizations of San Diego County, and Indian Human Resource Center honored six outstanding members of the Native American community in San Diego. Among the honorees that were recognized last Friday were SDAIHC employees: our very own Youth & Family Services Coordinator Christopher Scott and nurse Ronnie Whitehorse! After the honoring, the Health Center was treated to an Indian taco feast from the Razo family, hosted at the Youth Center.
With harvest comes harvest-related art projects. Meet Mother Theresa (right), the pine cone turkey created by our art instructor Cari Gloria. Also, say hi to Gobbles (left), Fernando's one-eyed, lock-jawed, beauty-marked, rustled-feathered turkey. He's still beautiful, though. *GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!*
Thank you to our wonderful newest volunteer Malik King, who treated our youth members to an awesome limo ride from the YC to SDSU for the 35th anniversary of the American Indian Studies Program on Thursday and to the SDSU vs UNM football game on Saturday! Pictures from the latter limo ride and the football game itself can be seen here.
This last weekend was a busy one for Youth Center members, parents and staff. On Friday, we continued where we stopped last year and went ice skating at Horton Plaza. Thanks to our wonderful volunteer Kimberley and to the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation for their donation of tickets for our Native youth! SDAIHYC teamed up with Indian Health Council's Club 7 from the Rincon Indian Reservation and youth from Southern Indian Health Council for this year's event. Each youth that participated was gifted a scarf, mittens and a beanie for the (moderately) cold weather. The day after, YC teens journeyed up to Pechanga to participate in their Christmas dance. Attendees were treated to a lovely taco dinner (hence this post's title) and some holiday and old school music prior to a modern mix. Some of our members also participated in a dance contest and won raffle prizes! Pictures from both events can be found here.
