The popular perception of the American Indian is that they continue to live in isolated reservations far removed from the turmoil of modern city life. In fact most now live in America's major cities.

But this urban migration has done little to solve the challenges they face. They are still at the bottom of the pile in terms of life chances and achievement. Even in the cities most Native American children drop out of high school, many are raised without a father and there is a better than average chance they will join a gang or have problems with drugs and alcohol.

It is a growing trend and one that many tribal elders feel can only be solved by reversing their loss of native identity.

Michael Graziano and Ernie Park spent time alongside young urban Native Americans to see how the prospects for a brighter future can be improved by restoring a sense of pride in their identity.

 

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About Al Jazeera - Witness

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Rageh Omaar and Ghida Fakhry present Witness, a half-hour documentary series which features short, specially commissioned or acquired films gathered from independent filmmakers.
 
Each documentary reveals the unknown lives of ordinary people, following their lives, telling their stories and portraying the challenges that confront them. Our witnesses are people in a situation or those who have observed them first hand.
 
The films cover conflict, belief, the past, and the future and, as well as bringing new stories to light, they showcase the talents of a new breed of multi-skilled, frontline journalist.