Dear Tribes and Tribal Members,
In my first two months as Chief/Chairman, I have been focused on both planning for the future of our organization and spending time with our Tribal leadership and community members to hear directly about your priorities. I am grateful for those conversations and for the opportunity to listen and learn from our people.
While there is much work ahead, I want to share that I am looking forward to a bright future for our organization and for our Tribes. As we move forward, our work will remain rooted in our values and guided by our Tribes.
One of the concerns I have heard consistently is the challenge of travel in and out of our rural communities. Reliable transportation is essential for our people—whether it is for healthcare, family, or daily life. TCC has been proactive in reaching out to our airline partners to share these concerns and begin working toward solutions. This work is ongoing, and we will continue to advocate for improvements.
Last month, I met with local Fairbanks leadership, including the City and Borough Mayors and the Fairbanks Police Department, alongside our partners at Doyon, Limited and Fairbanks Native Association. During these discussions, I brought forward several of TCC’s priorities, including coordination around the Sobering Center and Emergency Service Patrol, ongoing conversations about expanding the Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center campus, and the need for safe and affordable housing for our Elders. We appreciate this continued collaboration and the opportunity to ensure our voices are heard.
We also hosted a Public Safety Summit, where I had the opportunity to speak about how critical public safety is to our communities. Our Executive Board has made this a clear priority, and we will continue working with our partners to strengthen safety and support across our villages.
I also recently testified before the Federal Subsistence Board and the Yukon River Panel to speak to the urgency of the salmon crisis. Salmon are not only a food source, they are a relative and a vital part of our way of life. I emphasized the need for stronger coordination across agencies and the importance of Tribal leadership in rebuilding and protecting our salmon for future generations.
On a lighter note, our communities have celebrated the arrival of spring, and I had the opportunity to travel to Arctic Village and experience jigging and the celebration of our first traditional chief Reverend Dr. Trimble Gilbert and wife Mary on their 71st anniversary. The strength of our communities are rooted in our traditional values and it was clear in Arctic Village through their showing of a drug and alcohol-free event for the whole week. I look forward to traveling to each of your communities.
As I continue in this role, my commitment remains the same. I will continue to listen, to be present in our communities, and to carry your voice forward. Together, we will keep moving forward in a good way—carrying forward the values of Ch’eghwtsen’ in our work, and taking care of our people with love, compassion, dignity, and respect.
Ana Masee’,
Sharon Hildebrand
Chief/Chairman