By Michael Gho, Tribal Protection and Safety Division Director
In 2024, the Interior Center for Non-Violent Living (ICNVL), Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Tribal Protective Services Program, and Fairbanks Community Restorative Justice Initiative (FCRJI) through the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) applied for a pilot site grant through the Department of Justice Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). OVW is interested in creating alternatives to tackling domestic violence in America. To that end, they have awarded grants to 17 communities in the United States that either have an established restorative justice program working with victims of domestic violence or are looking to create one. In early 2025, Fairbanks was awarded a grant and designated as a pilot site.
Since the award was received, representatives from ICNVL and TCC have been meeting to plan for how to implement the program in Fairbanks with support from our assigned Technical Assistance (TA) provider. Our TA provider is a program out of Duluth, Minnesota called Men as Peacemakers. More can be learned about this program here: https://www.menaspeacemakers.org/.
The Healing and Accountability in the Aftermath of Domestic Violence Forum took place November 3-4 in Fairbanks. This event allowed our community members to learn more about current responses to domestic violence and local community services provided to survivors of domestic violence, and to learn from Men as Peacemakers about their experience in this area. The second day consisted of discussion and planning for the Fairbanks grant with opportunities for brainstorming and community input.
We want to thank the community, the pilot program partners, and the panelists for their support and participation in this event:
- Dr. Rev. Anna Frank for opening the event in a good way, and Eliza Winfrey and Marie Simmons for their thoughtful words and recommendations.
- Our Pilot Partners: Ana Barbosa from the ICNVL, Tamra Truett Jerue from the Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center, Dr. Ingrid Johnson from the UAF Department of Justice, Jeffrey May from the UAF Department of Justice and FCRJI and Micheal Gho and Bryana Angulo from TCC Tribal Protection and Safety Department.
- The Pilot Program’s Technical Assistance Provider Organization, Men as Peacekeepers.
- Our Criminal and Legal panelists: Joe Dallare, District Attorney, Fairbanks Police Department’s Chief Dupee and Detective Davis, Alaska State Troopers’ Captain Spitzer and Sargent Moore, and Fort Wainwright Military Police’s Nicholas Donnelly.
- Our Intimate Partner Community Resource Panelists: Karen Eddy from Fairbanks Native Association’s Community Services and Lisa Hay from LEAP.
