Against All Odds: What Remains — The challenges facing our local Tribes

PALM SPRINGS, CA (KESQ) - In Part 1 of Against All Odds, we looked at the role tribal casinos have played in the Coachella Valley and how they have become a major part of the region’s economy and identity.

But the growth of tribal gaming has also led to misconceptions about the financial circumstances of Native American communities.

There is a significant wealth gap among tribes, in large part because economic opportunities vary depending on where tribal lands are located. For many Native American communities, reservations and tribal lands can be isolated, difficult to develop and far from major employment centers.

And while some tribes have experienced significant economic success through gaming and other enterprises, that experience is not shared equally.

Amanda Augustine, Chairwoman of the Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians, says the perception that all tribes with casinos are extremely wealthy misses the reality many tribal communities continue to face.

For tribes in the Coachella Valley, the challenges extend beyond economics.

The loss of language and cultural traditions, the effects of generations of displacement and trauma, and stereotypes about Native Americans continue to shape how tribal communities are understood today.

Those issues are at the center of Part 2 of Against All Odds: What Remains.

The series takes a closer look at what remains of Native culture, the challenges tribes are working to overcome and the effort to preserve traditions for future generations.

Watch Part 2 of Against All Odds: What Remains tonight at 6 p.m. on News Channel 3.