What inspires you?
What does the future hold?
I currently work as the Legislative Affairs Coordinator for the Alaska Native Village Corporation Association, and am graduating from UAA in May 2018 with my Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, with minors in Alaska Native Policy, Japanese Language, and Political Science. I hope to become a lawyer some day because I have an interest in politics, policy, and using those interests to give back, but the road there will be a long and winding one, so I’m open to changes. There’s a lot that is spiking my current interest in the law – namely, the work my non-profit is doing surrounding contaminated lands that often surround Alaska Native villages. This affects public health and subsistence resources and has an intense impact on the environment in Alaska.
Why do you give your time to The Alaska Center?
I get to meet like-minded people who enjoy working on behalf of the environment, Alaska Native people, and the future generations of people who will call Alaska home one day. I especially like the way The Alaska Center aims to be inclusive of Alaska Native people and other people of color – too often I’ve heard the sentiment that shopping at REI and environmental activism is only for white people. This simply isn’t true. I don’t look Alaska Native, but I have roots from Prince William Sound and distant relatives from the village that live there today, one of whom recently told me stories of family member after family member who had gotten cancer because of local environmental contamination and poor infrastructure. The truth is, environmental issues disproportionately affect POC, so they have an equal if not bigger motivation to engage in these battles. The Alaska Center makes a pronounced and concerted effort to ensure that EVERYONE has a voice, not only in terms of the environment but also civic engagement.
Thanks for your time David. So great to have such inspiring volunteers!
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