The Ralph and Goldy Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

This policy brief presents findings on the status of American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) children in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, which is coterminous with the County. According to the 2000 Census, there were an estimated 111,000 AIANs in the region who are indigenous to the greater United States. Over a quarter of these AIANs are under the age of 17. These children and their parents face numerous social problems and economic challenges, many of which have been previously documented. This brief uses three decades of census data to provide an updated analysis of the socioeconomic status of AIAN children, focusing on demographic characteristics, poverty, and educational issues.