Connecting Native communities with food and support

Growing up in Los Angeles, Angel Espinoza had few opportunities to connect with his Native American heritage.

A member of the Kumeyaay tribe from the San Pasqual Reservation, Angel spent much of his childhood away from his tribe’s traditions. Today, he's finding ways to reconnect with his roots while helping others do the same.

"I didn't grow up with the culture or the customs. I grew up here in LA in an urban setting, kinda disconnected from my tribe," Angel said. "But I'm on the journey of reconnecting with it."

That journey is closely tied to his work at United American Indian Involvement (UAII), an organization that has supported Native American communities in Los Angeles for more than 50 years.

"For someone who never heard of UAII, I would say it's an urban organization for those that are disconnected from their tribe to come and feel a sense of home," he said.

In addition to helping community members reconnect with their heritage, UAII helps address challenges affecting Native communities, including access to nutritious food.Sustained high costs of food have made it even harder for some families to access fresh, healthy options.

"We've noticed that prices have been rising, so it is a lot harder for our community to get fresh and healthy products," Angel said.

Through a partnership with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, a member of the Feeding America network, UAII hosts regular food distributions that help neighbors access nutritious groceries.

Although UAII's work is rooted in Native American culture, its food distributions are open to those from surrounding communities.

"We started off mainly just with the Native American community, but more recently we've opened our doors to our community and the surrounding areas to everybody," Angel said.

For Angel, expanding access to food is about recognizing that many neighbors face similar challenges in getting the food they need to thrive.  

"We want to spread the wealth to everybody, 'cause we're aware that if we're struggling, our neighbor's probably struggling as well," he said.

During Native American Heritage Month, Angel’s work at UAII highlights the importance of community, cultural connection and access to nutritious food. He remains hopeful that the organization’s food distributions will continue to support those who need them.

"It gives me hope that we can continue this food distribution and give access to our community," he said.

Through partnerships like the one between the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and UAII, Feeding America is committed to ensuring that cultural connection and food security go hand in hand, not just during Native American Heritage Month, but all year round.