Dear Tribes and Tribal Members,
As we head into the holiday season, I hope that you are all able to spend quality time surrounded by friends and family.
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Annual Convention is scheduled to take place in New Orleans from November 12th to 17th. Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) encourages all Tribes who are able to attend to do so, as this convention will have several important elections.
One of the central focuses of this year’s NCAI Annual Convention is the election of key leadership positions within NCAI. I am pleased to inform you that, as many of you may be aware if you attended the Alaska Tribal Unity Gathering in Anchorage last month, I have declared my candidacy for the position of NCAI Alaska Area Vice-President. This decision was not taken lightly and has been the result of careful consideration. If elected as Alaska Area VP, I promise transparency in everything I do and will provide regular reports to our tribal delegates so that you are informed about the work being done at the national level on your behalf. Furthermore, I will make it a priority to gather and consider everyone’s opinions on issues – I am not there to bring my personal opinion to the table. Instead – I promise to be representative of our State as a whole and provide comments that represent our collective voices.
In October, the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) held a meeting in Anchorage where I had the opportunity to testify. During my testimony, I emphasized the immediate need for regulatory action to reduce Western Alaska chum and chinook bycatch/prohibited species catch. Unfortunately, the Council has been moving at a slow pace to implement meaningful action on these critical issues. The next NPFMC meeting is scheduled for December, and I strongly encourage all subsistence fishers to attend and provide their testimony. Learn more here.
Additionally, NPFMC will be appointing an individual to the Alaska Native Tribal Advisory Panel Seat. TCC has already sent a letter of support for Eva Burke of Nenana, who is running for this important seat. We urge others to join us in sending letters of support to ensure an indigenous voice is represented on the Council.
As many of you are aware, our Special Convention took place earlier this month in Fairbanks. I hope that you were able to join us for this significant gathering, as it provided a platform to discuss and address the pressing issues and opportunities within our tribal communities. Our Tribes identified the topics being presented on during the meeting as a top priority. More information on this will be provided in our December newsletter.
In conclusion, the NCAI Annual Convention and the upcoming NPFMC meeting present important opportunities to make our voices heard and to work towards a better future for our Tribes. I encourage all of you to participate in these events, and I am committed to representing our interests. Together, we can continue to strengthen our communities and advocate for the well-being of our people. As always, TCC will continue to work towards our vision of Healthy, Strong, Unified Tribes.
Mahsi’ Choo,
Brian Ridley, Chief/Chairman
Tanana Chiefs Conference