A new report released on Wednesday shows that persistent disparities are hindering American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children across the United States. “We need children of every race and ethnicity to grow up ready to provide the talent, intellect and hard work that will make our country strong and prosperous,” Leslie Boissiere, vice president of external affairs at the Casey Foundation, said in a press release. While there were gains among every demographic group in poverty indicators, more than half of AI/AN (57%) kids currently live below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.