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In this mixed-methods community-based participatory research project I examine the ways in which sense of place (or lack thereof) is developed for Native Americans living in the urban Boston area, and the implications this has for physical health and social well-being. Through in-depth interviews, ethnographic data, and community photo-voice, I argue that a triad of Place, Stress, and Identity configure and act upon the bodies of urban Natives in complex ways, creating a paradoxical sense of place in the city. Each analytical chapter examines particular interactions of this triad: place as a physical and socially-experienced phenomenon, the interactions of place and stress, the process of "place-making", and social stress surrounding “urban Native” identity. Developing a framework of “place/body multiple” (Eyles and Williams 2007, Scheper-Hughes and Lock 1987; see background chapter), these chapters build toward the argument that, in contrast to “sense of place” literature that focuses on reservations (see Background Chapter), urban “sense of place” operates within what I term a “landscape of distress.” Forming an urban “sense of place” is beneficial to overall well-being because it leads to support networks and creates a proxy for “home”, building on current literature on social support and anthropological literature on Indigenous place-making. However, it is also detrimental to health because it creates an identity that is inherently separate from tribe and traditional land, creating both social and physiological distress.

College preparatory programs like Pitzer College/WesternU's Native Youth to College Program provide a unique experience for Native high school youth - weaving tether academics and culture for student success. However, there exists a gap in the literature on curriculum development of Native-serving programs as Mack et al, (2012), Tierney and Hagedorn (2002) and others have noticed. Using Brayboy's TribalCrit (2005) as the guiding theory, qualitative interviews of program staff and analysis of internal program documents are conducted. Nine core curricular elements-academics, culture, media studies, college preparation, health careers, intergenerational mentorship, STEM, life skills & telling your story - are found to have developed within the program, providing a blueprint which Native educators and others can use in developing curriculum for their own college preparatory programs.

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The purpose of this paper is to discuss and compare the original Urban Indian Program which operated from April, 1972 to January, 1974 to the most recent program which began operating in January, 1974. The two programs are of the same name, but the organizational structure as well as some of the operating concepts are different.

The American Indians population in Minneapolis, Minnesota has experienced limited health care access and threefold diabetes health disparity. The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which collaborating marketplace clinics and community-based support groups expanded diabetes care and provided self-management education for this largely urban Indian neighborhood. The marketplace clinics located in nearby CVS, Walmart, Target, and Supervalu stores committed financial support, certified educators, and pharmacy staff for the community-based support group. The study was conducted within the patient activation measure (PAM) analytical framework to assess the participants' acquired knowledge, skills, and confidence for diabetes self-management. A case-control study and 3 years retrospective analysis of secondary data were used to test whether the Minneapolis marketplace clinics and the Phillips community diabetes support group participants (n = 48) had improved diabetes health outcomes relative to the control group (n = 87). The intervention group employed motivational interviewing and PAM in coaching diabetes self-care and behavioral modification. The control group received only basic self-management education. T test and Cohen's d effect size measurements were used to quantify the size of the health outcome variables' difference between the study intervention and comparison groups. The positive effects of marketplace clinics and community-based complementation were shown through improved blood sugar control (A1C), weight loss (BMI), and healthful lifestyle changes. Social change progress could be realized by incorporating PAM with diabetes prevention programs for 33 Urban Indian Health Organizations that are located in large cities throughout the United States.