Grantee Database

Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS)

Grant Year

2024-25

Grant Program

Impact Projects

Award Amount

$20,832.00

Project Description

Support from CAC’s Impact grant will will provide support for Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS) to organize the Two Spirit Powwow Week of Events series of arts and culture programming focused on Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ Indigenous communities in the days leading up to their annual Powwow, which draws more than 5,000 people. Events such as our Water Ceremony, talking circles, Indigequeer drag shows, potlucks, hand drum contests, and “State of the Two Spirit Movement” panels will allow Two Spirit and allied community members to create meaningful collaborations around the Powwow, acting as a cultural incubator for Two-spirit communities from around California and beyond.

Organization Summary

BAAITS largest program is our annual Two-Spirit Powwow. At this Powwow all Two-Spirit identified Native American, American Indian, and T-SLGBTQI people and their allies get a chance to come together to celebrate culture, build community, and express themselves. The BAAITS Powwow was the world’s first public Two-Spirit Powwow and we are now the world’s largest. The BAAITs Two Spirit Powwow is modeled after a traditional Oklahoma style Powwow and is an intertribal event that also invites non-Native guests to experience Native cultures. On the day of and the months leading up to the event, we have contact with thousands of people who identify as Two-Spirit, American Indian, Indigenous and allies. We reach them, spread our mission, and gather people from all over the US and Canada to celebrate and heal. Powwow participants feel “ohno cochico”, community love or the way that one feels when they are amongst their tribe. It is a place where we can truly restore and reclaim the role of Two-Spirit people. We do this through cultural expression, getting back in touch with our culture, and ceremony.

Our oldest program, the BAAITS Drum is an all-gender big drum group that meets once a month. BAAITS Drum participates in drumming and community events throughout the year, and drums at our annual Powwow.

BAAITS organizes social gatherings, Two Spirit Artist & Cultural Bearer’s workshops and TS Talking Circles throughout the year and marches in the annual San Francisco Pride Parade.

In addition to the social gatherings, BAAITS organizes and participates in panels, cultural and artistic performances, and offers classes and workshops leading up to our annual Powwow, such as bead working, regalia making, protocol, and cultural dances for American Indian and non-Two-Spirit allies. BAAITS also participates in national and international meetings with other Two-Spirit societies and Native American organizations.

Organization

Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS)

Address

415 Valencia St

San Francisco

94103

County

San Francisco

Region

Bay Area – San Francisco

Phone

(702) 481-2536

Congressional District

California's 12th congressional district

State Assembly District

District 17

State Senate District

District 11

Subscribe to the California ArtBeat weekly newsletter

Skip to content