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Economic Sectors
NACDI is committed to building the assets and capacity of American Indian communities to participate in the economy through community economic development in four key sector areas: Health and Wellness; Land and Housing; Entertainment and Media; and Arts and Culture. These four sector areas enjoy stable growth and demand, require the skills of tomorrow, and lead to livable wage jobs and careers.
Land and Housing
According to the Federal Reserve, the home is typically a family’s largest and most important asset and homeownership is one of the cornerstones of wealth creation. However, there is a wide disparity between the percentage of American Indians who own their own home and Minnesotans overall. The metro area offers shrinking opportunities for housing and other land development that will benefit the American Indian population in the future. A major development effort is needed now to position and encourage new land development efforts from within the American Indian community. This is an opportunity that will evaporate quickly if no response is mounted. The creation of an intermediary is a vital link in realizing gains in land and housing development activity over a relatively short time frame of five to ten years.
Entertainment and Media
The entertainment and media sector is responding to rapidly changing global conditions. This sector is shifting focus from large-scale, large-screen investments, to a growing diversity of activity from telecom, cable, film, wireless, Web-based and other related revenue activities. Each of these new activities offers opportunities for American Indians. A major shift in attention within the sector is toward content: its production, proliferation, diversity and distribution. Opportunities for producing and distributing content, and training in new media technologies make inclusion in this sector not only beneficial, but a major imperative for Indian people. Local enterprises, training models and collaborations are not only feasible, but with encouragement and development, they stand to become major profit centers within the Indian community.
Entertainment and Media Projects
Health and Wellness
According to national and regional data, health and wellness is a leading growth area for new jobs. The U.S. Department of Labor, in making job projections for 2015, notes the importance of health sector job growth. Not only will baby boomer retirement affect the labor market, but new technologies, new job categories, and changing population health needs will all play a role in sector growth. Local demographics also are important to note, as Minnesota will have a measurably higher percentage of retirement-aged citizens. In addition, there will be an increase in the population of older American Indians, particularly in the metro area.
Arts and Culture
Arts and culture are critical to neighborhood revitalization, community vitality and the state’s economy. American Indian arts and culture create constructive opportunities that both retain American Indian presence and draw others to the community. Eighty percent of participants in community cultural activities such as festivals travel outside their own neighborhoods to attend such events. An intermediary approach that focuses individuals, organizations and resources in Arts and Culture is clearly needed. Arts galleries, stores, installations and public arts, along with cultural events support the development of a new and stronger local economy along Franklin Avenue, and reinforce American Indian cultural assets and heritage. Artists are entrepreneurs and small business owners, and their contribution to the local economy is substantial. NACDI’s Arts and Culture Sector will work to create community space that embraces local strengths and assets, builds neighborhood pride, boosts the local economy, creates jobs, and strengthens understanding of American Indian people in the broader community.
