North American Indian Women's Association
The North American Indian Women's Association is a non-profit educational and service association, which seeks to promote intertribal-communications, betterment of home, family life and community, betterment of health and education, awareness of Indian cultures, and fellowship among North American Indian people.[1] NAIWA was founded in the summer of 1970 by Marie Cox, and was the first national Native American women's group. [2] [3] During the 1970s adoption reform was one of its greatest concerns. [4] Only women from federally recognized Indian tribes can be members. [5]
The association named Muriel Hazel Wright the outstanding Indian woman of the 20th century in 1971[6]