TCC News

The Importance of Gravel-to-Gravel Initiatives in Salmon Restoration: A Comprehensive Exploration

April 25, 2024

By Gale K. Vick, Fairbanks Fish & Game Advisory Committee Member The phrase “gravel-to-gravel” is becoming more important in managing salmon as their populations decline in Alaska, particularly in the AYK (Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim) region. The Department of the Interior recently explained “gravel-to-gravel” as the cyclical journey of salmon. This journey begins with their birth and continues as they return each year …

May is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month

April 25, 2024

By Karen Kallen-Brown, LPC Children’s Services Clinician Years ago, the Denakkanaaga Elders identified twenty-one values to guide us in being healthy, strong, caring, and connected people. Wherever I am, I hear many concerns about the struggles that our children face. The COVID-19 pandemic, the closure of schools, the move to online learning, the disruption to family activities, routines, and traditions …

Tribal Resource Stewardship Convention Report

April 25, 2024

During the 2024 TCC Annual Convention, the Tribal Resource Stewardship team hosted a special session that brought Tribal members together to learn and strategize about upcoming opportunities to advocate for our way of life. They also had the opportunity to meet with Holly Carroll, US Fish & Wildlife Sevice (F&WS) Yukon Subsistence Fishery Manager, Keith Herron, US F&WS Assistant Fishery …

TCC Allocates $10,000 per Tribe for Culture Camps

April 25, 2024

Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) has taken a significant step to preserve Indigenous traditions by offering financial support for culture camps throughout the region. At the August meeting last year, the TCC Executive Board approved funding for these camps, providing each Tribe with up to $10,000 annually starting in 2024. Culture camps are vital for passing down ancestral knowledge and traditions …

Tribal Resource Stewardship Corner – Wind Beneath Their Wings: Turbines & Migrating Birds

April 25, 2024

By Betty Ross, Tribal Client Services Deputy Director With the increase of turbines in this age of wind energy, there have been a few studies conducted on the impact of the turbines on migratory birds. According to the MIT Climate Portal Writing Team (2023), studies of bird deaths in the United States from a decade ago indicate about 680,000 birds …

Dental Waitlist: Education & Updates

April 25, 2024

By Dr. Toby Imler, TCC Dental Director We receive many questions about the Dental Waitlist in the Dental Department. What is it and how does it work? Why do we even have the waitlist? I’d like to take a few moments to share the importance of the waitlist, outline how it works, and share the progress we’ve made over the …

Syphilis on the Rise in Alaska: Take Action Today!

April 25, 2024

By Dr. Michael R. Brumage, TCC Director of Clinical Services Syphilis is a growing problem in Alaska and across the United States. In 2016, Alaska had only 20 cases, but by 2022, that number skyrocketed to 424 cases. This increase is alarming, especially because it means more babies are being born with this preventable infection. The good news is that …

Preserving Heritage, Building Futures at the 2024 Education Summit

April 25, 2024

By Stephanie Hinz, Education & Indigenous Learning Manager The Education Summit is a region-wide forum for representatives from Tribal communities, urban and rural school districts, postsecondary institutions and legislators to come together to discuss educational issues of mutual concern. This year’s event included over 70 representatives from multiple Tribes, six of the seven school districts in the TCC region, instructors …

Talking Circle Healing Gathering Addresses Boarding School Trauma

April 25, 2024April 25, 2024

The Talking Circle Healing Gathering, hosted by Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), took place on April 11th and 12th in Fairbanks. This event aimed to provide a safe space for Elders to share their experiences and address the trauma caused by the boarding school era. The event, organized by the TCC Divisions of Wellness & Prevention and Behavioral Health, emphasized the …

North Pacific Fishery Management Council Meeting: A Call for Salmon Conservation

April 25, 2024

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) Meeting was held in Anchorage at the beginning of April, where over 100 people signed up to testify before the Council advocating for the need to address the issue of salmon bycatch. During the meeting, Chief Brian Ridley of Tanana Chiefs Conference, Vivian Korthuis, CEO of Association of Village Council Presidents, and Melanie …