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Dear Alliance Members,

We are so excited to introduce our new Co-Chairs, who bring deep community wisdom, compassion, and vision to our collective work.

Laura Thomas, from Barrow, joins us after completing nursing school at Alaska Pacific University. She shares, “I believe that protective factors are the foundation of resilient, healthy Alaskan communities. I envision an Alaska where all people are able to heal as they step into the fullness of their being.”

Julieanna Hefner, from Ketchikan, adds, “Through trauma-informed, dignity-first care and connection, I believe we can create communities of belonging—where every Alaskan has access to the resources, relationships, and respect needed to Hope, Heal, and Transform.”

We’re honored to have both Laura and Julieanna helping guide The Alliance into this next chapter of collaboration and growth as we continue building a more connected and resilient Alaska together.

We are also thrilled to offer an in-person Calricaraq Training on February 23–25 in Anchorage at the BP Energy Center. This three-day training, led by Rose Domnick, Katrina Domnick, and Evelyn Day, invites participants to deepen their understanding of balance and wellbeing through traditional knowledge. Together, we’ll explore holistic health, the impacts of historical trauma and colonization, and Indigenous approaches to healing and restoration.

Travel support is available, though space is limited. Please register soon to reserve your spot and indicate travel support needs! Register here

Lunch will be provided each day, and participants should plan for three full days of learning, reflection, and community connection.

We look forward to gathering in February to learn, share, and continue this important work together.

Warmly,

Tesia Bobrycki

Coalition Coordinator

tbobrycki@recoveralaska.org

Alaska Out of School Time Conference

Join afterschool and youth educators from across Alaska November 18–19, 2025 for the 2025 Alaska Out-of-School Time Conference at the Egan Center in Anchorage!

Experience 30+ engaging workshops, inspiring speakers, meaningful networking opportunities, and practical strategies to strengthen your skills working with youth and in your afterschool program. Register today at www.akostconference.org as an attendee, vendor, or sponsor to share your resources, connect with programs from across Alaska, and help strengthen youth, families and communities across Alaska!

A special thank you to Recover Alaska, whose generous sponsorship helps make this event possible. We appreciate their shared commitment to building healthier, stronger youth, families, and communities.

REGISTER HERE

Awareness & Mindfulness Practices for Wellness

Join Trusted Connections for a free, two-part online workshop, “Awareness & Mindful Practices for Wellness,” on November 13 and 20 from 6–7 p.m. Explore ways to slow down, reconnect, and bring more balance into your day-to-day life. Donations are accepted by Ptery Lieght on behalf of Trusted Connections. To register, email ptery@trustedconnections.help

Call to Support Western Alaska

Many families from Western Alaska have been displaced by recent storms and are now in Anchorage as they work to rebuild and recover. Local organizations are shifting from emergency response to longer-term support, helping evacuees find housing, warm clothing, and essential supplies. The Alaska Community Foundation’s Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund and the American Red Cross are accepting monetary donations to help meet these evolving needs, while the “We Welcome the YK” campaign continues to coordinate volunteers and housing offers.

If you’re looking for ways to help, the Alaska Community Foundation has compiled a list of trusted partner organizations and ways to donate. The Bethel Community Services foundation has also created an Amazon wishlist for YK Delta communities that will be regularly updated and shipped directly to the impacted communities.

Every contribution, whether a donation, volunteer time, or simply spreading the word, makes a real difference for our neighbors from Western Alaska. Follow us on social media to stay updated as we share other ways to support in the weeks ahead.

LEARN MORE HERE

Spirit of Youth Award Nominations

Do you know a teen who’s making a positive impact in your community? Spirit of Youth is now accepting nominations for its annual awards program, which celebrates Alaska youth who are leading projects, helping others, and inspiring change across the state.

Each year, youth are recognized across eight award categories that highlight achievements in areas like community service, advocacy, arts, leadership, and innovation. You can learn more about each category here: spiritofyouth.org/categories.

If someone comes to mind, we encourage you to submit a nomination and help shine a light on the incredible work youth are doing—often quietly, behind the scenes. Nominations can be submitted here: spiritofyouth.org/programs/positive-media-recognition-campaign/nomination-form/.

Award recipients will be recognized statewide and are eligible for scholarships: the top honoree will receive up to $2,000, and eight runners-up will each receive $500.

Help us celebrate Alaska’s inspiring youth and share their stories of leadership, creativity, and compassion!

Southeast Regional Gathering Report

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), in partnership with Strategic Prevention Solutions (SPS), hosted a full-day gathering in Juneau as part of a statewide research effort to examine community-driven solutions for substance use, overdose, mental health, and pain. This Southeast Alaska event, hosted at the Sealaska Heritage Center Clan House, was one of several regional gatherings held across the state to uplift local knowledge, celebrate strengths, and co-create paths to wellness. These rich conversations will lead to community informed research to support locally driven outcomes. Key insights and structure are captured in the attached report.

VIEW THE REPORT HERE

All Alliance Recording - Circle Forward

At our most recent All Alliance meeting, we welcomed back Circle Forward—our former consultants who helped guide the Alliance in developing a consent-based decision-making structure. Together, we reflected on how this framework has evolved in practice, what we’ve learned along the way, and how it continues to shape our collective work.

WATCH THE MEETING HERE

ANTHC Public Health Vending Machine Application

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium’s Substance Misuse Prevention Program is offering Tribal and community partners an opportunity to apply for a community health vending machine, with the intent to expand access to opioid overdose prevention and infectious disease resources, increase availability of HIV prevention tools, and strengthen connections to care across the Alaska Tribal Health System.

ANTHC will select eight sites to receive a vending machine and related wellness supplies at no cost. Each machine will include items such as naloxone nasal spray, fentanyl and xylazine test strips, HIV self-testing kits, and wound care and prevention materials. Participating sites will choose where to place their machine and will receive support for setup, outreach, and ongoing technical assistance.

LEARN MORE HERE

Sitka Holiday Bazaar

Join Sitka Counseling for the 43rd annual holiday bazaar! Taking place at Harrigan Centennial Hall, this festive event is perfect for the whole family. Enjoy live music, capture a memorable selfie with Santa, and browse a wide variety of holiday gifts from local Sitka vendors. It’s a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit while supporting local businesses and the Sitka community.

How Do You Choose Connection?

Our amazing administrative coordinator, Kara Stewart, shared three ways she stayed connected: 

“I chose connection this summer by exploring local businesses with friends, leading to a discovery of a new Korean ramen shop in Wasilla. I also learned to make kimchi with my mom, a traditional side dish that goes with just about every meal in Korean households (something about making it with family made it taste even better). Lastly, I got to bond with my team here at work by attending a local shop’s macrame class, paired with a lemonade flight!”

We’d love to hear from all of you on how you choose connection, whether in small daily moments or big steps you’re taking to find and maintain connection in your lives!

Email your connection stories to Tesia: tbobrycki@recoveralaska.org.

Alliance Activities & Accomplishments: Quarter One

Please find the Alliance's quarterly report below. Thank you to everyone who has contributed time, energy, and expertise to building power, shared meaning, and change

VIEW THE REPORT HERE

First Peoples Night Out

Sobermiut presented First Peoples Night Out, a three-night series held October 14–16 at the Alaska Native Lutheran Church in Anchorage. The gatherings brought Elders and Youth together in fun, engaging, and cultural ways—through traditional games, shared meals, laughter, and creative learning.

Each evening featured a different theme, from Traditional Games and “Laughter is the Best Medicine” to a Learning Circle paired with Athabascan necklace making. Our Alliance member Alma led the class, sharing her creativity and encouraging participants to connect through art and culture.

The event was a wonderful celebration of community, culture, and intergenerational connection - reminding us of the joy that comes from learning, sharing, and creating together. Thank you to Alma and Aaron for sharing about Choose Connection at this awesome event - if you have an event you'd like to include Choose Connection in, please let us know!

Community Advocacy: Addressing the Proposed REPL Increase

The HOPE Coalition and Sitka Counseling have been actively engaging in conversations around the proposed increase in Restaurant and Eating Place Licenses (REPLs) in Sitka. Their team spoke at both the October Planning Commission meeting and the recent Assembly meeting to share concerns about how increasing alcohol availability can impact community health and safety.

They emphasized the need to carefully consider data, ensure accuracy in local reporting, and weigh the potential risks to public health, especially as many mental health and substance use prevention programs face funding cuts. Our goal is to promote balanced decisions that prioritize protective factors and reduce risks for all Sitkans.

The team will continue to keep the Alliance informed as this issue develops.

About The Alliance

The Alliance is a collaborative effort of multiple and diverse partners across Alaska who recognize the harms of alcohol on individuals and communities. We are personally and professionally committed to working together to address this complex problem in our state.

Our primary goal is to connect and engage communities as partners — increasing protective factors, reducing risk factors, and changing social norms — to prevent underage alcohol use and eliminate all harms of alcohol use in Alaska.

Alliance Materials:

• The Alliance's common agenda
• The Alliance's Resource Page

Get Involved!

Between starting new work and sustaining our progress, there are many opportunities to participate in The Alliance! All current workgroups are open to any member who would like to join. You can always read more about our workgroups and their purpose on the Get Involved page of our website. Our network practices an emergent strategy, and we update information based on our network's needs.

• The Communications & Social Norms Workgroup is led by an experienced media and communications contractor and advances the two social norms campaigns addressing underage drinking Choose Connection and In Case You Missed It. Th workgroup also supports the Alliance's various other internal and external communications needs. This workgroup meets on the second Tuesday of each month from 1-2 pm.
• The Data and Learning Workgroup is led by an data expert and will be supporting data equity conversations and practices. This workgroup meetings on the third Monday from 3pm - 4pm.
• The Evaluation and Learning Workgroup is where members can participate in designing the annual evaluation process for the Alliance alongside a professional evaluator and receive technical assistance and support on utilizing evaluation in their work. This workgroup meets on the first Thursday of the month from 10am - 11am.
• The Strategic Design Workgroup builds structures and processes for the network to work in alignment with our values and theory of change. This workgroup is led by an experienced prevention professional and regional co-chair and meets monthly on the third Tuesday from 1pm - 2pm.
• The Policy Workgroup is led by a policy expert and works to track alcohol and prevention policies, identifies and designs advocacy actions, and provides technical assistance to individuals wanting to engage in the political process. This workgroup meets monthly on the second Friday from 11am - 12pm.

You are welcome to ask questions about those workgroups or to ask to join any of them.

Want to Lead Change? Apply to Be a Co-Chair of the Alaska Alliance!

Are you passionate about shaping Alaska’s future and driving meaningful community impact? The Alliance is now accepting applications for the Co-Chair position. This is a unique opportunity to help guide the organization’s vision, build partnerships, and amplify our collective voice.

If you’re interested in stepping up as a leader and making a difference, we encourage you to apply!

GET INVOLVED HERE

If you would like to submit content for The Alliance newsletter, please email Tesia at tbobrycki@recoveralaska.org and Kara at kstewart@recoveralaska.org.