November is the month to celebrate 575 recognized Native Nations coexisting today in the United States. 229 native groups reside in Alaska. The rest are located in 35 states around the country. Native Americans and Native Alaskans claim three nationalities as their own: 1) their own tribal group; 2) the state in which they reside and, 3) as citizens of the United States of America. For generations, these groups have been fighting for their rights and for a better standard of living in their own communities. Besides poverty, unemployment and substance abuse, mental health remains a major problem among these Native Nations.
