FrontPage Articles

Balancing Today for Safe Communities Tomorrow: 39th Annual Tribal Court Conference

Tanana Chiefs Conference and the University of Alaska Fairbanks successfully co-hosted the 39th Annual Tribal Court Conference from August 1st to 4th, 2023. The conference planning committee also included tribal partners from Alaska Native Justice Center and Alaska Native Women Resource Center. The conference, centered on the theme ‘Balance Today for Safe Communities Tomorrow: How can our tribal justice systems …

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Boat Trip Connects Tribal Leaders and Key Representatives

In order to understand rural Alaska – you have to experience it. In July, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) provided the opportunity for key representatives and leaders from various organizations to experience village life first-hand through a boat tour of the Lower Yukon Subregion. TCC’s Annual Partner’s Boat Trip aims to bridge the gap between those involved in Alaska’s decision-making process …

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Attorney General Garland Travels to Galena to Meet with Tribal Leaders

On August 22, 2023, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) leadership and Tribal Leaders had the opportunity to meet with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. The Attorney General and Senator Lisa Murkowski travelled to Galena to tour the community and sit down with Tribal Leaders and community members to learn about the public safety challenges faced in rural Alaska. Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley, …

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MMIP Tribal Working Group Continues Efforts to Establish Response Plan

Recently, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), Fairbanks Native Association (FNA) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) kicked off meetings and listening sessions to work toward the development of a Tribal Community Response Plan, which will serve as a roadmap on the best way to respond to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases in the future. A tribal working group …

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Improving TCC’s Patient Travel and Housing Experience

Over the past year, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) has heard many concerns from our patients regarding the patient travel and housing process. We wanted to share some information on what we have been doing to improve these experiences. Closing the Willow House Recently, TCC made the decision to close the Willow House, our patient hotel. This decision was not taken …

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Art Invoking Action – Homeless Memorial Shelf Housed at TCC Facility

Fairbanks’ first annual Homeless Persons Memorial, hosted in collaboration between local non-profits, Bread Line, Inc., the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC), and Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), honored the lives of Alaska’s overlooked population – unhoused individuals. Taking place at the Chief David Salmon Tribal Hall on winter solstice, the event also unveiled a thought-provoking piece of functional art created …

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Update from the NCAI Mid-Year Convention

In June, Tanana Chiefs Conference leadership attended the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Mid-Year Convention in Prior Lake, Minnesota. During the meeting, TCC submitted a resolution titles ‘Improvements to Grid Resilience Grants for Tribal Nations’ which asks NCAI to call on the US Department of Energy to administer the 40101d program in a way that recognizes the sovereign rights …

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TCC Travels to DC to Oppose Ambler Road

In May, Chief/Chairman Brian Ridley, Vice-President Sharon Hildebrand and TCC staff joined the Defend the Brooks Range Coalition’s recent “fly in” to Washington, DC. The trip is part of the ongoing advocacy efforts to oppose the construction of the Ambler Road. The Coalition is headed by the National Parks Conservation Association, and other partners include tribal members from Ambler, Kobuk …

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Tanana Chiefs Holds First Ever Food Security Summit

On May 23rd 2023, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) leadership gathered at Effie Kokrine Charter School with tribal communities and local stakeholders in TCC’s first ever Food Security Summit, which resulted from the request of TCC’s Full Board of Directors per resolution 2022-11. The goal of the summit is to work towards identifying and improving access to healthy foods in rural …

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CHA Spotlight -Sheena Tanner

When Sheena Tanner last appeared in this newsletter, in January of 2020, she was an itinerant health aide. Today she is back, only this time she is a CHAP Trainer, helping others pursue their dreams of medical careers. Her employment history with Tanana Chiefs perfectly illustrates that you can start out with no experience in the health field and, with …

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