American Indian Studies Center

Lighting a Path Forward

The American Indian Studies Center (AISC) is a product of social struggle—the sustained struggle to open a space of belonging for Native students within a university that was not created with them in mind.

Since our founding in 1969, the AISC has served as a hub of educational activities for Indigenous students, staff, faculty, and alumni. We also serve as a bridge between the academy and indigenous peoples locally, nationally, and internationally.

Our research agenda remains true to our social justice origins—we are a locally grounded, interdisciplinary, and international center conducting cutting-edge, community-engaged research and advocacy to better the lives of indigenous peoples. To accomplish these aims, the AISC maintains a reference library; publishes leading scholarship in the field of American Indian Studies; organizes symposia, conferences, film screenings, and other events. We also administer postdoctoral and predoctoral fellowships and research awards.

Together, we have made UCLA one of the highest ranked and most respected universities in the field of American Indian Studies. Giving to the AISC means taking action to address indigenous peoples’ distinct social, cultural, economic, political, and legal needs.