American Indian Day Celebration and Powwow Sept 26
September 18 2008
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 14, 2008
Contact: Joe Finkbonner, Executive Director Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
Phone: (503) 228-4185
Fax: (503) 228-8182
American Indian Day Celebration at Pioneer Square
Portland, OR — The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) and other local area American Indian organizations will be hosting an American Indian Day Celebration at the Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Portland on Friday, September 26, 2008. The event will be a celebration of American Indian cultures and is intended to raise the level of awareness concerning the challenges that American Indian people continue to face in this country. The event is free and open to the public. The event will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and will include Northwest Tribal leaders, Indian advocates, drum groups, dancers, and arts and crafts vendors who will share their talents and experiences with the Portland community. NPAIHB and other local Tribal organizations will have display booths showcasing health, education, and other programs they provide on behalf of Northwest Tribes and the Portland Indian community. A press conference is scheduled to bring attention
to the health, education, social service, and other issues that Northwest Tribes and the local Portland Indian community face. Despite being less than 1.4% of the U.S. population, American Indian people are the most economically disadvantaged people in this country and face some of the most significant health and education disparities compared to any other group. The recent success of some Indian gaming enterprises have led many to believe that the needs Indian people are being addressed, when indeed they are not. Many Indian tribes operate gaming facilities primarily to generate employment opportunities and to fund tribal government operations and programs. Indian people have long experienced lower health status and a lower life expectancy and a disproportionate disease burden due in part to inadequate education, poverty, cultural differences, and lack of access to health care. The Indian Day Celebration is intended to shed light on these broad quality of life issues while at the same time allowing Indian people to share the pride of their cultures and contributions to the Portland community.
We hope you will be able to join us in this celebration and learn more about the issues and culture of American Indian people and Northwest Tribes.
For information on exhibit or arts and crafts booths contact
Lisa Griggs, or Elaine Dado, (503) 416-3260.
For additional information on the event or about NPAIHB, please visit http://www.npaihb.org.
