On July 15th, ANVCA attended a conference hosted by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to discuss the future of food security for indigenous populations.
Native food has long been an emotional topic. Our food represents nourishment, history, medicine, culture, connection, knowledge—identity. Our traditional way of gathering, preparing, and storing food was a system based in responding to our natural ecosystems and unified us to nature. It was a holistic system, and a source of strength for our communities and our land. The question of how to reclaim our history and balance its instruction with modern sensibilities and external influences is at the heart of nourishing Native culture.
Issues like access to affordable, nutrient-dense produce in remote communities; establishing sustainable business practices for salmon harvests; or the Native’s right to gather traditional foods otherwise protected by federal mandate are all topics Villages and ANCs must lead their people through. We are heartened to see the work done by groups like ANTHC’s The Store Outside Your Door, and equally grateful for the guidance provided by our global brothers and sisters, from Vietnam to Peru.
Tsin'aen (Chin'an/Thank You),
Hallie Bissett
ANVCA Executive Director
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JULY 7: District Court Judge Mehta imposed a stay on distributing CARES Act funds to ANCs while he granted the plantiff's (Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation) appeal that the case be reviewed by the District Court of Columbia Circuit. While Judge Mehta granted the plantiff's appeal for additional review, he ruled that the plantiffs must file their appeal and seek expedited review no later than July 14, 2020. Judge Mehta's July 7 ruling may be read here.
JULY 8: Siding with Senator Murkowski, Senator Schatz of Hawaii speaks in defense of ANCs right to aid through the CARES act. Listen to the hearing's recording.
JULY 14: Plantiff Tribes filed their motion to appeal, and their motion to expedite appeal following Judge Mehta's July 7 ruling. ANVCA asks allies and members to contribute to the legal expenses required to argue this case.
JULY 16: ANVCA organizes a teleconference to discuss Title V's allowable costs in a presentation/Q&A session hosted by Dan Kowalski, Counselor to the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury.
JULY 30: Congratulations to Nicole Borromeo for her appointment to the Alaska Redistricting Board! We are delighted to see Ms. Borromeo receive due recognition for her professional accomplishments, and her representation of Alaska Native leadership. Read the full story.
JULY 31: Continuing to argue ANC eligibility for CARES funding, the plaintiffs were previously granted their motion to appeal Judge Mehta’s verdict under an expedited timeline. Under the Judge’s ruling, they are scheduled to deliver their brief no later than July 31.
JULY 31: Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan decries Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's decision to block legislation that would have extended higher payments of unemployment benefits past July 31. Watch Senator Sullivan's speech here.
JULY 31: Seven lives are lost from a mid-air collision, including the life of Representative Gary Knopp, of Soldotna. Our thoughts go to the families of the lost in light of this tragedy.
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JULY 1: Rasmuson issues 36 grants to Alaska artists, including many practitioners of traditional Alaska Native art forms. Tlingit carver Wayne Price is recognized for his contributions to the art community and issued the Distinguished Artist award. Read the full article here.
JULY 8: Head of Federal Affairs, Waste Management Tami Buckner is nominated as Advocate of the Year by the Professional Women in Advocacy Conference. Congratulations, Tami! See this year's advocate list here.
JULY 8: ANVCA and our community partners hosted a session for engaging free dialogue as discussion participants shared their reactions to the recent news of police brutality and civil protests occurring across the U.S.
JULY 13: Guards stationed at the entrances of Alaska's small communities work around the clock to control the flow of travelers entering, and limit the spread of COVID-19. Read more about the extraordinary efforts communities are making for health and safety here.
JULY 15: The Eyak Corporation, the Native Village of Eyak, and the Cordova Community Medical Center are partnering to provide financial relief to the Cordova community in light of COVID-19's economic burdens. This story was originally published April 14, 2020. Read the full release.
JULY 15: ANTHC, NANA, Akima, and the Healthy Alaska Natives Foundation (HANF) collaborate to prepare and distribute over 1,000 self-care kits for Elders and other high-risk populations in rural communities. Read the full story here.
JULY 17: ANVCA's offices move to 745 W 4th Avenue, Suite 302 in downtown Anchorage. Offices are available for individual village corporations to rent!
JULY 21: Congratulations to Bristol Bay Native Corporation on their beautiful new identity ad, “We are Always More Than A Corporation.” The visuals are stunning!
JULY 22: Nathan McCowan of St. George Tanaq Corporation and ANVCA joins Debbie Atuk, Director of Bering Straits Native Corporation in a virtual conference to discuss the past and future of revenue sharing—specifically, 7(i) and 7(j) funding.
JULY 23: The Anchorage Daily News reports on COVID-19 outbreaks occurring in Alaska’s fishing industry, as the close quarters for workers on vessels and in processing plants reduce the likelihood of successful social distancing. Read the full story.
JULY 23: Until August 3rd, the Federal Communications Commission is offering free 2.5 GHZ Radio Spectrum broadband licenses to all eligible rural Alaska tribal entities. Tribal entities are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to secure this revenue stream for their communities. Learn more here.
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Special Events and Opportunities |
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Job Openings:
JULY 5: Rasmuson Foundation is hiring for a VP of Finance & Administration. This position, as a member of the leadership team, will be responsible for daily business activities and governance of the Foundation including the financial, human resources, facilities, technology, and other operational support for the Foundation. Learn more.
Upcoming Events:
AUGUST 5: Community Connects, "Stolen Land" - a zoom based meeting panel discussion featuring Debra Call (Dena'ina), Ed Wesley (President of Alaska NAACP) and Tasha Kahale (Native Hawaiian and owner of Lei's Poke Stop) Register HERE
AUGUST 6: ANVCA will hold it annual members meeting via Zoom, with special guests Congressman Don Young, Senator Lisa Murkowski (pre-recorded video) and Senator Dan Sullivan. The meeting details including call in details will be sent to you upon registration. This meeting is for ANVCA Village Corporation members only. We will give you an update on happenings at ANVCA but also we want to hear from you! REGISTER TODAY
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Wilson Albers: Wilson Albers is an employer services organization, whose expertise lies in providing employers with strategies on topics like designing a competitive employee retirement plan, to advising on workers’ compensation and general liability. Most recently, they have released a playbook for professionals conducting business in an environment changed by COVID-19. In addition to guiding multiple companies adjusting to remote work, reopening, and other transitions, Wilson Albers has provided strategies for employers grappling with the CARES Act’s influence on employee 401k plans, insurance plans, and workers’ compensation claims. Learn more about the solutions being generated by Wilson Albers, and how they provide clients with both clarity, and certainty.
GCI: Headed by experienced sales team Sarah Nelson and Olivia Werdal, GCI is increasingly stepping up its service to Village and ANC clients. As the IT company navigates solutions for connecting Alaska’s rural communities. Nelson, who is from Port Alsworth, credits her personal experience for providing insights into overcoming logistical hurdles. “Something as seemingly simple as getting a modem to a client can be a remarkably complex process involving airplane charters and close coordination with local leadership, especially during COVID, when travel can be impacted. Our teams are working hard to do our part to ensure the safety of both GCI employees and the communities we serve.”
Villages and ANCs interested in learning more about how they can link up with GCI are encourage to peruse GCI’s business page, or else contact Ms. Nelson directly at [email protected].
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Thank you to our Moose Partners! |
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Thank you to our Salmon Partners! |
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Thank you to our Caribou Partners! |
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Thank you to our Denali Village Corp Members! |
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Newsletter developed by WALSH|SHEPPARD
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