Dear Tribes and Tribal Members,
I hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying the summer, spending quality time with your families, and staying safe.
Last month, we held our quarterly Executive Board of Directors Meeting here in Fairbanks. During the meeting, the board approved a new $50,000 annual donation to Denakkanaaga, Inc. This donation is in addition to TCC’s sponsorship of the Annual Denakkanaaga Elders and Youth Conference, as well as donations to the host Tribe each year. TCC remains committed to supporting and uplifting our Elders and their voices, and we hope that these donations assist Denakkanaaga in their efforts. Additionally, the Executive Board approved supporting Tanana as they proceed with the construction of a new clinic for their village.
During the Executive Board meeting, former Fairbanks Native Association (FNA) Executive Director Steve Ginnis gave his final report to the Board before his retirement and introduced his successor, Melissa Charlie of Minto. TCC would like to congratulate Melissa in her new role and we look forward to working with her in the future.
At the beginning of June, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) hosted its Mid-Year Convention in Cherokee, North Carolina. As the recently elected NCAI Alaska Area Vice-President, it was my first time chairing the Alaska Caucus. I am grateful to those who were able to attend and am committed to providing transparency to all NCAI member Tribes in Alaska through monthly email updates. Notes from our Mid-Year Caucus will be sent out to the mailing list. This year’s convention was unable to meet quorum, so all emergency resolutions were deferred to the Executive Council. The NCAI Annual Convention plans to take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand at the end of October. Once registration opens, we are encouraging all Tribes to send a delegate as it is important to meet quorum in order to conduct business. TCC is offering to pay for the membership dues of Interior Tribes to attend. Please work with your Self-Governance Coordinator at TCC on delegate resolutions needed for NCAI membership payments.
I would like to remind everyone that the TCC Executive Board approved an annual donation of $10,000 to each Interior Tribe to support a culture camp in their community. If your Tribe is planning to host a camp and needs support, please reach out to your Self-Governance Coordinator at TCC.
Thank you for your continued dedication and efforts in strengthening our communities. Together, we are making significant strides toward a brighter future for all our Tribes.
Mahsi’ Choo,
Chief Brian Ridley