First Alaskans Fellowship

Yesterday evening I went to an internship seminar and the topic was about how to solve Alaska’s future financial issues.  There were many solutions, one being to get rid of rural Alaska and have everyone move to Anchorage and Fairbanks.  It was proposed by a white young male who will with no doubt in my mind be one of Alaska’s future leaders.  He’s extremely bright, charming and does his homework well on issues concerning our state.  He isn’t the only one that feels this way about rural communities, the rest of the group except for me agreed with him.  I 100% don’t agree with his solution, but it has really lit a fire in me to learn more about alternative solutions and to teach as many people as I can about our culture and way of life.  Maybe if he understood more about our culture he wouldn’t feel the need to erase it.

I’m shocked by myself about how little I knew about politics and how uniformed I was before this fellowship.  I feel a need to get more Natives involved to help preserve what is so important to us.  There are so many active Native people in the Anchorage community and in the circles I’ve participated in, but little is spoken about making a difference by having a stronger voice in the political system.  Not to say there aren’t many out there speaking about having more of influence in the political process, but there could always be more.   

I have been to watch Senator Olson in action at committee meetings and he can get really feisty when it comes to protecting our rural communities!  If you go on the legislative website listed and watch yesterday’s Labor & Commerce committee meeting about air ambulance services to rural communities you can really see the senator in action at http://www.360north.org/gavel-archives/?event_id=2147483647_2014021332. Mr. Olson is loved and highly respected by everyone I’ve met here in the Capitol.  More people need to know who he is and what he’s about.

This week I learned more about SJR 12 – Federal Contamination of ANSCA Lands and SB 161 – Autopsies and Death Certificates.  I helped to submit documentation for these and other bills being submitted by Senator Olson’s office.  To view Senator’s Olson’s bills and resolutions you can view the link: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_spon_sum.asp?fnmember=Olson&mbrcode=OLS&house=S&session=28.  Or to watch any committee meetings, luncheons, floor sessions, etc. you can follow the link: http://akl.tv.

On a lighter note, last weekend I went snowboarding on Douglas and had so much fun.  After snowboarding they had fireworks on the mountain and a bonfire where I met a bunch of locals.  On Sunday I practiced my Haida introduction at my family’s house where they always have a feast for lunch prepared and then went to an Elizabeth Peratrovich celebration.