SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
INDIAN CENTER, INC.
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There is future in tradition
About us
Southern California Indian Center, Inc.
Established in 1969, the Southern California Indian Center, Inc. (SCIC) is a non-profit, community based organization dedicated to serving the American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian communities of Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside Counties. For the last 50 years, it has been our goal to promote self-sufficiency among our community. We provide much needed support and assistance in the areas of workforce development, youth education, family support, multimedia training so much more!
- Check out a few of our services and for further details please explore our programs / events pages or feel free to contact us.
Our Vision
SCIC’s vision is, “There is Future in Tradition.”
The future is our most precious resource, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, and our unborn. We must pass on our traditions, songs, dances, creation stories, and most importantly, our languages and religions. The future is our responsibility to preserve and protect for generations to come.
Our Mission
Southern California Indian Center, Inc. (SCIC) goals are to promote social and economic self-sufficiency for American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people.
To achieve these goals, SCIC’s objectives are:
- To promote, foster and encourage programs for the general welfare, education and social benefit of our people;
- To establish and maintain education, cultural, economic and recreational programs for our people;
- To eliminate barriers of discrimination of race, religion and gender;
- To educate and broaden the knowledge of the American public on American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people’s issues and cultures, regarding our positive contributions to society as a people
SCIC History
The United States Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affair’s Relocation Act moved thousands of Indian families from reservations to twelve major metropolitan cities. In Southern California, approximately 50 Indian families formed an Indian Dance Group known as the “Road Runner Club.” The Road Runner Club exhibited many shows throughout the Southland. In the city if Stanton, several concerned Indian community members gathered and passed out food and clothing and John and Lois Knifechief’s garage. On February 25, 1969, nine community members officially formed the Orange County Indian Center.
The charter members who signed the Articles of Incorporation which were Delmar Nejo, Ceecila Blanchard, Joan John, Lois Knifechief, Irene Crew, Howell Pete, Eloise Quisquis, Dorothy Skyeagle and Joesph Teller. The need to provide the distribution of food, job referrals, the exchange of information gathered Indian people from all over Southern California. The Road Runner Club and Drum and Feather Club were the first powwow clubs that assisted the Indian Center with the dissemination of job leads, food, housing, and social activities. In the City of Stanton, many powwows took place at Hobby City and then later at Stanton’s Recreation Center. In the 1970’s Orange County Indian Center provided Social Services, Employment and Training, and Senior Services, as well as an annual powwow in Orange County.
In 1986, Orange County Indian Center, Inc. opened offices in Los Angeles County. One year later, 1987, Orange County Indian Center changed it’s name to Southern California Indian Center’s Inc. (SCIC) to reflect it’s broaden service area. SCIC is a community-based organization serving the American Indian community for the past 44 years. In that time, SCIC had grown from one service center to multiple service centers in three counties, covering a an area over 7,000 square miles. this area hosts the largest concentration of American Indian/Alaska natives in the United States. SCIC serves a diverse American Indian population that differs in age, tribal affiliation and educational background.. American Indians and Alaska Natives are from over 350 different tribal groups residing in our service area. SCIC’s human service delivery system had always fostered increased availability of all our services and strives to meet the needs of the Indian Community.
The Board of Directors of SCIC is a policy-making board with the vision of providing quality services to the Urban Indian population in this area. SCIC currently has a qualified staff with counselors, educators, managers and specialists. Board members and staff also serve on standing committees and put on the Annual Powwow as the major fundraiser for the year. The Annual Powwow provides additional funds for its service programs for American Indians. The Powwow provides a wide distribution of information about the services available to the American Indian and Native community.