Welcome to IIAmericas!

Who we are

The Indigenous Institute of the Americas is a 501 (C) 3 nonprofit organization founded by Intertribal Elders who were deeply committed to preserving the Traditional knowledge of American Indian people from the north pole to the south pole. Our organization is an all-volunteer powerhouse founded in the 1980s in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas.

Our organization structure

The IIA Council was formed in 2014 when the organization became a formal nonprofit in Texas. To have a well-rounded organization, we rely on the support and input of our Council of Elders, Council of Youth, and Advisors with unique insight related to knowledge of spirituality, traditional medicine, history, and more.

Our Council members have had the great fortune to experience international travel. Our International Ambassadors have become essential friends interested in learning and sharing the history, knowledge, and experiences of Native people on this continent. Our trips also helped us recognize that indigenous people in other lands have similar stories and much to offer regarding plant and environmental knowledge.

Our volunteers

Our volunteers are dedicated to the preservation of accurate knowledge about the diversity and similarities of our cultures. We have Intertribal people from across the Americas and friends outside our cultures. We strive to welcome volunteers who value our worldviews and support our initiatives to preserve the cultural knowledge gifted to us by our ancestors. Our organization is unique from other Native organizations in that we recognize people’s individual and shared histories across this continent and do not limit our worldview to Nations with Federal Recognition in the US. We understand that the connections between our peoples are unique, complex, and significantly impacted by the histories and experiences related to colonial contact. We acknowledge our brothers and sisters from all Tribal Nations and continue to educate them regarding the impact of political borders on our many Nations.

Who do we help

IIA is recognized for its unique presentations, consultations, programs, and services that benefit children, families, schools, and corporations. We can develop interactive learning experiences, displays, handout materials, PowerPoints, and videos. Due to our volunteers’ busy schedules, we ask for as much advance notice as possible on presentation requests. We are fortunate to have a network of friends, family, volunteers, and professional colleagues who support our efforts and contribute to our creative endeavors. We can provide in-person, virtual, or recorded video presentations, depending on the request. We ask that any materials we have designed for presentations not be shared without the prior consent of our organization. This way, we can protect the integrity of our materials as well as update them when appropriate.

IIA initiatives

Indigenous Grocery Store

Seed Ambassador Program

Seed Protector Bags

Neh Sha Market

Mobile Educational Displays

Co-founders Dr. Patrisia Gonzales & Annette Anderson, LCSW

Ask Uncle Gregory videos

Gregory Gomez, MSSW

Tanya’s Tips videos

Tanya Bond

Mobile Educational Community training (MEC training)