The Urban Native Collective, formerly the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition, is a left-of-center activist group promoting Native American issues within the United States. The Collective was formed in 2019 as the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition and has conducted several advocacy campaigns supporting similar native American activist groups in the United States. In 2022, the group fired its executive director following allegations of sexual misconduct and changed its name to the Urban Native Collective. The organization has received funding from several organizations including the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the National Urban Indian Family Coalition, NDN Collective, and the Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund. ^{1 2 3}

Background

The Urban Native Collective was initially organized in 2019 under the name the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition (GCNAC), after being informally founded as a local advocacy group in 2015. The group advocated for several policies such as abolishing Columbus Day in Cincinnati and replacing it with Indigenous People’s Day. ² In addition, the group previously advocated that local school districts in the Cincinnati area remove Native American-linked mascots and nicknames. This led to Anderson High School dropping its “Redskins” nickname and Winton Woods High School retiring its “Chieftain” mascot. ⁴

In December 2022, the board of the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition removed its executive director Jheri Neri following allegations “of past and ongoing sexual misconduct.” ³ Following the dismissal, Sarah Hernandez, a former chief operating officer, would be named the interim executive director of GCNAC. ³

In March 2023, the group changed its name to the Urban Native Collective and ended several local programs including its Tecumseh House project as well as its partnership with the local Health Care Access Now advocacy group. ²

Activity

The Urban Native Collective has previously advocated left-of-center policy positions on environmental, economic, and social issues. In addition, group has claimed it opposes all oil and gas infrastructure projects on Indian reservations. Finally it lists Palestinians within the Gaza Strip as “Indigenous Peoples under attack” while claiming the Palestinians are “struggling for their rights amidst ongoing occupation and war.” ⁵

In 2024, the group with several local organizations and advocacy groups to organize a “Sovereignty in Action” campaign to increase voter participation within Native American participation within the states of Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Indiana. The campaign was done in partnership with the National Urban Indian Family Coalition, NativeVote.org, and Illuminative. ⁶

Partner Organizations

According to its website, listed partner organizations of the Urban Native Collective include the Cincinnati Festival of Faiths, the Smithsonian Institution, the University of Cincinnati, Native Knowledge, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Poor People’s Campaign, Sierra Club, Green Umbrella, NDN Collective, Native Americans in Philanthropy, the National Congress of American Indians Foundation, Native Ways Federation, Lakota People’s Project Law Project, and the National Urban Indian Family Coalition. ⁷

1. “Full Text Search: Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition.” ProPublica. Query Conducted February 16, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=%22Greater+Cincinnati+Native%22
2. “Origin Story.” Urban Native Coalition. Accessed February 16, 2025. https://urbannativecollective.org/origin
3. “Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition removes former Executive Director.” ICT News. December 29, 2022. Accessed February 16, 2025. https://ictnews.org/the-press-pool/greater-cincinnati-native-american-coalition-removes-former-executive-director
4. Swilley, Kristen. “Winton Woods board of education votes unanimously to remove Native American logo.” WCPO ABC 9 Cincinnati. July 27, 2020. Accessed February 16, 2025. https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/winton-woods-board-of-education-votes-unanimously-to-remove-native-american-logo
5. “Native Vote.” Urban Native Coalition. Accessed February 16, 2025.  https://urbannativecollective.org/indigenous-sovereignty
6. “Native Vote.” Urban Native Coalition. Accessed February 16, 2025. https://urbannativecollective.org/native-vote
7. “Building a Collective.” Urban Native Coalition. Accessed February 16, 2025. https://urbannativecollective.org/building-a-collective