Guest Speakers: About Alaska

Aisha Barnes, UAA Writing Department Faculty and Hollis Mickey, Anchorage Museum Director of Learning and Engagement are hosting three presentations and discussions centered around the role and responsibilities of museums in communities, and our responses to works within museums. This event, Providing Access to Objects: Collecting, Exhibiting, and Interpreting welcomes Anchorage Museum staff Francesca Du Brock (Chief Curator) Monica Shah (Director of Collections & Chief Conservator) and Marion Gajonera (Education Interpretation Manager). This series is part of a collaboration sponsored by the Selkregg Foundation, UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning, and the UAA Writing Department. There is free parking for this event in the Library Main Lot and the Library NE Lot. UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination

Decolonization and Dynamics of Power: History and Practice with Aaron Leggett, Hollis Mickey, Missy Gaulke, Aisha Barnes is part 1 in the series Museums: Power, Access and Community. Aisha Barnes, UAA Writing Department Faculty and Hollis Mickey, Anchorage Museum Director of Learning and Engagement are hosting three presentations and discussions centered around the role and responsibilities of museums in communities, and our responses to works within museums. Decolonization and Dynamics of Power: History and Practice brings together Aaron Leggett, (Curator of Alaska History and Culture) Missy Gaulke (Education Department Coordinator) and Hollis Mickey (Director of Learning and Engagement). This series is part of a collaboration sponsored by the Selkregg Foundation, UAA Center for Community Engagement and Learning, and the UAA Writing Department.

Healthy Alaskans 2020 is the strategic health improvement plan for Alaska led jointly by the State of Alaska and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The framework for the plan contains Leading Health Indicators (LHI’s) which are tracked annually, and overtime, to assess how we are improving and insuring health equity for all Alaskans and thereby advancing wellness. This event will provide an overview of the statewide health improvement plan, share a summary of the strategies, actions and community partners engaging in activities to help measure and meet statewide targets. Cheryl Dalena, who serves as Alaska Native Tribal Health Co-Chair for Healthy Alaskans 2020, will provide an overview of the statewide health improvement plan, share a summary of the strategies, actions and community partners engaging in activities to help improve health and meet statewide targets and share status and plans. This event is held in celebration of National Public Health Week and is cosponsored by the UAA Masters of Public Health Program and UAA Campus Bookstore.

This is Katherine Ringsmuth’s presentation for the event NN Cannery and Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1919 (Note, the audio podcast is also posted in iTunes as well as the presentation by Tim Troll.) The horrific Spanish Flu epidemic that came to Alaska 100 years ago arrived in Bristol Bay in 1919. NN Cannery Hospital became the center point for relief efforts for cannery workers and the Native villages Naknek, Ugashik, Savanoski where adult population faced extinction. In response to the crisis, the NN cannery transformed into a makeshift orphanage to care for all of the children who lost their families to the flu. At this event, Tim Troll discusses life before the outbreak of the Flu Pandemic and its effects on the Bristol Bay region. Katherine Ringsmuth offers a history of the NN cannery, its significance in the Naknek region, and role as a global fishing network Katherine Ringsmuth, who was raised in Bristol Bay, received her PhD from Washington State University, teaches history at UAA. Author of numerous books for the National Park Service, she is sole proprietor of Tundra Vision, a public history consulting business. Tim R. Troll is Executive Director of the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving the wildlife habitat, culture and history of the Bristol Bay region. In 1978, he came to Alaska as a VISTA volunteer lawyer in Bethel. Over the years, he has held a variety of positions advocating for Alaska Native communities, corporations, and organizations.

This is Tim R. Troll’s presentation for the event NN Cannery and Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1919. (Note, the audio podcast is also posted in iTunes as well as the presentation by Katherine Ringsmuth.) The horrific Spanish Flu epidemic that came to Alaska 100 years ago arrived in Bristol Bay in 1919. NN Cannery Hospital became the center point for relief efforts for cannery workers and the Native villages Naknek, Ugashik, Savanoski where adult population faced extinction. In response to the crisis, the NN cannery transformed into a makeshift orphanage to care for all of the children who lost their families to the flu. At this event, Tim Troll discusses life before the outbreak of the Flu Pandemic and its effects on the Bristol Bay region. Katherine Ringsmuth offers a history of the NN cannery, its significance in the Naknek region, and role as a global fishing network Katherine Ringsmuth, who was raised in Bristol Bay, received her PhD from Washington State University, teaches history at UAA. Author of numerous books for the National Park Service, she is sole proprietor of Tundra Vision, a public history consulting business. Tim R. Troll is Executive Director of the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving the wildlife habitat, culture and history of the Bristol Bay region. In 1978, he came to Alaska as a VISTA volunteer lawyer in Bethel. Over the years, he has held a variety of positions advocating for Alaska Native communities, corporations, and organizations.

Katherine Ringsmuth and Tim R. Troll present NN Cannery and Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1919. ( Note, event presentations by Tim Troll and Katherine Ringsmuth are also posted in iTunes.) The horrific Spanish Flu epidemic that came to Alaska 100 years ago arrived in Bristol Bay in 1919. NN Cannery Hospital became the center point for relief efforts for cannery workers and the Native villages Naknek, Ugashik, Savanoski where adult population faced extinction. In response to the crisis, the NN cannery transformed into a makeshift orphanage to care for all of the children who lost their families to the flu. At this event, Tim Troll discusses life before the outbreak of the Flu Pandemic and its effects on the Bristol Bay region. Katherine Ringsmuth offers a history of the NN cannery, its significance in the Naknek region, and role as a global fishing network Katherine Ringsmuth, who was raised in Bristol Bay, received her PhD from Washington State University, teaches history at UAA. Author of numerous books for the National Park Service, she is sole proprietor of Tundra Vision, a public history consulting business. Tim R. Troll is Executive Director of the Bristol Bay Heritage Land Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving the wildlife habitat, culture and history of the Bristol Bay region. In 1978, he came to Alaska as a VISTA volunteer lawyer in Bethel. Over the years, he has held a variety of positions advocating for Alaska Native communities, corporations, and organizations.

Alexander James presents “The Legacy of Oil in Alaska”. According to Alexander James, with the completion of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System in 1977, oil production surged and then declined after 1988. “The boom generated significant short-run economic gains that were quickly diluted by inward migration. In the long-run though, the income gains may have turned into losses. (The long-run vanity of Prudhoe Bay, Resources Policy 50:270-275 · December 2016). What does this mean for Alaska and Alaskans is the topic for this dynamic event. Alexander James is Associate Professor of Economics in Department of Economics & Public Policy, UAA. He received his PhD in Economics from University of Wyoming, Laramie and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Center for the Analysis of Resource Rich Economies (OxCarre) at the University of Oxford, England. His research interests include resource-rich economies and experimental methods and teaches both Principles of Economics, and advanced Natural-Resource Economics.

Cindy Roberts presents Cracking the Code, A Citizen’s Guide to the 2018 Alaska Natural Pipeline Discussion. Cindy Roberts compiled the glossary Cracking the Code, A Citizen’s Guide to the 2018 Alaska Natural Pipeline Discussion to help Alaskans understand terminology used regarding the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline. A handy quick reference guide with numerous maps, it traces the discovery of gas reserves in Point Thompson in 1997 to the Joint Development Agreement with China in 2017. Cindy Roberts is a former member of Backbone II that advocates “for use of Alaska’s resources for the maximum benefit of current and future generations.”

Dr. Lawrence D. Weiss presents Is It Irrational To Believe In UFOs Over Alaska? The National UFO Reporting Center has received over 500 sightings of UFO in Alaska from October 15, 1935-- June 27, 2018. What unearthly phenomena has visited the skies of Alaska? Are the findings from Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) based on observations or pseudo-science? Come find out as Lawrence D. Weiss, Professor Emeritus of Public Health at UAA and founder of the Master of Public Health program asks the question; is it irrational to believe in UFOs in Alaska?

Dr. Fred E. Woods discusses his book Melting the Ice and the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Alaska including Mormon migration. The documentary for Melting the Ice is shown first, 6:13-33:29. Second, the development of the LDS Church in Anchorage is discusssed during Dr, Wood's talk, starting at 33:42. Concening the book, according to Ross A. Coen, editor of Alaska History, “Alaska has one of the highest per capita populations of Latter-day Saints of any state in the nation, yet no scholarly history has been written about the LDS Church in the Last Frontier. Until now. Fred Woods’s Melting the Ice is an engrossing read about how many dedicated individuals have contributed to the social and spiritual development of Alaska.” Fred E. Woods completed a B.S. degree in Psychology and a MS degree in International Relations from Brigham Young University. In 1991, he earned a Ph. D. in Middle East Studies from the University of Utah with an emphasis in Hebrew Bible. He has been a BYU professor in the department of Church History & Doctrine since 1998. Note, Fred E. Woods will be a guest speaker at the Alaska Historical Society Conference in Nome.

Tim Kennedy was the director of the Sky River Lower Yukon Project, in Emmonak, Alaska in the early 1970s. His experience, and the process that was developed, is the subject of his book, Where the Rivers Meet the Sky: A Collaborative Approach to Participatory Development. At this event, how the Lower Yukon Project used film-making as a vehicle for their participatory development goals will be highlighted. (AMIPA has maintained the production elements for the films that were produced for generations to come.) Tim Kennedy's current Alaska visit includes re-visiting Emmonak this summer, with a filmmaker who will be documenting the trip. Tim Kennedy's work has has far reaching effects throughout the world. HIs book is a part of the Communication for Development and Social Change Series,Southbound Press.

Emily Madsen discusses her research on the relationship between English missionary William Duncan and the Tsimshian people of Metlakatla. By investigating autobiographical, literary, religious, and historical documents, Madsen looks at how Metlakatla was shaped as a utopian religious community where the concept of British identity was adopted, adapted, and subverted by the Tsimshian. The Curious Case of Metlakatla, the Alaska Native Community Led by England's Only Missionary to Alaska, unveils a faacinating look at British and American religious history According to Emily Madsen, the Alaskan community of Metlakatla, established after William Duncan feuded with the Anglican Church over the Tsimshian's land rights to Metlakatla's original location in British Columbia, is still there and still active. Its history is undeniably impacted by William Duncan, who lived with the Tsimshian from when he was in his twenties to when he was in his eighties. Madsen looks at the material record of this religious intersection point to consider how the Anglican religion and the Tsimshian religion overlapped in ways that were fascinating to the Tsimshian and sometimes unsettling to Duncan's Anglican superiors. Emily Madsen teaches at UAA in the Department of English. She received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The research for this talk was funded by an Elizabeth Tower Faculty Award.

In Leave It To Beaver, Cocaine & God: My Journey to Community Engagement Darrel Hess talks about growing up in the shadow of domestic violence, his arrest for selling cocaine to an undercover Alaska State Trooper, coming to terms with his sexual orientation, his relationship with God, and his struggles to find himself and his place in the world. Today, Darrel Hess works as Anchorage’s Municipal Ombudsman and is a member of the Advisory Council for UAA’s Center for Community Engagement and Learning. A pillar in the Anchorage community, Darrel Hess has served as Anchorage’s first Homeless Coordinator and was a member of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission. He has served on the board of Identity, Inc. and is the recipient of the 2014 Alaska First Lady’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

Authors Christine and Dennis McClure discuss the building of the Alcan Highway by black soldiers as was described in Christine father’s love letters written during WWII. Joining the discussion is Jean Pollard, who started the Alaska Highway Project, and author, publisher and historian Lael Morgan We Fought the Road is the story of the construction of the Alaska-Canada Highway during World War II where more than one third of the 10,607 builders were black. The highway required punching through the wilderness on a route blocked by the Rocky Mountains and deadly permafrost during one of the worst winters on record. According to Christine McClure, We Fought The Road sets out to document the untold stories of the Alaska-Canada Highway, using her father’s story to lead readers into the larger issues involved with the creation of the Alaska-Canada Highway and the cruel racism embedded in its construction. 2017 year marks the 75-year anniversary of the completion of the Alcan Highway. A truly astonishing feat that deserves our undivided attention. We Fought The Road is published by Epicenter press.

The presentation slides for Sheila Kelly presents Treadwell Gold An Alaska Saga of Riches and Ruin can accompany the audio podcast, also posted in iTunes. Sheila Kelly has spent decades researching her family's history and the people of Treadwell for her book, Treadwell Gold, An Alaska Saga of Riches and Ruin. In the early 1900s, her father and two aunts were born and raised in Treadwell, Alaska, a hard rock gold mining town on Douglas Island across the Gastineau Channel from Juneau. Treadwell became the largest gold mining operation in the world--one that created much more wealth than the infamous Klondike Gold Rush. Then In 1917, catastrophe hit when the mines caved in, flooded, and closed. Today, one hundred years later, only remnants of buildings along the Treadwell Mine Historic Trail remain. Treadwell Gold, published by University of Alaska Press, includes numerous historical photos.

Author Sheila Kelly presents Treadwell Gold An Alaska Saga of Riches and Ruin. Sheila Kelly has spent decades researching her family's history and the people of Treadwell for her book, Treadwell Gold, An Alaska Saga of Riches and Ruin. In the early 1900s, her father and two aunts were born and raised in Treadwell, Alaska, a hard rock gold mining town on Douglas Island across the Gastineau Channel from Juneau. Treadwell became the largest gold mining operation in the world--one that created much more wealth than the infamous Klondike Gold Rush. Then In 1917, catastrophe hit when the mines caved in, flooded, and closed. Today, one hundred years later, only remnants of buildings along the Treadwell Mine Historic Trail remain. (Note, the presentation for this event is also posted in iTunes.) Treadwell Gold, published by University of Alaska Press, includes numerous historical photos. Everyone is encouraged to attend this event.

Alaska Commercial Company (ACC) is Alaska's largest and oldest rural retailer. Its roots trace back to 1776 when Catherine the Great granted trading rights to the Russian-American Trading Company. In 1867, when the United States bought Alaska from Russia, the new American corporation was formed out of the old and became the Alaska Commercial Company. The ACC’s role in Alaska and its mark on Alaska history will be the focus of this event. J. Pennelope Goforth is founder of SeaCat Explorations: Adventures in Alaska's Maritime History. She is author of Sailing the Mail in Alaska, The Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaite.

Property manager Tanya Wheeler, mortgage lender Chrysty Hudson, and real estate agent Douglass Bourne describe what students need to know about Alaska housing. Topics include renter/landlord rights, mortgage and credit ratings, the current housing market and the role of realtors. Doug Bourne is a realtor at Keller Williams Realty Alaska Group. Christy Hudson is Loan Manager at Residential Mortgage. Tanya Wheeler is Property Manager at Last Frontier.

Barrett Ristroph, Esq. is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii-Manoa on how Alaska Native Villages are adapting to climate change and how the law helps or hinders. Her work and interests have included the protection of subsistence and Alaska Native rights, environmental and natural resource law, community resilience, international human rights agreements, oil and gas development, and bridging between community knowledge and Western science. Note, the audio podcast for this event is also posted on iTunes. Barrett Ristroph has gained perspective from living and working in the Northern Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Arctic Alaska and Russia. She lives in Fairbanks, Alaska with her husband PJ Simon, a tribal leader, and their son.

Barrett Ristroph, Esq. is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii-Manoa on how Alaska Native Villages are adapting to climate change and how the law helps or hinders. Her work and interests have included the protection of subsistence and Alaska Native rights, environmental and natural resource law, community resilience, international human rights agreements, oil and gas development, and bridging between community knowledge and Western science. Note, the slideshow that accompanies the audio podcast for this event is also posted on iTunes. Barrett Ristroph has gained perspective from living and working in the Northern Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Arctic Alaska and Russia. She lives in Fairbanks, Alaska with her husband PJ Simon, a tribal leader, and their son.

Bob Poe teaches The Environment of Business and Strategic Management courses in the UAA Department of Business Administration and has done extensive research on ANCSA and aboriginal management models around the world. His numerous contributions to the state of Alaska include working with various administrations and in key positions under 4 former Governors, and being President and CEO of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation (AEDC). At this event, Bob Poe explains globalization in terms of the current political arena and the Alaska economy.

Michael Walleri is an attorney with over 35 years’ experience in Alaska Native/Indian law and policy, particularly with the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA). He has assisted over 17 Alaska tribes and corporations with retribalization of ANCSA lands and has extensive experience with other issues under the Indian Reorganization Act, including the first, and several subsequent, tribal government reorganizations under the IRA after ANCSA. As an attorney, Michael Walleri travels extensively to provide assistance and advocacy to Alaskan villages, Dená Nená Henash (aka Tanana Chiefs Conference) and lower 48 Indian tribes on corporate, municipal and tribal matters.  He has both a federal and state court practice and has appeared before the Alaska Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Poltical Scientist Clive Thomas looks at Alaska’s dealings with the outside world past, present and future and the extent to which these international interactions have and can be a panacea for Alaska’s economic woes. In addition, he explains that, while most of state’s global interactions have been conducted with an eye to economic benefit, some have been based on cultural, educational, among other non-economic motives. Clive Thomas taught political science at the University in Juneau for thirty years. He is a Senior Fellow at the Foley Institute of Politics at Washington State University and a Visiting Professor at the University of São Paulo in Brazil. His book, Alaska Political and Public Policy: The Dynamics of Beliefs, Institutions, Personalities and Power, was published by University of Alaska Press (2016).

What is changing in the Alaska movie scene? How are documentaries about Alaska and by Alaskans created, distributed and stored? Is there an Alaska style? Lael Morgan, Francine Lastufka Taylor, Carolyn Robinson, and David Holthouse discuss the Alaska film world. Lael Morgan is an accomplished author, teacher, journalist and publisher. She co-established Epicenter Press and is the author of 16 books. In addition to her many accomplishments and awards is the title Alaska Historian of the Year. Francine Lastufka Taylor created the Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association (AMIPA) in 1991. Today the collection, with over 17,000 items dating from the 1920's, serves as a public treasure chest of Alaska history and art. Francine’s numerous accomplishments include establishing the Alaska Native Arts Festival,1966-1972 and being a recipient of the Alaska Press Women’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Carolyn Robinson is owner of Sprocket Heads, LLC., Alaska’s only high-end production, production services and post company in Alaska. Among her numerous documentary projects is the award-winning film, Aleut Story, for which she secured public broadcasting distribution, cash, and in-kind contributions. Carolyn also produced the documentary Alaska’s Bush Pilots: On Location with Jared Leto, a nationally syndicated and internationally distributed documentary. David Holthouse is a notable Alaskan journalist and writer. He is working on a five-part documentary series on the Anchorage Police Department in the 1970’s and is a contributor to the Magnetic North: The Alaskan Character, a series of documentaries produced with the Alaska Humanities Forum.

Kathryn Ohle presents her research in early childhood education and her work with Unite for Literacy. Her project, to promote early literacy and language preservation, seeks to provide bilingual children's books in Alaska Native languages, online and in print, to families, children, and teachers. Kathryn Ohle is associate professor in Early Childhood Education, COE at UAA. She is the recipient of a Selkregg Award, a CCEL grant. Note: The audio podcast of this event is also posted in iTunes and can accompany the presentation.

Kathryn Ohle presents Unite for Literacy: Bringing Books in Cup’ik, Tlingit, and Inupiaq to Kids Everywhere Kathryn Ohle discusses her research in early childhood education and her work with Unite for Literacy. Her project, to promote early literacy and language preservation, seeks to provide bilingual children's books in Alaska Native languages, online and in print, to families, children, and teachers. Kathryn Ohle is associate professor in Early Childhood Education, COE at UAA. She is the recipient of a Selkregg Award, a CCEL grant. Note: the event presentation is also posted in iTunes and can accompany the audio podcast.

J. Pennelope Goforth discusses the history of the Port of Anchorage and her project to catalog, preserve and digitize Port of Anchorage historical documents. J. Pennelope Goforth is founder of SeaCat Explorations: Adventures in Alaska's Maritime History. She is author of Sailing the Mail in Alaska, The Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaite, and is currently writing a book about the Alaska Commercial Co. business ledgers and logbooks from several villages in the Aleutians that she discovered in Seattle. Note: The event presentation is also posted in iTunes and can accompany the audio podcast.

J. Pennelope Goforth discusses the history of the Port of Anchorage and her project to catalog, preserve and digitize Port of Anchorage historical documents. These presentation slides can be viewed along with the audiopodcast that is also posted in iTunes. J. Pennelope Goforth is founder of SeaCat Explorations: Adventures in Alaska's Maritime History. She is author of Sailing the Mail in Alaska, The Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaite, and is currently writing a book about the Alaska Commercial Co. business ledgers and logbooks from several villages in the Aleutians that she discovered in Seattle.

The book, More Than God Demands: Politics and Influence of Christian Missions in Northwest Alaska, 1897–1918 has recently been published by University of Alaska Press. Historical research and family stories magnify the importance of Alaska Native history and culture at this unique event. Book Description: Near the turn of the twentieth century, the territorial government of Alaska put its support behind a project led by Christian missionaries to convert Alaska Native peoples—and, along the way, bring them into “civilized” American citizenship. Establishing missions in a number of areas inhabited by Alaska Natives, the program was an explicit attempt to erase ten thousand years of Native culture and replace it with Christianity and an American frontier ethic. Anthony Urvina, whose mother was an orphan raised at one of the missions established as part of this program, draws on details from her life in order to present the first full history of this missionary effort. Smoothly combining personal and regional history, he tells the story of his mother’s experience amid a fascinating account of Alaska Native life and of the men and women who came to Alaska to spread the word of Christ, confident in their belief and unable to see the power of the ancient traditions they aimed to supplant. Anthony Urvina has lived in Alaska for more than thirty years and worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Sally Urvina is a retired nurse practitioner who has worked in Alaska for thirty years.

The Alaska Commercial Company was the only government-sanctioned business in Alaska to engage in extensive sea otter hunting operations in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands after the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. Purely by chance, J. Pennelope Goforth found six ACC ledgers, dated from 1875-1897, in a Nordstrom shopping bag in a basement in Washington state. These ledgers detail the daily life and purchases of the Aleutian people. They are a real treasure find since many ACC records were -destroyed in the San Francisco earthquake. (Note, an earlier presentation was given 2015. Both have valuable information.) J. Pennelope Goforth is author of the acclaimed book, Sailing the Mail in Alaska, The Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaite. And she is the founder of SeaCat Explorations: Adventures in Alaska's Maritime History.

This is J. Pennelope Goforth's presentation concerning the Lost Aleutian Ledgers of the Alaska Commercial Co, 1875-1897. After the United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867, the Alaska Commercial Company, the only government-sanctioned business in Alaska, engaged in extensive sea otter hunting operations in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. Unfortunately, most ACC records for the Aleutian Islands were believed lost or destroyed. Then, purely by chance, J. Pennelope Goforth found six ACC ledgers in a Nordstrom shopping bag in a basement in Washington state. The ACC business records, from 1875-1897, detail the daily life of the Aleutian people and is a true treasure find. J. Pennelope Goforth is author of the book, Sailing the Mail in Alaska, The Maritime Years of Alaska Photographer John E. Thwaite. And she is the founder of SeaCat Explorations: Adventures in Alaska's Maritime History.

The book, Steaming to the North follows the Bear from May to October 1886 as it takes its first summer cruise from San Francisco up to Point Barrow and back again. This is the first book to exhibit the photographs taken by 3rd Lt. Charles Kennedy of New Bedford, introducing rarely seen photos of the last sail-and-steam whaling ships, capturing early interactions of Natives with white whalemen and explorers, and showing lives otherwise lost to time. Katherine Donahue is professor of Anthropology at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. Steaming to the North is published by University of Alaska Press.

This is Peter Metcalfe and Kathy Kolkhorst Ruddy's presentation about their book, A Dangerous Idea: The Alaska Native Brotherhood and the Struggle for Indigenous Rights Throughout the early twentieth century, the Alaska Native Brotherhood fought for citizenship, voting rights, and education for all Alaska Natives, securing unheard-of victories in a contentious time. A Dangerous Idea tells an overlooked but powerful story of Alaska Natives fighting for their rights under American law which propelled the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, one of the biggest claim settlements in United States history. Peter Metcalfe is the author of several books documenting the history of Alaska Native tribal organizations, most recently Gumboot Determination. Kathy Kolkhorst Ruddy is a long time, distinguished attorney in Alaska.

Throughout the early twentieth century, the Alaska Native Brotherhood fought for citizenship, voting rights, and education for all Alaska Natives, securing unheard-of victories in a contentious time.The book, A Dangerous Idea, tells an overlooked but powerful story of Alaska Natives fighting for their rights under American law which propelled the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, one of the biggest claim settlements in United States history. Peter Metcalfe is the author of several books documenting the history of Alaska Native tribal organizations, most recently Gumboot Determination. Kathy Kolkhorst Ruddy is a long term, distinguished attorney in Alaska.

Journalist Mark Trahant is a member of Idaho’s Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and former president of the Native American Journalists Association. He is author of the book The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars and was a major contributor to the Frontline series “The Silence”. The 2014 Violence Against Women Act, its implementation and challenges for Native Americans will be discussed. (Note: sound level during video portion may have to be increased to hear better.)

The complex nature of Alaska's political landscape is the subject of this event which focuses on mapping Alaska's voting districts. Federal and state judicial proceedings, changing Alaska demographics and the voting rights act are analyzed.

Debbie Cropper came to running later in life and has recently completed marathons in all 50 states. Her day job is working as a teacher for special needs elementary school children. And Marko Cheseto, a UAA international student, is an acclaimed cross country runner who was named West Region Male Athlete of the Year in 2009 and 2010. After overcoming much personal sadness, he has learned to run with prosthetic devices and has become an advocate for people suffering from mental illnesses.

Information concerning what people should know about working for small businesses--their obligations and those of their employers, plus rules governing Workers' Compensation are topics addressed. Panelists include Grant Larsen, Anchorage business adviser for Alaska Small Business Development Center; Kristin Knudsen, lawyer and faculty member with the UAA Justice Center; Jeremy Applegate, investigator for the State of Alaska Wage and Hour Administration; and Michael Monagle, director of the Division of Workers' Compensation.

Dr. Amy L. Lovecraft (Political Science/UAF) edited the book "North by 2020" which covers the scholarship of over 90 authors from different academic disciplines. Joining her are Dr. Sharman Haley (ISER/UAA) whose subject is coastal and off shore oil & gas development and Dr. Andrew Kliskey (ENRI/UAA) whose subject is fresh water in Alaska’s communities. (The book, "North by 2020" also includes chapters on science of modeling change, indigenous contributions to sustainability, freshwater management, Arctic coastal margins, marine living systems and infrastructure, oil and gas development, the arts and planning for the future)

Anchorage has become home to many immigrant groups and has more recently become home to refugees resettled from countries in Africa and Asia. What is the distinction between refugees and immigrants? Why and how do people migrate from around the globe? And what do they face when they come to a new land with a new language and new customs? A panel of experts from UAA and the larger Anchorage community discuss these questions and the inherent tensions and contributions of "One community, many cultures."

An international UAA student from Russia discusses how Alaska left Russia to become a part of the United States. How Alaskan history is taught in Russia is also addressed.

Greg Kimura and other contributors to the book, "Alaska at 50", come together to discuss numerous aspects to Alaska-- art, culture, economy, politics; and environment and ponder the question, What will we look like in the future?

This event, moderated by former Lieutenant Governor Fran Ulmer, brings candidates together for an open discussion about their views. Sean Parnell (Republican Party), Ethan Berkowitz (Democratic Party), and Fay Von Gemmingen (Libertarian Party) discuss the role of the Lieutenant Governor in Alaska and answer questions. This informal event offers a close up look at the candidates and their connections to Alaska.