Types
About Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center
The seeds of the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center (COTRAIC) were sown in late 1969. In early 1970, when members of two Native American families met, they began discussing their situation, one which is common to all Natives: a sense of apathy, of "floating" in the mainstream population, being dispersed and isolated, denied native birthrights, discriminated against, deprived both culturally and otherwise, and of being looked upon as "others."
With few exceptions, this is the situation in which most Native Americans live, especially in the Eastern Untied States. Eastern Urban Natives face the additional challenge of being unjustly denied the benefits of programs run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Division of the Public Health Service.
The founding members of COTRAIC felt the need to maintain a sense of our Native culture to recapture our roots, and become more conscious of our rights as Native Americans. The formation of COTRAIC was a way to preserve our culture and values, and to provide a place where other Native people would have that same opportunity.
Our mission is to promote the socio-economic development of the Native American community and others who experience similar types of economic difficulties in the Greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Locations
Primary Office Location
(412) 782-4457