Indigenous Health and Wellness Connections (IHAWC) is a Native American-led organization that serves Indigenous individuals and families by inspiring a balanced lifestyle. Native Americans face disproportionately high poverty and violence rates, and the greatest health disparities of any minority group in the US – yet the Salt Lake City-based IHAWC is on a mission to change that. Wellness from an indigenous perspective is a whole and healthy person: one balanced in spirit, emotion, mind and body. For some, this is found through physical health and nutrition; for others through ceremony or connecting with the land. Since its inception in 2019, IHAWC has served over 3,000 people through community events, educational opportunities, and access to resources that promote and build strength, including healing events to honor missing and murdered Indigenous relatives using prayer and song to transform collective grief into strength, hope and action, as well as community powwows to share stories, tradition and support.
IHAWC hosts numerous programs to connect spirit, emotion, mind and body including 100 Years of Silence, Murdered Indigenous Relatives Healing & Prayer Events, and Pagah’Nee Suicide Prevention Trainings.
IHAWC’s small staff and mighty group of volunteers mirror the diverse groups they serve, including members of the Shoshone, Ute and Goshute tribes. Collaborating with like-minded organizations, IHAWC assists individuals in finding their personal balance by actively incorporating cultural practices in programs such as Indigenous Spring, a health and wellness gathering at Utah’s Natural History Museum, and the Painted Horse Diabetes Prevention Program. Supporting youth in their wellness journey, IHAWC’s Running into Culture is a native running program grounded in culture and tradition, providing running gear, guidance, recreation, and community. IHAWC’s vision is a world where Indigenous people thrive, continually improving through service, strength, and the promotion of health and wellness.
In Honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Utah Jazz invited Indigenous youth to participate in its 50th Season Youth Basketball Clinic in November 2023. The effort was a collaboration among IHAWC, The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Sacred Circle Healthcare, and the Salt Lake City Title VI program on behalf of Native American youth ages 7 to 15.