Q3 2023 Tribal News Newsletter

Tlingit & Haida

Generations Southeast Expands to Include Prince of Wales Island Campus

The Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) will be expanding it Generations Southeast Community Learning Center (Generations Southeast) to include an education campus on Prince of Wales Island.

Through a long-term lease agreement with the City of Klawock, Tlingit & Haida has assumed all operations of the Prince of Wales Vocational & Technical Education Center in Klawock, Alaska.

Operating as an educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the center was built in 2014 to support the workforce development needs of local industries and has served residents on Prince of Wales Island for nearly 10 years.

“The educational center has played an important role in helping residents on the island gain access to vocational and technical trainings,” said President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson. “This opportunity is really about lifting up our communities. Tlingit & Haida compacts with many of the village tribes on Prince of Wales Island, so this was really a natural fit.”

Continued on page 4

ƒ International Coastal Cleanup

ƒ Southeast Tribal Environmental Forum

ƒ Tidal Network Partners to Bring Broadband to Kake

ƒ Seacoast Indigenous Guardians Network Launches

ƒ Justice System Sentences Man for Violating Indian Arts and Crafts Act

ƒ Construction Begins on Haven House Women’s Shelter

ƒ Testimony Provided in Support of Farm Bill Policies

ƒ Indigenous Holiday Market

ƒ Support for Native American Voting Rights Act

ƒ Tribal Homeland Security Grant Awarded

ƒ Our Ways Summer Days Photos

ƒ Alaskan Youth Stewards Program Wraps Up

ƒ Alaska Seafood Company Purchased

ƒ Second Anchorage Office Opens

ƒ Education Tours Scholarships Reopen

ƒ National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

ƒ NAGPRA Grant Funding Awarded by National Park Services

ƒ Back to School Backpack Distribution Another Success

ƒ New Managers & Promotions

ƒ Community Justice through Indigenous Dispute Resolution Training

ƒ Tribal Enrollment Committee Meets

ƒ National Tribal Opioid Summit Sheds Light on Crisis

ƒ Men’s Healing Summit

ƒ U.S. Senator Murkowski and Secretary of Transportation Visit Southeast Alaska

Prince of Wales Vocational & Technical Education Center

International Coastal Cleanup

Southeast Alaska Tribal Environmental Forum

Mariculture, aquaculture, volcano hazards, and shellfish toxins –these were just some of the topics presented at the Southeast Alaska Tribal Environmental Forum held August 28 - September 1 in Juneau, Alaska.

Staff from our Native Lands & Resources (NLR) Division were invited to clean up marine debris on beaches near Sitka, Alaska.

Ocean Conservancy and the Sitka Sound Science Center organized the cleanups on Kruzoff Island and Biorka Island in the Sitka Sound as part of the 38th annual International Coastal Cleanup.

Indigenous Stewardship Program Director Ralph Wolfe and Regional Resource Coordinator Heather Douville helped the group remove more than one ton of trash from the shoreline.

“It’s good to see people taking care of the land,” Ralph said.

Chuck Miller from the Sitka Tribe of Alaska talked with the group about respecting the land.

“Khaa yáa awuné means respect for yourself, people around you and the environment,” Chuck said. “I know my ancestors would be happy to see us cleaning up because we always kept things clean and respect everything.”

The week-long forum was hosted by Tlingit & Haida’s Native Lands & Resources Division with the theme, “Rising with the Tide,” which underscored that resiliency can be found through food security initiatives, climate change adaptation, and stewardship.

The forum brought together Southeast Alaska tribes, natural resource professionals, agencies, and organizations within the region to hear presentations and create space for discussions on key environmental priorities.

“Each year, we commit to providing a forum that can house discussion and learn about the environmental work being done within our region,” shared Environmental Manager Ray Paddock III. There’s a lot of work happening, and this forum shows that it takes all of us. It’s important we hear about how each tribe, agency and person is working on environmental priorities and how we can partner and work in unison to protect our lands, waters and air in Southeast Alaska, especially as we’ve seen the impacts of climate change on our region.”

This year’s forum showcased a strong focus on community sustainability and food security through mariculture, aquaculture, and community greenhouse initiatives.

Other presentations focused on invasive species such as the European green crab, best practices for pollution response and providing updates on environmental projects taking place on the tribal, local, regional and state level.

For more information on the environmental forum, contact the Environmental Department at deptnlr@tlingitandhaida.gov.

Tidal Network Partners to Bring Broadband to Kake

Tlingit & Haida’s broadband enterprise, Tidal Network, has signed a partnership agreement with Kake Tribal Corporation and Kwaan Wireless, Inc. to bring affordable, high-speed broadband internet access to residents in Kake, Alaska.

Kwaan Wireless, Inc. is a subsidiary of Kake Tribal Corporation and has been at the forefront of providing internet service to Kake. The company provided internet service to about 25 users using unlicensed fixed wireless. As demand for faster and more reliable internet has increased, a collaborative effort became essential.

“By working together and embracing the power of technology, we can empower our people, create economic opportunities, and enhance the overall quality of life for our tribal citizens,” shared Tlingit & Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson. This partnership is an expression of our unified determination and commitment to the welfare and prosperity of our communities and citizens.”

Following the transfer of all customers, Tidal Network will install fixed wireless equipment on towers with grant funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Association.

“By working hand in hand, leveraging our knowledge, resources and unwavering commitment to community empowerment, we are demonstrating the power of collaboration and how tribes and tribal corporations can unite to bring about positive change and revolutionize the internet landscape in Alaska both now and in the future,” shared Chris Cropley, Tidal Network Director.

Seacoast Indigenous Guardians Network Launches

The Native Lands & Resources Division has officially launched the Seacoast Indigenous Guardians Network’s (SIGN). The network is a collaboration rooted in Indigenous values with a mission to strengthen communities through jobs, training opportunities, youth programs and outreach while promoting collaborative stewardship of our natural and cultural resources.

Recognizing the critical role and inherent sovereignty of tribes in all aspects of stewardship, the United States Forest Service signed a long-term partnership agreement with Tlingit & Haida in 2020 to support the creation of an Indigenous guardians program for Southeast Alaska.

For the past two years, a steering committee and network of community partners have been working to build the framework and capacity for the SIGN.

Indigenous Stewardship Program Director Ralph Wolfe and Regional Resource Coordinator Heather Douville have been leading the development of the SIGN for the past year.

As part of the official launch, a website (www.seacoastign.org) has been developed and a survey has been developed to gather priorities and future visions for stewardship from Southeast Alaska tribes.

Justice System Sentences Man for Violating Indian Arts and Crafts Act

A Washington man was sentenced in August for violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. For more than five years, Cristobal “Cris” Magno Rodrigo sourced and imported products from the Philippines and then sold them to unwitting customers as Alaska Native made art in Ketchikan, Alaska. It was estimated that Rodrigo and his family sold more than $1 million worth of counterfeit carvings and totem poles.

Tlingit & Haida President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson provided comment at the sentencing hearing and spoke about our art being more than objects to admire and obtain for personal use.

“Our art tells our history and our lineage. We did not have written history. We shared our knowledge orally and through our art. Artists and their knowledge are sacred and vital to preserving and continuing our way of life and history,” said President Peterson. He also expressed that misappropriation of Indigenous cultures degrades the value of our artisans’ skills.

This case serves as an important reminder that we all need to protect the integrity of our cultural arts and crafts.

Our Certified Tribal Artist program is one way we can help tribal citizen artists identify their products as authentic Indigenous art to consumers. The program is available to all tribal citizens. To learn more, visit our website at www.tlingitandhaida.gov/services/community/artist.

Generations Southeast Campus Expansion

Continued from cover

The education center currently operates with two administrative staff, including Chas Edwardson, who has served as the Executive Director since 2022. He is a certified Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) instructor and has 30 years of business development experience, including 10 years in vocational training. He has been an integral part of the education center and will remain on staff as the local administrator.

“I am very excited about joining Generations Southeast. This is a great opportunity not only for our tribal citizens, but for the region as a whole. Workforce Development is essential for sustainable economic development in virtually every sector; one cannot happen without the other. With Generations Southeast’s administrative capacity and years of experience in workforce development, we will continue to strengthen our region by meeting the workforce demands that are only increasing,” Chas shared.

In addition to continuing to offer AVTEC courses, Tlingit & Haida plans to install virtual reality simulators to provide realistic road time Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training and other vocational trainings like maritime, heavy equipment operators, administrative assistant, soft skills, and accounting.

Courses offered through the educational campus in Klawock will be open to the general public with financial assistance opportunities provided to tribal citizens.

The Prince of Wales Vocational Technical Education Center’s facility includes classrooms with full audiovisual capabilities and high-speed internet, well-equipped workspaces for woodworking and welding, and a construction bay. The education center will continue to offer rental space for community events and host the Island Market held every Saturday to support local artisans.

Construction Begins on Haven House Women’s Shelter Testimony Provided in Support of Farm Bill Policies

Construction began in July to rebuild the Haven House women’s noncongregate shelter in Juneau, Alaska.

Haven House opened in 2015 and was Juneau’s first transitional home for women in reentry from incarceration or addiction treatment.

In October 2020, Tlingit & Haida’s Reentry & Recovery Department assumed operation of the shelter. Less than a year later, flooding caused structural damage which led to the shelter being demolished in August 2021.

The new 4,800 square foot Haven House will have quarters for the resident manager and nine private rooms with shared living space.

Once built, it will serve as a place to call home for women who are seeking a path to reentry and recovery.

The shelter will provide a structured living environment where women will follow an individual case plan that will include attending programming, support groups and cultural activities, finding employment, paying a monthly contribution, and helping with household chores.

Tlingit & Haida’s Reentry & Recovery Department currently operates two male non-congregate shelters with a total capacity of 27 resident participants.

The construction of the new Haven House is expected to be complete in the spring of 2024.

A Healing Road to Reentry & Path to Recovery

President Peterson provided testimony on July 26 to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs during a legislative oversight hearing on Native priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill Reauthorization.

Tlingit & Haida strongly supports the 2023 Farm Bill policies that can positively impact selfgovernance, co-management and economic development opportunities for tribes.

The United States Department of Agriculture currently lacks Public Law 93-638 authority which is critical for the federal government to develop and implement meaningful agreements with tribes. During his testimony President Peterson expressed the bill needs to include supporting tribal self-governance, expanding 638 compacting, co-management of our lands and waters, and opportunities to include, enrich, and protect access to our traditional foods.

If compacting authorities are expanded to USDA, it is a winwin scenario for the federal government, tribes, and public.

Indigenous Holiday Market

Support for the Native American Voting Rights Act

In August, Tlingit & Haida’s Executive Council voted unanimously to support the Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act.

The bi-partisan legislation has been brought forward in every Congress since 2019 and makes significant steps toward achieving equitable access the ballot box for Alaska Native and American Indian voters.

The related Senate and House bills are sponsored by U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico) and U.S. Representative Sharice Davids (D-Kansas, member of the Ho-Chunk Nation).

Mark your calendar! Tlingit & Haida will be hosting a holiday market November 24-26 at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall in Juneau, Alaska to support Indigenous artists and vendors! There will be a variety of handmade products such as apparel, jewelry, textile weaving, woodwork, regalia and more!

“The holiday market is just one way Tlingit & Haida’s Business & Economic Development department can support Indigenous artists and vendors and help promote their products or services,” shared Jamie Cowan, Business & Economic Development Manager.

Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/ tlingitandhaida.gov

For more information, contact our Small Business Resource Center sbrc@tlingitandhaida.gov or 907.463.7107.

“Indigenous voters continue to face voting challenges at every turn when attempting to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” said President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson. “Some Indigenous voters living in rural communities and on reservations need to use ballot collection services due to limited access to home mail services and polling places. Every member of Congress needs to honor the United States’ trust responsibility to tribes and their inherent sovereignty under the law.”

Important components of the bill would require election officials to accept tribal identification cards as valid forms of identification for the purposes of voting or registering to vote in an election for federal office.

It also would require states and local precincts to provide at least one early voting, ballot drop box and polling location per precinct on tribal lands, including Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) or village corporation lands and any tribal statistical areas, and require prior notice and consent before states and precincts remove or reduce voting locations on tribal lands.

Sign to Support the Native American Voting Rights Act:

www.tinyurl.com/ANAIVotingRights

Tribal Homeland Security Grant Awarded

Tlingit & Haida’s Public Safety Division was awarded a $1.1 million Tribal Homeland Security Grant through a competitive review process under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program (THSGP) is funded under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2022 to strengthen the capacity of tribal nations to prepare for and respond to emergency situations.

The federally-funded program is an important component of the implementation of the National Preparedness System that supports the building, sustainment and delivery of core capabilities essential to achieving the National Preparedness Goal of a secure and resilient Nation.

Funding through the THSGP can be used for a wide array of security-related activities such as planning, equipment and critical emergency supplies, training, travel, as well as construction and renovation.

Tlingit & Haida’s Public Safety Division aims to protect people and communities in Southeast Alaska through the administration of the Village Public Safety Officer, Wildland Fire, Office of Emergency Management, and Tribal Occupational Safety & Health programs and will utilize the funds for a three-year project to build the Tribe’s emergency response capacity by implementing a Volunteer Responders Training program.

“Tlingit & Haida’s Public Safety Division has served a critical role in keeping our tribal citizens and communities safe,” said Public Safety Director Jason Wilson. “We’ve not only worked with communities to develop and implement local emergency preparedness plans, we’ve been the boots on the ground for many emergency situations. Most of our rural Southeast Alaska communities are not connected by a road system and are only accessible by air or water. In addition to strengthening our communications system, volunteer responders can be critical to our emergency response efforts, especially when time is everything for search and rescue, disaster response, and emergency medical assistance.”

Looking for a New & Rewarding Career?

We’re hiring! If you’re interested in joining a great team and receiving competitive wages, as well as educational opportunities to help you achieve your career goals, apply today! Here are just some of the benefits we offer:

ƒ 15 Paid Holidays

ƒ Generous 401(k) & Roth Retirement Plans

ƒ Life Insurance

ƒ Health & Dental Insurance

ƒ 15% AT&T Cell Phone Discount

Check

ƒ University Tuition & Fees Assistance

ƒ $30/Month for Health Club Memberships

ƒ Alternative Schedules for College Education & Fitness

ƒ Fitbit & Computer Purchase Loan Programs

ƒ Employee Assistance Program

Our Ways Summer Days Photos

Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa to all of our tribal citizens who shared photos for this year’s Our Ways Summer Days photo challenge! Over 500 photos were submitted during the challenge that express our way of life is strong.

Check out our full album on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tlingitandhaida.gov

Alaskan

Youth Stewards Program Wraps Up

AYS is a summer employment program in Southeast Alaska that is devoted to developing workforce and leadership skills in underserved youth ages 14-25 from rural communities.

All four communities participated in tree core sampling where they collected data from trees in the Tongass National Forest that will help researchers study climate change in Alaska.

Other projects included beach seining, brush clearing and trail work, wilderness first aid, stream monitoring, and kayak and pack raft training. AYS also supported culture camps and communitybased projects like a Fourth of July cleanup.

The program gives youth valuable skills and an opportunity to work where they live, while stewarding Indigenous lands and serving their local community.

The Alaskan Youth Stewards (AYS) wrapped up successful summer programs on Prince of Wales Island and in in Kake, Hoonah, Angoon, Alaska.

Top Picture: Youth from Prince of Wales Island help with trail maintenanace work. Bottom Picture: Youth from Angoon returning from a kayak trip

Alaska Seafood Company Purchased

Tlingit & Haida purchased the Alaska Seafood Company at the end of June 2023.

The company is located in Juneau, Alaska and provides wild-caught and sustainable Alaskan salmon, halibut, black cod and caviar to seafood lovers around the world.

“This is another solid investment for Tlingit & Haida that not only supports our region’s fishery economy, but also enhances our economic sovereignty,” said President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson. “This acquisition is really about supporting our tribal citizens and communities and providing the highest quality, sustainably harvested Alaskan Seafood to those who want to experience the taste of Alaskan seafood.”

The company was formed in 1987 and was the first facility in Alaska to produce smoked salmon using the retort pouch or “soft can” method of canning. The company cornered the market with this method which allows for shelf-stable seafood products with no refrigeration necessary.

Customers can also find fresh or frozen seafood, smoked (hot and cold) canned or jarred salmon or black cod, and even pet treats.

The Alaska Seafood Company operates as a retail and wholesale provider and widely distributes its products to gift shops and big box retailers throughout Alaska and the Northwest. Individual products can also be ordered online through the website or by visiting the small storefront located at 5731 Concrete Way in Juneau.

Chief Development Officer Will Ware oversees the Tribal Development branch of Tlingit & Haida, and his team led the property acquisition.

“We are excited to be adding the Alaska Seafood Company to the family of Tlingit & Haida owned businesses,” said Will. “This is a business that aligns well with our cultural way of life. We will be looking to expand on custom processing and value-added opportunities, as well as eventually working with tribal citizen-owned fishing operations to market the most amazing seafood in the world.”

Second Anchorage Office Opens

Tlingit & Haida welcomed tribal citizens to an open house to celebrate the opening of a second office in Anchorage, Alaska.

The new office is on the fourth floor of the Fireweed Business Center, located at 725 E. Fireweed Place.

President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson and Chief Operating Officer Roald Helgesen were at the open house to meet with tribal citizens.

Staff from our Program Compliance Department were also there to help people apply for or renew their Tribal ID cards.

The Fireweed office is where most of Tlingit & Haida’s administrative staff will be located in Anchorage.

The Elizabeth Place office, located at 670 I Street, will house all staff related to the Tribe’s programs and services.

Education Tours Scholarships Reopen

Have you been looking at schools you are interested in attending ? Perhaps you are wondering if the school is the right fit for you, what the campus is like or how you would fit into the space.

Tlingit & Haida’s Navigators program is here to help and is offering travel scholarships for students to visit a school of their choice with one parent or caregiver. Apply by November 1, 2023!

Requirements:

ƒ Must be a high school student (grade 9-12).

ƒ Must be a student of the Juneau School District, Southeast Island School District, Hydaburg City Schools, Klawock City Schools, or Craig City Schools.

ƒ Must complete travel by December 29, 2023.

Apply Now: www.tinyurl.com/ THEducationTourApp

For more information on the travel scholarships, contact the Navigators program at Navigators@tlingitandhaida.gov or 907.463.7752.

National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Many of us have been touched by suicide in some way. The weight is felt within our families, communities and culture. Let us hold each other up and remember suicide prevention is intervention, postvention, and prevention, and for those carrying the weight, we are here to support you.

In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Awareness month, please remember our Community & Behavioral Services Healing Center is here for tribal citizens who need crisis support services. If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, or other emotional challenges, contact our healing center at 907.463.7305.

About the Semicolon Art: Semicolons have become an international symbolofsuicideprevention,representingthepointwhenanauthor could’ve chosen to end their sentence but continued on.

NAGPRA Funding Awarded by the National Park Service

Tlingit & Haida was awarded a total of $143,000 from the National Park Service (NPS) under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Of the total award, $99,000 was awarded under a competitive grant process for consultation and documentation and $42,000 will go toward repatriation work.

The grants will be administered by Tlingit & Haida’s Native Lands and Resources (NLR) Division and used to conduct research and consultation with the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology at the University of California Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

NLR Senior Director Desiree Duncan said the late Tlingit Elder Cyril George’s words came to mind with the latest funding award to help our clans, “Yeedátsáyeiátyatee,ooawduudlixhaajikháa,heinaxh kháagéidéiyaxhghaagoot. Life should be this way, that someone you’ve given up hope of ever seeing again suddenly comes walking around the corner.”

Since 1993, Tlingit & Haida’s Cultural Resources program has been successful in repatriating numerous artifacts on behalf of tribal communities under NAGPRA - to date, more than 130 objects have been repatriated.

Back to School Backpack Distribution Another Success

Tlingit & Haida’s Back to School Backpack distribution was a huge success again this year with school supplies going out nearly 2,000 tribal children!

In addition to a Back to School Backpack event held at the Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall in Juneau, Alaska and distribution events held throughout Southeast Alaska, more than 1,100 backpacks were mailed to tribal children living outside of Southeast Alaska under the Tribe’s Rescue Relief Backpack program.

Each backpack included a starter kit of school supplies and a card with a special note from President Peterson which read:

DearTribalCitizenYouth,

Ihopethismessagefindsyouwellandexcitedtoreturntoschool.Iamgratefulfortheopportunityto remindyouoftheimportanceofeducationandencourageyoutomakethemostofyourlearning experience.Rememberthateducationisapowerfultoolthatcanhelpyouachieveyourgoalsandmakea positiveimpactinyourcommunity.Iwishyouallthebestforasuccessfulandfulfillingschoolyear!

Our backpack program is just one way we show our tribal youth every year that we care about them and their future. May all our children have a wonderful school year filled with learning and adventures!

Group photo of employees who helped with the Back to School Backpack distribution event in Juneau, Alaska

New Managers & Promotions

Please help us welcome new members to our management team as well as congratulate those who were recently promoted to strengthen our Tribe and services to our tribal citizens and communities!

Chaix Johnson has been promoted to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Manager. She will oversee the daily management of the department which provides financial assistance to Alaska Native and American Indian families in Southeast Alaska while emphasizing work participation, education, family stability, and self-sufficiency.

Benjamin K’uyáang Young is the Tribe’s new Early Education Curriculum Development Manager. He will develop and implement language curriculum and early education initiatives through collaboration with birth speakers, Elders, tribal programs, and partners to embed Indigenous languages in Early Education programs throughout Southeast Alaska.

Erinn Adkins-Franks has transfered from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Manager to Employment & Training Manager. She will oversee the daily management of the department which provides employment, education and vocational training assistance to help tribal citizens reach selfsufficiency and long-term employment.

Ralph Wolfe has been promoted to Indigenous Stewardship Program Director. He joined Tlingit & Haida as an employee in January 2023 and will continue to build out the Seacoast Indigenous Guardians Network as well as implement environmental stewardship and economic sustainability projects that target traditional foods, energy and natural resources.

Desiree Duncan was promoted to Native Lands & Resources Senior Director. In this capacity, she will continue to oversee the Realty & Forestry, Veterans Benefits, and Cultural Resources programs, as well as provide broad administrative oversight of the Environmental and Traditional Food Security departments. Desiree has been employed with Tlingit & Haida since 1991.

Chaix Johnson

Ben Young

Erinn Adkins-Franks

Ralph Wolfe

Desiree Duncan

Mark Your Calendars

September Events

1-30: Suicide Awareness & Prevention Month

1-30: National Recovery Month

1-30: National Preparedness Month

15: City Assembly Candidates Forum – Juneau, AK

16: Native Youth Olympics Coaches Training – Juneau, AK & Online via Zoom

19-21: Southeast Conference –Sitka, AK

21-23: Aak’w Rock Indigenous Music Festival – Juneau, AK

30: Deadline to Apply for the Rescue Relief Backpack Program

30: Orange Shirt Day

30: Recovery Month Bonfire – Juneau, AK

October Events

4-7: 111th Alaska Native Brotherhood & Sisterhood Grand Camp Convention (Held Virtually)

9: Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Offices Closed)

9: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Event – Juneau, AK

18: Alaska Day (Offices Closed)

15-18: First Alaskans Institute Elders & Youth Conference –Anchorage, AK

19-21: Alaska Federation of Natives Convention – Anchorage, AK

27: Employment & Training Forum – Juneau, AK

25: Tribal Enrollment Application Deadline

November Events

1-3: Tribal Enrollment Committee Meeting – Juneau, AK

11: Veterans Day

12-17: National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Convention – New Oreleans, LA

13: Veterans Day Observed (Offices Closed)

14: Walter Soboleff Day (Offices Closed)

23: Thanksgiving (Offices Closed)

24: Native American Heritage Day (Offices Closed)

24-26: Indigenous Artists & Vendors Holiday Market – Juneau, AK

December Events

15: Executive Council Meeting – Juneau, AK

25: Christmas Day (Offices Closed)

January 2024 Events

1: New Years Day (Offices Closed)

16-18: Tribal Court Community Justice Through Indigenous Justice Training – Ketchikan, AK

Community Justice through Indigenous Dispute Resolution

Tlingit & Haida’s Tribal Court, in partnership with Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, will be co-hosting a free, in-person training for providers January 16-18, 2024 in Ketchikan, Alaska on community justice through Indigenous dispute resolution.

Dates:

January 16-18, 2024

Location: Cape Fox Lodge

800 Venetia Ave. • Ketchikan, AK

Registration Link: www.tinyurl.com/

THTribalCourtTraining

Topics:

Violence Against Women Act

Peacemaking

Self-Care

For more information, please contact Tlingit & Haida’s Tribal Court at 907.463.7343 or roundtables@tlingitandhaida.gov.

Tribal Enrollment Committee Meets

National Tribal Opioid Summit Sheds Light on Crisis

Second Vice President Rob Sanderson Jr. and Public Safety Division Director Jason Wilson attended a three-day National Tribal Opioid Summit in Marysville, Washington. Nearly 1,000 tribal leaders, frontline health workers, and tribal community members gathered to talk about the opioid crisis in tribal communities.

Tlingit & Haida’s Tribal Enrollment Committee met August 9-11 in Juneau, Alaska to review pending enrollment applications as well as blood quantum corrections and relinquishment requests. During the meeting, a total of 673 applications were reviewed by committee members, which resulted in 517 newly enrolled tribal citizens and brought the Tribe’s total enrollment to 36,559. The committee also approved seven (7) blood quantum corrections.

Next Enrollment Committee Meeting:

November 1-3, 2023

Enrollment Application Deadline:

October 25, 2023

If you have questions or need assistance updating your enrollment record, please contact the Program Compliance (Tribal Enrollment) Department at 1.800.344.1432 ext. 7359 or enrollment@tlingitandhaida.gov.

“Opioids don’t care what gender you are, what religion you practice, if you’re rich or poor, young or old. This crisis is affecting us all. We can no longer just talk about the damage it leaves in its wake. We must stand and work together,” shared Public Safety Director Jason Wilson.

Since 1999, drug-related deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native people have quadrupled. In 2021, Native people had the highest opioid-related death rate of any demographic in the United States.

The was hosted by the National Indian Health Board and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell provided opening remarks at the summit, encouraging tribes to issue declarations of emergency. “As I travel the state listening to Washingtonians on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis, one thing has been loud and clear, our communities need more resources to tackle substance abuse and drug overdose,” said Senator Cantwell.

Tlingit & Haida’s Delegates adopted a resolution (TA 23-15) in April, declaring a state of emergency in Alaska as a result of the ongoing opioid epidemic within our communities.

During the summit, Vice President Sanderson facilitated a discussion on trauma and addiction which explored the intersections of trauma related to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased fentanyl use.

“There were a lot of tears shed at the summit because we all have lost a family member to addiction or know someone that is addicted. The fentanyl epidemic that has hit Southeast Alaska is the worst that it has ever been. We don’t need data to prove what we see every day. There’s no time to waste as we continue losing our young people and tribal citizens every day. We need to go on the offense now and hold a regional opioid summit. I’m calling on our Southeast Alaska tribes and tribal leaders to make this regional gathering a priority so that we can elevate this issue together,” shared Vice President Sanderson.

Enrollment Committee (L-R): Patricia Alexander, Paul Marks II, Ella Bennett, Stephanie Rainwater, LaVerne Wise, Mary Edenshaw, and Judy Helgesen (Frank Wright not pictured)

Second Vice President Rob Sanderson Jr. (left) and Public Safety Division Director Jason Wilson (right)

Men’s Healing Summit

In August, Tlingit & Haida’s Community & Behavioral Services Division hosted a first ever Men’s Healing Summit.

The summit’s theme was “A Journey Home: A Pathway to Healing” and drew in about 50 participants.

Reentry & Recovery Peer Support Specialist David Evenson was the emcee for the event and shared his story of recovery while also challenging the participants to lead a men’s healing initiative in their respective community.

President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson spoke about his years of recovery from addiction. He hopes the Men’s Healing Summit inspires people to make changes in their lives.

“This healing journey is something I think is so important. My prayer is that the seeds get planted. Those seeds get taken back to our villages and are planted and we do everything we can to grow the seeds into the most holistic and healthy way to live. Healing is about being honest with yourself, it’s about accountability,” he shared. “Accountability is something I have, being 20 years drug free and it’s not something I take for granted.”

Keynote speaker Huux Percy Crosby from Haida Gwaii talked about his experience of being sexually assaulted as a child and how he grew up in a home with domestic violence.

“Healing is not easy. It stirs up a lot of stuff,” Percy said. “Learning how to forgive is part of my healing process.”

Percy recovered from his addiction to drugs and alcohol and started the GaaaGaGaay Men’s Group in his community. “You’re going to fall down. What matters is that you get back up and dust yourself off. It happened to me. Today, I’m 16 years sober.”

Sitka artist and musician Ed Littlefield performed “cultural energizers” to bring levity to the summit, teaching the men songs and doing deep breathing exercises.

“Haa toowú litseen,” he had the men repeat. “Our spirit, our being is strong.”

Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa to our guest speakers for holding up our men!

We are so grateful also to our table sponsors and door prize donors:

Top Picture: President Peterson introducing Percy Crosby

Bottom Picture: Ed Littlefield leading a cultural energizer

Senator Murkowski and Secretary of Transportation Visit Southeast Alaska

First Vice President Jackie Pata and Governmental Affairs Senior Policy Coordinator Jill Weitz had the opportunity to travel to Haines, Alaska to meet with United States Senator Lisa Murkowski and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

The plans to fly to Haines quickly pivoted to traveling by ferry, which gave Secretary Buttigieg a firsthand look at the importance of having a reliable ferry system when inclement weather limits transportation options in Southeast Alaska.

During the visit, Vice President Pata expressed how much our communities depend on and deserve a consistent ferry system year-round and that we all need to work together to identify solutions. She also advocated for the equitable distribution of Tribal Transportation Program funds to Alaska tribes and greater federal and local government partnership with tribes.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated more than $285 million to the Alaska Marine Highway System. The funding will go toward several projects that include modernizing four vessels, upgrading rural dock infrastructure and providing services to rural communities.

Preserve our sovereignty, enhance our economic and cultural resources, and promote self-sufficiency and self-governance for our citizens.

L-R: Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Senior Policy Coordinator Jill Weitz, Senator Lisa Murkowski, and First Vice President Jackie Pata