I strongly support development of Donlin Gold. I am 83 years old, from the village of Tununak, a Viet Nam veteran, UAF graduate, well known singer/songwriter, Calista shareholder and former board member. Today I cannot deny the young their right to work when, or if, they can find jobs. It may not be an opportunity that will come again.
To oppose Donlin Gold is like saying “no” to your own child to grow, have a job and deny their right to live a productive life. Donlin Gold will bring many opportunities to the poorest region of Alaska for decades to come.
Skills and training for our young people will last long into the future and long after Donlin. Independence through education for jobs will be established for future generations, regardless of what projects are developed.
There is limited salmon in the Kuskokwim River that supported villages with food and jobs long ago. Donlin Gold will create positive lives, bringing jobs to the Yukon-Kuskokwim region, and make us full partners with all of Alaska.
Some of the job applicants will come from the very villages that oppose Donlin Gold, defying their own opposing leaders. Most will be young, preferring real jobs that will put food on the table and provide funds for other necessities.
The old days are memories of a life that no longer exists. We must realize the needs we have today. Change is inevitable. Subsistence foods are important to our culture. We cannot live by original traditions anymore. Kayaks are no longer used to reach local food. We use modern boats with motors that require oil and gas. Bartering is rarely used and cash is necessary to get what we want and need. How will our people survive without jobs? If Donlin is not productive, how will our children and their children thrive?
John Angaiak
Homer, AK
Quyana for your generous donations
On behalf of the the Asa’carsarmiut Tribal Council Office on Violence Against Women Program, we would like to thank the following organizations for monetary donations for the Wellness Event that occurred in Mountain Village, April 25 and 26, 2025: Calista Corporation, Donlin Gold, GCI, Asa’carsarmiut Tribal Council, and Blue Ribbon.
Without the generous donations, we would not be able to host the two-day Wellness Event. We hosted three Eskimo dance groups including dancers and singers from Kotlik, Saint Mary’s, and Mountain Village. We had local guest speakers and leaders who made presentations on opiates and alcohol abuse. We also hosted all-female and all-male events. Thank you to the Tundra Women’s Coalition staff for providing presentations on domestic violence and sexual assault.
We’d also like to thank men from Kotlik and Mountain Village for filling in for the Yupik Women’s Coalition male event provider who’s flight did not make it that day. Thank you to all participants from Kotlik, Saint Mary’s, and Mountain Village for making the event possible. The event was a wonderful success with many positive comments made towards the event and the tribe. Once again, thank to all organizations and individuals that made the event a success. Quyana caknek.
Lorraine Mike, ATC OVW Program Coordinator
Mountain Village, AK
Melissa Charlie, FNA Executive Director’s statement on Governor’s education funding veto
The Fairbanks Native Association (FNA), a nonprofit with education as one of its core missions since 1963, is deeply disappointed by Governor Dunleavy’s veto of education funding announcement yesterday (June 12th, 2025).
FNA operates programs such as Head Start, Early Head Start, JOM and Tribal Home Visiting. We know firsthand the critical role these services play in laying a strong foundation for lifelong learning. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families by promoting justice, healing, and wellness in our community. Education and educational support are directly related to quality of life.
Education is not optional—it is essential to the future of our children and our communities, and it must be protected.
In today’s unstable fiscal environment—further complicated by uncertainty at the federal level—service providers like FNA, along with local entities such as the Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board, have been forced to make difficult contingency plans to preserve essential services.
But there is a breaking point, and the continued erosion of the base student allocation has exceeded it. It now threatens more school closures, fewer services, and a decline in educational quality across Alaska.
The State of Alaska must rise to this moment. The value of a child’s education should never be determined by the price of oil fluctuating. Nor should funding reductions be made without meaningful dialogue and partnership with those who provide these vital services.
Fairbanks Native Association
Fairbanks AK
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