香港六合彩资料

 November is National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month. All month long, 香港六合彩资料 celebrates the rich and diverse heritage of Alaska Native and Native American people through events both online and in person.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to learn about the people that were here first and that we are, and still are, stewards of the land,鈥� said Michele Yatchmeneff, executive director of Alaska Native education and outreach. 鈥淚t's also important to focus on groups of people who are typically under-represented in all of their histories, from the time they're a little kid to adulthood. Often underrepresented people are sidebars of history, meaning you just end up hearing about little things. To me, that's not fulfilling what鈥檚 needed to understand our history.鈥�

Yatchmeneff, who is of Unangax虃 descent, said that despite the uncomfortable reality of our country's long and abhorrent treatment of Indigenous people, it is essential to include all the facts so our nation and state can grow, heal and learn from our past.

鈥淲hen we talk about some of the things that happened, I think people believe that we've gotten past it, and that's not the case. Our people still experience the trauma that has been handed down through our grandparents and our parents,鈥� Yatchmeneff said. 鈥淚t's not in the past 鈥� it happened in the past 鈥� but it still affects us today.鈥�

For Yatchmeneff, this sharing includes her own people鈥檚 history, including the enslavement of Alaska Natives during the Russian fur trade. From the late 1700s to mid-1800s, Russian fur traders hunted seals for their thick fur coats in the Pacific Northwest up into Alaska鈥檚 Inside Passage. Russian merchants exploited Indigenous hunters and their communities, forcing them to harvest fur pelts to appease the demand of the European and Chinese aristocracy. 

鈥淚 actually have a Russian last name because of slavery and the Russians coming in and taking our people to be hunters for them to get seal fur,鈥� Yatchmeneff said. 鈥淭his shouldn鈥檛 just be my history, but history for everyone to learn about and understand.鈥�

She said it is challenging but necessary to have open dialogues when confronting uncomfortable facts in history, which is why institutions like 香港六合彩资料 are crucial in creating a bridge so that not only students, faculty and staff can learn and grow, but communities as well.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that faculty, students and staff hear from our students on what it鈥檚 like to be Alaska Native on our campus,鈥� she said. 鈥淗olding events not only helps us celebrate and share but also process some of the histories that have happened. These conversations remind us that we all have a part to play if we want to try and move forward.鈥� 

Jennifer Booz, chief diversity officer, reiterated Yatchmeneff鈥檚 statements and said that one of the most significant ways to start a dialogue is through sharing and storytelling.

鈥淭he way that we change people鈥檚 perceptions by changing people鈥檚 hearts and minds is by storytelling 鈥� sharing our stories and our humanity together 鈥� and listening to people鈥檚 experiences,鈥� said Booz. 鈥淲e all need to celebrate our diverse backgrounds; we need to raise our education levels and awareness of the situation of all the peoples in our organization and our state. We've made that commitment, and this is one of the ways that we follow through with that.鈥�

Yatchmeneff said that she is happy that 香港六合彩资料 has committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for all historically marginalized groups. The university is raising its efforts to improve the educational experience of Alaska Native students, faculty and staff on campus. Part of that continued effort includes Yatchmeneff鈥檚 appointment as executive director of Alaska Native education and outreach at 香港六合彩资料. Additionally, her recent submission with the 香港六合彩资料 Action Team of the Alaska Native Success Initiative to the University of Alaska system is a strategic plan to increase recruitment, retention and sense of belonging for Alaska Native students, faculty and staff at 香港六合彩资料.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to create space to have dialogue,鈥� said Yatchmeneff. 鈥淗olding activities or events where you can talk and celebrate. Opening up the conversation, so it鈥檚 not just one way, where it鈥檚 more of a dialogue. It takes all of us to get there, not just the Alaska Native or Indigenous people 鈥� it鈥檚 really about all of us.鈥�