The AKPIRG Advocate, November 2024
50th Anniversary Celebration & Fundraiser
Recap and THANK YOU!
Photo: Berett Wilber
Thank you so much to all who came to AKPIRG’s 50th Anniversary Celebration and Fundraiser! We had an amazing time and we hope you did too.
Thanks to your generosity, we were able to raise $10,509.20 in grassroots donations! This is SO incredible and makes a huge difference — we can’t do our work without our donors, and every donation puts us on the path to our next 50 years. Thank you for your investment not just in AKPIRG, but in a brighter future for Alaska.
We were so glad to see so many familiar faces, and to meet new ones. It was a joy to celebrate our 50th anniversary with all of you, and we look forward to celebrating many more.
Photos: Berett Wilber
Many thanks, also, to:
Golden Delicious for being an amazing host
Dawn McClain for an incredible performance
Dewey Kk'ołeyo Hoffman for grounding the space with a song
El Green-Go's for the delicious food
All of our silent auction donors
Our sponsors who made this night possible:
Alaska Just Transition, IBEW Local 1547, Alaska Community Action on Toxics, The Alaska Center, Native Movement, Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition, Kay Brown, Alaska Children's Trust, and ACLU of Alaska
After the celebration, we are just over $2,500 shy of reaching
our fundraising goal of $50,000 for our 50th Anniversary year.
Can you help us close that gap before the end of 2024?
We're Hiring!
Apply to be our Operations Specialist!
We're hiring! Apply to be AKPIRG's Operations Specialist!
This role has a mixture of internal responsibilities, such as managing staff pay and benefits, and external responsibilities, such as initiating and receiving payment on behalf of AKPIRG. The Operations Specialist also serves as HR when staff have questions about compensation and benefits. Applicants should be very detail-oriented, have good organizational skills, and be comfortable working with (multiple) deadlines. Prior experience in accounting, nonprofit management, and/or HR is preferred but not required, as the role also allows for professional development.
Please apply or share this opportunity with someone who might be a good fit! Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. To see the full description and apply, visit: akpirg.bamboohr.com/careers/26
Welcoming our Economic Justice Lead, Claire!
We are so excited to welcome Claire Estelle Lubke to Team AKPIRG as our new Economic Justice Lead!
Claire Estelle Lubke (she/they) was raised on Dena'ina Land. They hold a B.S. in biology from University of Alaska Anchorage and a graduate certificate in science writing from Johns Hopkins University. She directed a food pantry in Anchorage during the pandemic and recently worked as an aid in the Alaska State Legislature.
The mundane power of food is a guiding force in their life and you'll often find them with hands in dirt or flour. She enjoys making people feel cared for, riding bikes, and ruminating on our abundant future.
Please join us in welcoming Claire!
AKPIRG Annual Staff Retreat
Earlier this month, AKPIRG staff gathered in Anchorage for our annual Staff Retreat!
We spent three days together celebrating all that we've accomplished together in the past year, strategizing for the year ahead, and discussing how to decolonize our work at AKPIRG. Much of our time together was spent strategizing how we can better uplift Tribal sovereignty and Indigenous voices not only as an organization, but as individuals within our greater community.
It was so good to be together and to reground ourselves in our mission and values. We are feeling energized to continue fighting for:
transparent and accountable government systems
robust language accessibility
affordable and reliable broadband for all
compassionate, people-centered economic policy
an affordable, reliable, and renewable energy future
We're so grateful for all of your support this year, and we're looking forward to all of the change we are going to make together in the years to come! To learn more about our work, visit:
Two major changes are being considered at the RCA
The RCA accepted public input on two major dockets this past month that could result in some major changes in how our energy is regulated and how the public can engage.
First, the RCA is considering implementing new way of notifying the public of potential changes to their rates or terms of service. Currently, the RCA is only required to publish public notices in newspapers, which some argue is no longer an effective way to reach the public. To learn more about the potential new modes of communicating public notices at the RCA, visit:
The second change under consideration at the RCA relates to net metering—the program that requires utilities to purchase excess power from households and businesses with their own small renewable energy generation units, like solar arrays.
Under current regulations, only utilities of a certain size can participate in this program. Anticipating rapid growth of distributed energy systems in coming years (partially thanks to the recent passage of SB 152, the community solar bill, and to new funding opportunities for renewable energy projects), the RCA is considering changing the rules so more people can benefit from net metering. To learn more about what this means for you and for the future of renewable energy in Alaska, visit:
AKPIRG recognized by the Anchorage Assembly for 50 years of advocacy
Last month, AKPIRG was recognized at the Anchorage Assembly for our 50 years of advocacy for the people of Alaska. The Assembly commended AKPIRG for our outstanding legacy of public interest advocacy in Alaska and our service to the Anchorage community since our founding in 1974. The recognition was presented by Assembly Member Anna Brawley and accepted by Veri di Suvero, AKPIRG Executive Director.
Although AKPIRG serves communities across Alaska, our roots in Anchorage run deep. From advocating for an 18-month rent freeze during the 1975 housing crisis to lowering grocery prices citywide in the late 1970s, our commitment to Anchorage has remained steadfast. Today, that legacy continues through our work with the Anchorage Housing Club and the Mutual Aid Network of Anchorage, championing affordable housing and fair lending practices to support residents.
On behalf of all AKPIRG staff and board, we are so grateful to the Anchorage Assembly, especially to Assembly Member Brawley, for this honor.
Thanks to survey data,
AKPIRG & Native Movement demand action from RCA in wake of AT&T request to leave 42 Alaskan villages
AKPIRG & Native Movement requested that the RCA do not expedite AT&T's request to leave 42 remote Alaskan villages until an impact study is completed and plans for transferring services to another provider are in place.
In this comment, we included data completed from our survey sent out in October -- thank you to all who filled out the survey! We are hoping to bring more Alaskans into decision-making spaces this way.
Moving forward, our broadband team is hoping to better educate our engaged community members by sharing our comment letters, how you impacted them, and what decisions are made afterwards!
We are expecting a decision on this issue later this month, and we'll keep you updated. Please feel free to ask any questions or share any comments.
Happy Native American Heritage Month,
Brittany Woods-Orrison
Broadband Specialist, AKPIRG & Native Movement
AKPIRG Language Access Team hosts workshop at Global Indigenous Studies Conference
Last week, AKPIRG’s Language Access Team hosted a workshop, Reclaiming Indigenous Languages and Stewardship in a Changing Arctic and Beyond at the inaugural Global Indigenous Studies Conference at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.
The conference is a transdisciplinary event where conference participants are involved in local and global dialogue and exchange of ideas, research, and experiences on the themes of the event such as language revitalization, climate change, justice and equality while celebrating rich, beautiful cultures.
We were so delighted to be able to share our work at this event, and grateful to learn from other Indigenous leaders from across the globe.
