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- May 2017 -
TRIBAL UPDATE
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News in this Edition...
- Tlingit & Haida Donates $5,000 to Help Rebuild Juneau Playground
- Alaska Regional Coalition Representatives Provide Testimony in Support of
Income Tax Proposal
- Thank You to Alaska Lawmakers for Standing Up for Alaska Native Women
- 2016 Annual Report Published Online
- Help Us Celebrate Our High School and Higher Education Graduates
- Foster Care Recruitment
- Land into Trust Open House
- 33rd Annual Only Fools Run at Midnight Event
- 5th Annual Fatherhood Day Community Picnic
- Reentry Support Group Weekly Meetings
- Summer Walking Challenge Registration Kickoff
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Tlingit & Haida Donates $5,000 to Help Rebuild Juneau Playground
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On May 18, 2017, Tlingit & Haida’s Executive Council voted to donate $5,000 toward the rebuild effort for the Twin Lakes Park’s Project Playground in Juneau, Alaska which was destroyed by fire on April 24, 2017.
Although the
Juneau Community Foundation
has already reached its goal of $100,000 to cover the insurance deductible, preliminary estimates indicate that the project will need to raise approximately $250,000 to consider expansion or upgrades to the playground. The City & Borough of Juneau’s insurance policy is expected to cover well over $1 million for the rebuild.
If you would like to make a donation, please visit the Juneau Community Foundation's
website
.
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Alaska Regional Coalition Representatives Provide Testimony in Support of Income Tax Proposal
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On May 2, 2017, Tlingit & Haida’s Government Affairs Liaison Grace Singh and Tanana Chiefs Conference’s General Counsel Natasha Singh provided testimony to the Alaska State Legislature’s House Finance Committee on behalf of the Alaska Regional Coalition (ARC) to support a complete fiscal plan to address Alaska’s $3.5 billion dollar budget gap. The ARC is made up of Tlingit & Haida and four regional non-profits – Chugachmiut, Kawerak Inc., Maniilaq Association and Tanana Chiefs Conference. Together, the ARC brings in approximately $250 billion in federal funding to provide essential services to 100 tribal communities throughout the State and has advocated for a complete fiscal plan including an Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) restructure, the elimination of oil tax subsidies and a progressive broad-based tax solution.
The restructure of the PFD is necessary to preserve the fund for future generations if it is used to address the majority of the State’s budget deficit. However, the PFD restructure and further budget cuts to essential program services disproportionately impact low-income and rural residents and doesn’t fully address the budget shortfall. While the legislature is willing to take these regressive measures to balance the budget, they also pay large oil companies millions of dollars of subsidies a year.
As the PFD restructure and budget cuts are both regressive policies that disproportionately burden low-income and rural residents, the ARC advocates for a progressive income tax policy over a regressive sales tax. Recent analysis has shown that a regressive sales tax would take a far greater percentage of household income from low-income families (about 7.2 percent) versus the top incomes in Alaska (about 0.4 percent).
“More than anything, Tlingit & Haida opposes any State of Alaska deficit solution that would disproportionately impact the most vulnerable of Alaska’s citizens and burden rural Alaska residents and communities,” said President Richard Peterson. “The Executive Council passed resolution (EC 17-10) earlier this year that speaks directly to this.”
This year, the Alaska State Legislature has failed to pass any budget solution including the elimination of oil subsidies, broad based tax or a PFD restructure.
“I would like to ask you to consider what’s at stake here if the State cuts funds to these programs or selects a fiscal plan that relies on multiple years of continued cuts without a complete plan in place to preserve these essential services,” said Grace Singh during her testimony.
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Thank You to Alaska Lawmakers for Standing Up for Alaska Native Women
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Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa
to the 25 Alaska lawmakers, especially Representative Ivy Spohnholz (D-Anchorage),who voted in support of censuring Representative David Eastman for his racially-charged and misogynistic comments that suggest women from rural Alaska "try to get pregnant so they can have an abortion, because there’s a free trip to Anchorage involved." Although censuring is nothing more than a public rebuke of Representative Eastman’s statements, it was an important statement to make.
“The time for tolerating and allowing racism and sexism to continue in our state is past…If we don’t do something, that is tacit approval,” said Representative Spohnholz who made the motion to censure.
“Facts matter. As a lawmaker and a public servant, it is inexcusable for Representative Eastman to have made these comments,” said President Richard Peterson. “Alaska Native women account for less than 20 percent of the State’s population, but make up nearly half its reported rape victims. Rape in Alaska is also two and a half times higher than any other state. When you understand that Alaska Native women already experience a disproportionately higher rate of domestic violence and sexual assault than any other group in the nation, I consider these comments by Representative Eastman to be a direct insult to Alaska Native women…period.”
Tlingit & Haida issued a press release supporting the censuring of Representative Eastman just a day prior to the Alaska House of Representatives vote. To read the full press release,
click here.
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ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES
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2016 Annual Report Published Online
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Tlingit & Haida’s 2016 Annual Report is now available online! The annual report features a President’s message, listing of Executive Council and Delegates, reports from the Tribe’s departments that include 2016 highlights and 2017 goals, and statistics on programs and services by community. In the spirit of Tlingit & Haida’s mission, we are proud of the services we provide and are honored to serve our tribal citizens! To read Tlingit & Haida’s annual report, click here.
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Help Us Celebrate Our High School and Higher Education Graduates
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Please help us celebrate the accomplishments of our tribal citizens who have graduated from high school or with a higher education degree this year by sharing a photo! Photos with student information will be posted in an album on Tlingit & Haida’s Facebook page. Let’s
show our graduates how proud we are of their accomplishments and give them the recognition they deserve!
- Name of Student
- Name of College
- Degree/Field of Study
- Name of Student
- Name of High School
- Goals for the Future
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In recognition of May as Foster Care Appreciation month, Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa to all those who provide safe, stable, and loving homes to our tribal children!
Through a Title IV-E maintenance agreement with the State of Alaska, Tlingit & Haida is actively recruiting for more culturally-appropriate foster care homes and offers tribal foster care licensing services. Please consider opening your heart and providing a safe and loving place for our tribal children.
For more information on how to become a foster parent, please contact Lexy Lindoff at 800.344.1432 ext. 7167 or
llindoff@ccthita-nsn.gov.
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Land into Trust Open House
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Date:
May 31, 2017
Time: 5 - 6 PM (Doors Open @ 4:30 PM)
Location:
Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall (320 West Willoughby Avenue - Juneau, AK)
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is currently in the review process of Tlingit & Haida’s land into trust applications and has extended the public comment period to June 5th. Please join us for an open house to learn about Tlingit & Haida’s land into trust applications and what Indian trust land is. The open house will also include a Q&A period and an opportunity for public comment. Light snacks and refreshments will be served.
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33rd Annual Only Fools Run at Midnight Event
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Pre-Registration Dates: June 12-22, 2017
Locations:
Juneau Alaska Club locations, Pavitt's Health and Fitness, Nugget Alaskan Outfitter, Hearthside Books and Tlingit & Haida's Vocational Training & Resource Center
Tlingit & Haida is excited to host this year's Only Fools Run at Midnight event in Juneau! The 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk/Wheelchair race will be held June 24, 2017 and will help raise funds for the Alumni Scholarship program.
Pre-registration ($20) will begin June 12th and ends at 5 PM on June 22nd. The first 300 registrants will receive a limited edition Only Fools Run t-shirt. Awards will be given for best costumes, wildest centipedes (five registered people or more connected) and top finishers.
For more info, please contact Flossie Davenport at 907.463.7133 or fdavenport@ccthita-nsn.gov.
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5th Annual Fatherhood Day Community Picnic
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Date
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June 17, 2017
Time:
10 AM - 3 PM
Location: Sandy Beach Shelter # 1
Tlingit & Haida’s Fatherhood Is Sacred® (FIS) program invites all fathers to attend a community picnic in Juneau, AK to celebrate the 5th Annual National Native American Responsible Fatherhood Day. Please join us for a day of fun in support of fathers and strengthening families
and communities!
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Reentry Support Group Weekly Meetings
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Dates: Every Thursday
Time:
7 - 8 PM
Location: Second Chance Office - Third Office (320 W. Willoughby Ave. - Juneau, AK)
Tlingit & Haida's Second Chance program is pleased to facilitate a new weekly Reentry Support Group held every Thursday at 7 PM at the Andrew Hope Building. The peer-led group will discuss practical solutions to reentry challenges for those who have been recently released from incarceration and promote community resources in an effort to reduce recidivism.
For more info, please contact Talia Eames at 907.463.7365 or
teames@ccthita-nsn.gov.
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Summer Walking Challenge Registration Kickoff
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Date: June 22, 2017
Time:
11 AM - 2 PM
Location:
Vocational Training & Resource Center (3239 Hospital Drive - Juneau, AK)
Tlingit & Haida is pleased to host this year’s Summer Walking Challenge “Kúx dei yaan tootéen haa kusteeyí“ (Bringing Back the Strength of Our People). This Juneau event encourages tribal citizens 18 years of age and older to get outside and get active. Join us in promoting healthy lifestyles!
Thank you to our Tribal Family & Youth Services department for sponsoring this annual event! For more info, please contact Laura Cooper at
lcooper@ccthita-nsn.gov
or 907.463.7396.
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Our Mission
“Preserving our sovereignty, enhancing our economic and cultural resources, and promoting self-sufficiency and self-governance for our citizens through collaboration, service, and advocacy.”
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