Dr. Andrea Garcia
Commissioner | Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission
“As a Native American person, community member, physician, and advocate, I know that my community can take care of our houseless relatives in a way that feels safe, holistic, and culturally affirming. But, we can’t do it alone. My vision is to see our community-based organizations be a visible part of the homelessness landscape, to fix the very intricate and wonky parts of the system that renders communities like mine invisible, and, quite frankly, to see a multitude of culturally supportive projects house our relatives and give them the dignity and love they deserve.”
Dr. Andrea Garcia (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara) is a Mayoral appointee for the Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission where she serves as Chair of the subcommittee on homelessness as well as the ad hoc LA Native COVID-19 Response Working Group. She is also physician specialist at the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health where she has the privilege of working at the American Indian Counseling Center. She completed a fellowship in research and policy with the National Clinician Scholars Program at UCLA, and trained in General and Preventive Medicine with the California Department of Public Health. Her current work focuses on research and systems improvement pertaining to urban Native American health and wellbeing, homelessness and housing justice for Native Americans, and improving workforce diversity.
Andrea’s vision is to see Native leaders and community based organizations be a visible part of the homelessness landscape, to fix the parts of the system that renders her community invisible, and to see a multitude of Native-led culturally supportive housing developed that gives houseless individuals the dignity and love they deserve.