The Seattle Indian Center was founded in 1958 to provide assistance to people in need, especially Indigenous people cut off from their families and cultures. In addition to educational programs, the Center also has a food bank, shelters, and offers community outreach services.

This image shows Doreen Nathan (Tsimshian) and her son Ben Nathan studying at the Seattle Indian Center, where they are working to finish high school through the Center’s family literacy program. Ben was a student at Ballard High School but skipped classes and dropped out. Doreen, who left school at age 15, took Ben to the Center to receive help catching up and re-entering high school. While at the Center, Doreen accepted an offer to enter the Center’s GED program. The Center’s approach focused on families learning together, and it assisted with nutritional services, clothing, recreation after school, and counseling if needed in addition to academic help.

Caption information source: “Back to school for whole family with Indian Center’s programs” by Paul Shukovsky, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 24, 1993, page B1.
Caption information source: Seattle Indian Center website at https://seattleindiancenter.org/programs