Happy Holidays
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HappyFrom Holidays Tanana Chiefs Conference Dena’ Nena’ Henash - - Our Land Speaks Vol. 38, No. 11 A Report to the Member Tribes of the Tanana Chiefs Conference December 2014 Rise2014 As AFN One Annual Convention Jerry Isaac of Tanacross was elected as AFN Co-Chair. This year’s 2014 Alaska Federation alongside Alaska State Troopers Native Subsistence Rights. of Natives Annual Convention kicked and Village Public Safety Officers Former TCC President Jerry Isaac off in Anchorage on October 23rd to talk about domestic violence and of Tanacross was elected as the new with the theme ‘Rise as One’, which substance abuse in the villages, and Co-Chair for AFN after running against promoted unity throughout the Native to honor the lives of Trooper Gabe former co-chair Tara Sweeney. Community. A large focus was placed Rich and Sergeant Scott Johnson Several TCC Tribal Members were on the General Elections, which took who were killed earlier in the year in honored with President’s Awards; place in November, with the statewide Tanana. Gerald Patsy received the Roger Get Out the Native Vote campaign An ‘I am Alaska Native: Hunt, Fish, Lang Youth Leadership Award, encouraging Alaska Natives to rise Share, VOTE!’ Rally was held at the Benno Henry Cleveland the Gin’tith as one to increase the presence of Delaney Parkstrip with around 300 (Richard Frank) Military Award, the native vote. The statewide efforts people in attendance. Candidates and Darrell Hildebrand the Glenn seemed to increase voter turnout in such as Bill Walker, Byron Mallott and Godfrey Law Enforcement Award. some rural communities (see page 2). Mark Begich were also in attendance During the convention the Tanana to show their support. The rally is held See photos from the convention 4-H group presented to the attendees every year to show support for Alaska on Pages 6 and 7. Full Board of Directors approve 2015-2020 TCC Strategic Plan In November, Tanana Chiefs Conference to the plan in order to ensure called a special 3-day long Full Board of TCC remained in alignment with Directors meeting in Fairbanks, where the priorities of its member tribes. the board approved TCC’s 2015-2020 The plan calls for increasing Strategic Plan. The plan includes ten TCC’s revenues by 30% to $200 over-arching goals designed to help reach million and growing from 825 TCC’s vision of Healthy, Strong, Unified to 1000 employees by the year Tribes. 2020. The plans highest priorities During the meeting TCC Administration, include substantially expanding Tribal Client Services and Health Services medical care and public safety presented their five year objectives to services, a new emphasis on wellness economic development, and increasing tribal delegates, who had the opportunity and prevention, oversight of fish and employment in the villages. to contribute their own recommendations game management, ensuring responsible Photos on Page 4 Village Job TCC Leadership AFN Convention How to get In This Opportunities Advocate in D.C. Photos Rid of Lice Issue: Page 3 Page 4 Page 7 Page 10 Mission Statement Tanana Chiefs Conference provides a President’s Report unified voice in advancing sovereign tribal Victor Joseph, President/Chairman governments through the promotion of Dear Tribes and Tribal Members, physical and mental wellness, education, I would like to thank you to all those who took to the polls socioeconomic development, and culture this November to vote in the General Election. Voter turnout of the Interior Alaska Native people. in many of our villages was above average, which means that our strength in numbers is growing. While the national voter turnout was dismal, with only 36.6% of eligible voters turning up at the polls, Alaska ranked as the state with Vision second-highest voter turnout at 55%. Nine villages in the TCC Region had a higher percentage of voter turnout than Healthy, Strong, Unified Tribes the State (as seen below), while all but five communities ranked higher than the national average. It is important that we let our elected officials know that we have a voice, that our opinion matters, that we are paying attention and educated about the issues at hand. Congratulations to Jerry Isaac on being elected as the new Alaska Federation of Natives Co-Chair at this year’s AFN Convention in October. In addition to this, Jerry serves as the Alaska Area Vice-President for the National Congress of American Indians. This provides Alaska Tribes with a unique opportunity that increases our ability to bring statewide tribal priorities to the national level more effectively. This is another demonstration of Jerry’s continued leadership, advocacy and work on behalf of our tribes. ¬ During AFN, three of our tribal members were honored with President’s Awards. Special TCC Executive congratulations to Gerald Patsy, Benno Henry Cleveland and Darrell Hildebrand. Board Members As you can see on the front of this newsletter, TCC held a Special Full Board of Directors Meeting to review and revise the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. It was gratifying to see that Donald Honea Sr./Ruby the plan closely corresponded with the direction that the tribes wanted our organization to 1st Traditional Chief go in. The Full Board of Directors approved the ten goals identified in the plan, approved the objectives presented by Administration, Health Services, and Tribal Client Services Trimble Gilbert/Arctic Village and directed the Executive Board to present the strategic plan at TCC’s 2015 Convention 2nd Traditional Chief in March, where recommendations for additional objectives from convention delegates may be incorporated. It is important to note that this plan is a living document, meaning we can always revise it to stay in alignment with our tribes. Victor Joseph/ Tanana Thank you to all those who participated in the meeting and contributed their TCC President recommendations to the plan. I would also like to recognize the facilitators; Sonta Hamilton-Roach, Jessica Black, Charlene Stern, Tonya Garnett and Princess Johnson Julie Roberts-Hyslop/Tanana who did a great job making sure the meeting ran smoothly. I would also like to acknowledge Paul Sherry for assisting us in the development of the strategic plan. Vice President Shortly following the strategic planning meeting, PJ Simon and I travelled to Washington, D.C. to advocate on our tribes behalf. During this time, we advocated on several important Pat McCarty/Ruby tribal priorities including passage of Senate Bills s.919: Department of the Interior Tribal Secretary/Treasurer Self Governance Act of 2014, s.1474: Alaska Safe Families and Villages Act, and s.1574 Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Consolidation Act. (See page 4 for a full list of tribal priorities brought forth during our meetings). A special thank you to PJ for Donald Adams/Tetlin coming with me on this trip as we had many important issues to bring to the table. Upper Tanana For years TCC has been seeking an independent review of the Fairbanks Four Case and after reaching out to the Department of Justice (DOJ), I received a letter from DOJ’s Nick Alexia Sr./Nikolai Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. In her letter she states that DOJ will Upper Kuskokwim be monitoring the State’s investigation and that appropriate action will be taken if the investigation and court proceedings indicate prosecutable violations of the federal criminal civil rights statutes. An article providing more details and updates on this case Nancy James/Fort Yukon will be featured in our next issue of The Council. Yukon Flats I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas! I hope that you have a healthy and safe holiday season. I will see you next year! Eugene Paul/Holy Cross Ana Bassee’, Lower Yukon Victor Joseph President of Tanana Chiefs Conference Pollock “PJ” Simon, Jr./Allakaket Yukon Tanana TCC Village Voter Turnout Leo Lolnitz/Koyukuk The 2014 Get Out the Native Vote campaign proved to be successful with many Native Communities seeing increase voter turnout. Below are the villages in the TCC Region who Yukon Koyukuk saw the highest percentage of voter turnout in the General Election. Hughes - 75% Kaltag - 60.80% Shageluk 56.25% Peter Demoski/Nulato Elder Advisor Nikolai - 66.22% Koyukuk - 60.56% Grayling 54.39% Anvik - 66.07% Huslia - 60.12% Holy Cross 53.68% Gerald Patsy/Nulato Allakaket - 65.73% Galena 56.87% Tetlin 53.25% Youth Advisor Information collected from elections.alaska.gov 2 Tanana Chiefs Conference • The Council Newsletter Meet TCC’s New Rural Recruiter Donetta Tritt Village Job My name is much paperwork is required to hire Donetta Tritt someone. The Human Resources Opportunities and I have Department has made the decision to been working at have someone who will work with the Administrative Assistant Tanana Chiefs different villages to speed the hiring • Anaktuvuk Pass Conference process and to work on employing more as a Human people within our villages. Behavioral Health Aide Resources Technician since February As the new Rural Recruiter I look • Anaktuvuk Pass • Circle 2013. I recently moved into the newly forward to traveling to the villages • Dot Lake created position of Rural Recruiter. and meeting the Tribal Administrators, I’m from Arctic Village and I’m the Council members and the village Billing Technician: granddaughter of Allen Tritt of Venetie residents to help in TCC’s hiring • Galena and the late Margaret Tritt of Christian process. I will also be available to help • Tok Village. I am a part-time student at UAF. fill out paperwork and write resumes. I’ve spent the last year and a half I look forward to this new opportunity Community Health Aide/ walking new hires through our new hire and am excited to help those seeking Practitioner and background process, so I know employment with TCC.