Sacred Circle Gallery Reopens 2- 2- 2021

It has been a tumultuous year for all of us and reopening the Sacred Circle Gallery has been a long awaited goal. This week we open the Gallery with an homage to our 50th Anniversary and our roots.

UIATF: 50 years United 

In 1970, hundreds of determined Native American activists and allies occupied the U.S. Army’s recently de-commissioned Fort Lawton in Seattle to reclaim a land base for all Urban Indians. Founder, Bernie Whitebear (Colville), Roberto Maestas, Larry Gosset and Bob Santos along with hundreds of Indigenous activists and allies, fought and won a perpetual lease on 22 acres of land. This became the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation’s headquarters. For the last 50 years, United Indians has grown an array of programs serving Indigenous individuals and families of all ages. We provide direct services to 1,000 community members per year and host Native arts and cultural events welcoming 7,000 more annually. Seven leaders in the Native American community guide our organization, one that employs Indigenous educators, artists, social workers, home visitors, case managers, and archivists. 

Our Daybreak Star Cultural Center is open to the 45,000 American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders from hundreds of different Nations who call this region home. As a direct result of federal policies and centuries of discrimination, our community faces multigenerational trauma as well as inequitable health, economic, and educational opportunities. Rather than dwelling on these staggering statistics, we take inspiration from our Elders, our traditions, and our legacy of resistance. 

Witness the tenacity of Indigenous Activism starting with American Indian Movement’s occupation of Alcatraz and the Fish Wars of the Puget Sound. United Indians of All Tribes honors its mission and legacy of serving its Urban Native community both in times of celebration and strife. As we look onward, we empower the next generation to band together and advocate for the rights of all people on Turtle Island.