2 minute read
Men’s Talking Circle Tlingit & Haida Purchases Driftwood Lodge Property in Juneau
In February, Tlingit & Haida closed on and acquired the Driftwood Lodge property located in the Aak’w Village District in Juneau, Alaska.
The 48,179 square foot (1.106 acre) property is located at 435 West Willoughby Avenue, across the street from Tlingit & Haida’s Andrew Hope Building and two other commercial office buildings acquired last year. The purchase includes the three-story hotel, adjacent building currently occupied by the Sandpiper Café, and surrounding parking lot.
The lodge operations were transferred to Tlingit & Haida in February after the deed was signed. There are currently 10 employees operating the Driftwood Lodge and all have been on-boarded through Tlingit & Haida’s Human Resources department as employees of the Tribe.
Chief Development Officer Will Ware oversees the Tribal Development branch of Tlingit & Haida, and his team led the property acquisition.
Overcoming traumatic experiences and leading a healthy lifestyle can feel incredibly challenging. That’s why our Community & Behavioral Services (CBS) Healing Center has formed a Men’s Talking Circle for men 18 years of age and older with a focus on healing wounds and achieving wellness.
Topics Covered:
Communicating Feelings
Coping Strategies for Grief & Trauma
Understanding Emotions
Managing Stress and Anxiety
Parenting & Relationship Challenges
Walking in Sobriety
The talking circles are held every other Wednesday from 5:30 PM7:30 PM at the Gajaa Hít building (250 Gordon Street) in Juneau, Alaska.
For questions or more information, contact the CBS Healing Center at 907.463.7305.
“This was a solid investment with sustainable profit projections and an important land acquisition as the Tribe continues to develop its campus in the downtown area,” said Ware. “The business will immediately provide training and employment opportunities for tribal citizens, as well as future development potential.”
Tlingit & Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson said this is part of the Tribe’s continued effort to get lands back into Indigenous hands.
“This acquisition checked all our boxes for the Tribe’s strategic plans for growth and economic sovereignty,” said President Peterson. “Not only are we getting land back in the old Juneau Indian village, but the acquisition also made perfect sense once we completed our due diligence process.”
Tlingit & Haida will continue running the Driftwood Lodge as a hotel and occupants should not notice any change in service.
The Driftwood Lodge offers 62 rooms and suites with kitchens with four separate floor plans and provides complimentary transportation, internet, and paid on-site laundry.
Amelia Rivera Promoted to Cultural Heritage & Education Division Senior Director
Amelia Rivera (Jiyal’áxch) has been promoted to Senior Director of the Cultural Heritage & Education Division. In this position, she will provide broad oversight of the Generations Southeast Community Learning Center and Cultural Heritage & Education Division, which includes the Haa Yoo X’atángi Kúdi language immersion nest, Head Start, Little Eagles and Ravens Nest (LEARN) Child Care, Higher Education, and Navigators. The division was established in 2017 under the principle that our communities, lands and tribal citizens thrive when our culture is our foundation.
Amelia joined Tlingit & Haida in 2021 and previously served as the Employment & Training manager. She will retain this department within her leadership, focusing on merging post-secondary educational funding options, expanding opportunities for youth, and establishing robust training programs.
“I’m deeply humbled by the opportunity to serve our Tribe in this capacity,” Amelia said. “I look forward to building infrastructures and programs that celebrate Indigenous knowledge and ingenuity, while positively impacting generations to come.”
Amelia grew up in Juneau and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado and a Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching from the University of Alaska Southeast - Juneau. She carries her great-grandmother Emma Frances Marks’ Tlingit name, Jiyal’áxch, and is Lukaax.ádi, Raven Sockeye of the Canoe Prow House on the Alsek River with ties to Shaka Hít in Dry Bay and Yéil Hít in Haines. She is a mother, artist and activist, and enjoys reading, doing beadwork, and beachcombing in her free time.
