Rachel Reilly
If only high school teachers who feel discouraged about how much they really impact students could meet people like Heather Kangas, the health aide in Ruby. Her path to becoming a first responder to her community began with her high school teacher encouraging her to take a college level anatomy and physiology class. Learning about the miracles of how the …
By Niisha Walsh On July 26th-27th, young people from all regions of Alaska who are in Tribal or State custody came together for the first Youth Gathering hosted by Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Tribal Social Services. Youth ages 10 and older had the opportunity to learn new skills and make new connections during the day-and-a-half event. Guest speaker, Johon Echo …
Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) has long stood in solidarity with United States and Canadian boarding school survivors in acknowledging September 30th as a Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In 2023, we remain firmly supportive of honoring the lost children who suffered and disappeared in boarding schools in both countries. Each year we invite you to wear orange on September 30th …
To submit your photos, go to https://www.tananachiefs.org/2024-tcc-calendar-submissions The deadline to submit your photos is October 13th at 5pm. We can’t wait to see and share your favorite photos!
Tanana Chiefs Conference and the University of Alaska Fairbanks successfully co-hosted the 39th Annual Tribal Court Conference from August 1st to 4th, 2023. The conference planning committee also included tribal partners from Alaska Native Justice Center and Alaska Native Women Resource Center. The conference, centered on the theme ‘Balance Today for Safe Communities Tomorrow: How can our tribal justice systems …
Because of the current salmon crisis, the discussion of hatcheries for the Yukon River keeps coming up without examination of the biological and practical considerations. This would include environmental impact statements and cost-benefit analyses, both of which are likely to tell us that a Chinook or chum hatchery on the Yukon River that would not provide a harvestable surplus.
In June, Tanana Chiefs Conference leadership attended the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Mid-Year Convention in Prior Lake, Minnesota. During the meeting, TCC submitted a resolution titles ‘Improvements to Grid Resilience Grants for Tribal Nations’ which asks NCAI to call on the US Department of Energy to administer the 40101d program in a way that recognizes the sovereign rights …
In May, Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley, Vice-President Sharon Hildebrand and TCC staff joined the Defend the Brooks Range Coalition’s recent “fly in” to Washington, DC. The trip is part of the ongoing advocacy efforts to oppose the construction of the Ambler Road. The Coalition is headed by the National Parks Conservation Association, and other partners include tribal members from Ambler, Kobuk …
On May 23rd 2023, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) leadership gathered at Effie Kokrine Charter School with tribal communities and local stakeholders in TCC’s first ever Food Security Summit, which resulted from the request of TCC’s Full Board of Directors per resolution 2022-11. The goal of the summit is to work towards identifying and improving access to healthy foods in rural …
Esther O’Brien is an advocate for self-improvement and is a supporter of secondary education. Esther was raised in Nenana with her eight siblings. She is the daughter of the late Matt O’Brien Jr. and Lily O’Brien (Swenning) Her great grandparents are the late Salvin Adams and the late Charlotte Adams (Cruikshank) of Beaver. Her maternal grandparents are the late Paul …