10 Years, 10 Reasons to Attend NAYA's Early College Academy Luncheon

Each spring, NAYA celebrates the accomplishments of our youth at the annual Early College Academy (ECA) Luncheon. Because this is the 10^th anniversary of this inspiring event, we're sharing 10 reasons why you should consider attending the luncheon on Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

You’ll get to visit the NAYA campus firsthand.

You’ll be introduced to all the myriad programs NAYA offers to youth and others.

You’ll dine on delicious Native-inspired cuisine.

You’ll peruse and bid on beautiful silent auction items.

You’ll meet current Early College Academy students as they greet you.

You’ll hear from NAYA leadership about their vision for the future.

You’ll listen to our youth speakers as they share the unique experiences facing Native students today.

You’ll learn how Native cultural values are embedded throughout the curriculum.

You’ll understand why our students benefit from being immersed in traditional values.

You’ll know your contribution helps students journey toward “reclaiming their education and reclaiming their future.”

Purchase your tickets today!

Your investment in NAYA’s Early College Academy will help assure that our students get the future they deserve!

When: Wednesday, April 24, 2019, 11:30 AM - 1:00 PMWhere: NAYA Family Center, 5135 NE Columbia Boulevard, Portland, OR 97218Contact: Events Manager, Vawn Borges, 503-288-8177, ext. 277Tickets: Click here

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating 10 years of ECA success, inspiration, and hope.

“This is an incredible and significant opportunity for NAYA and the Native community,” said NAYA’s CEO Oscar Arana (Chichimeca). “This will positively change the future of our work and organization. We believe this moment can help define what meaningful land return looks like in an urban city, not just acknowledgment, but action that creates long-term stability, healing, and opportunity.”

The NAYA Board of Directors unanimously authorized moving forward with accepting the property, signaling strong alignment around a development vision centered on permanence, dignity, and intergenerational care. Early plans include the creation of permanently affordable housing, with a focus on Elder housing, potentially in the form of condominium-style homes that remain accessible across generations.

The Oregon Synod’s decision emerges from years of discernment, theological reflection, and engagement with Indigenous leaders. The church’s history, like many institutions in the United States, is intertwined with displacement, colonization, and systemic inequities, including settlement patterns shaped by land dispossession and racial exclusion.

“This project expands the definition of Land Back,” the NAYA CEO added. “It recognizes that Native communities are not only on tribal reservations, but also in cities, and that land return in urban contexts can directly address urgent needs like affordable housing.” ‍

NAYA’s initial vision for the site is intentionally ambitious. Beyond creating permanently affordable, culturally grounded community space, the project represents another major step in the growing Indigenous Cultural Corridor emerging along Northeast 42nd Avenue in Portland’s Cully neighborhood. Led by Native community advocates and organizations including NAYA, the corridor envisions a connected network of Native housing, public art, cultural spaces, and BIPOC-owned businesses that honor the region’s original inhabitants while creating long-term community stability. Developments like the nearby Mamook Tokatee apartments and this land return initiative demonstrate how land justice, affordable housing, Native art, and cultural visibility can work together as part of a broader community development strategy. This project could serve as a framework for faith-based institutions, municipalities, and community organizations exploring land return and Indigenous cultural investment as pathways toward justice.

Further details, including development plans and opportunities for community engagement, will be announced in the coming months.

Check out the article from OPB covering this historic event!