Portland Youth and Elders Council

Strengthening community

The Portland Youth and Elders Council began as part of a regional effort to reduce poverty in urban Indian communities. The Portland Urban Native American community used community-based research and inclusive input to develop greater community ties and advocate for improving the quality of life for Native Americans in urban areas.

Through the practice of traditional values, the Youth and Elders Council continues to address poverty and other community issues by focusing on community solutions to housing, employment, education, health, and racism while building on community strengths.

Our Mission

…Strengthen the quality of life for the Portland American Indian and Alaska Native Community by encouraging local leadership, community development, and the practice of culture, values, and traditions.

Our Purpose

Unity: Bring Native American community, families, and organizations together.

Cross-generational conversation: strengthen ties between youth, adults, and Elders.

Advocacy: Making Native American issues a priority in our community.

Learning: Sharing and passing on tradition and history.

Council core values

• Balance.
• Pride.
• Giving.
• Community.
• Tradition.
• Kindness.
• Accountability.
• Diversity.
• Leadership.

Meeting Together To Shape Our Own Future

2nd Tuesday of each month:
6:00-8:00p

  Council meetings are open to the general public

Click here to view the Portland Youth & Elders Council's current monthly update

  Upcoming Events

The Portland Youth and Elders Council, in partnership with NAYA, is seeking to expand our community by holding a series of civic engagement and education workshops East County Portland. These dialogues will cover issues that affect our families; our elders, our children, and our brothers and sisters. During our gatherings we will meet with leaders and active community members to generate new ideas around the areas of food justice and security, economic development, housing, health, education, public safety, and grassroots leadership.

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