Dear Tribal Leaders and Tribal Members,
Last month, I attended the National Congress of American Indians Annual Convention. This year, I was re-elected as the Alaska Area Vice-President, along with Clinton Cook who was elected as the Alternate Vice-President. I am honored to continue serving in this role. Representing Alaska Tribes on the Executive Council and helping unify our Tribal Nations across the State is work I take seriously. I am also proud to share that TCC submitted four resolutions this year and all of them were passed. I want to thank the TCC staff who attended numerous subcommittee meetings throughout the week to help ensure the successful passage of these resolutions. You can learn more about this here.
Last month, we also hosted a special call with Tribal leaders to discuss the uncertainty surrounding recent State and Federal developments and how these changes could impact our Tribes and Tribal members. With the longest government shutdown in history taking place, it was important for us to create space for Tribal leaders to hear the latest updates, ask questions, and share concerns directly. During the call, we reviewed Federal and State updates affecting Tribes, discussed how reimbursement processes could be impacted, and went over program concerns related to SNAP, LIHEAP, WIC, 105-L, and Head Start. Most importantly, the open discussion allowed TCC to hear directly from Tribal leaders about what support is most needed across the region. Our focus was to ensure that Tribal leaders had the most current information and to reaffirm that TCC is available to assist whenever needed.
In addition, TCC is allocating $5,000 to each Interior Tribe from opioid settlement funds to support a community wellness event. It is important, especially during times of uncertainty, that we continue coming together as communities to look out for one another.
As we enter the holiday season, I want to remind everyone why it is so important to check in on one another. The holidays can be a difficult time for many people. Please take a moment to reach out, offer support, and make sure that no one feels alone. When we come together as family and community, we strengthen the bonds that carry us through challenging times. Let us treat one another with kindness and keep one another in our prayers.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. I will keep our Tribes and Tribal members in my prayers always.
Mahsi’ Choo,
Chief Brian Ridley
Tanana Chiefs Conference