"Takoda" means "all are welcome" in the Lakota Language. Although we strive to help the American Indian community and incorporate Indigenous values into our programs, everyone is welcome in our organization, regardless of race, creed, age, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Our parent organization, the American Indian OIC, was founded in 1979 as a practical resource to respond to the considerable education and employment disparities faced by American Indians living in and around South Minneapolis. In the years since its founding, the AIOIC has built a workforce of over 20,000 people from the entire Twin City area and tribal nations across the country and is a nationally recognized leader in the workforce development field. The mission of the American Indian OIC is to empower American Indians to pursue career opportunities by providing individualized education, training, and employment services in a culturally rich environment.