Alaska Federation of Natives now accepting nominations for 2023 President's Awards

• News Home
• More from News of the North

Friday, March 31, 2023 at 10:56 PM

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Messenger
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Whatsapp

Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - The Alaska Federation of Natives is now accepting nominations for the annual President's Awards, which will be presented at the 2023 AFN Convention, Oct. 19-21, in Anchorage.

Any delegate to the Annual Convention or AFN member in good standing may nominate.

Nominations are for living Alaska Natives.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, Aug. 11, 2023.

Click here for the nomination form and detailed list of criteria.

The following honors will be awarded in 2023:
•    Culture Bearer – Recognizes an Alaska Native who demonstrates strong involvement in the arts. Individuals nominated for this award may be involved in theater, music, dance, painting, sculpture, and storytelling. This award can also recognize an artist, an arts administrator, or a preserver of Native culture.
•    Della Keats “Healing Hands” – Named for the late Dr. Della Keats, an Inupiaq healer who served the health care needs in the Northwest Alaska area for over 50 years.  This award recognizes an Alaska Native who has demonstrated strong commitment, competence and sensitivity as a tribal healer or health care provider, and whose accomplishments have most directly affected Native people in their home communities.
•    Elder of the Year – Recognizes an Alaska Native Elder who exemplifies the highest of values and qualities important to Native people. This individual is recognized as a leader, an educator, and preserver of Native culture whose contributions have benefited Native peoples throughout his/her life.
•    Lu Young Youth Leadership – Named for the late Lu Young, who encouraged young people to expand their horizons and challenge themselves to become future leaders. Nominees must be a young woman, 18-30 years of age who demonstrates leadership qualities. The young men’s category will be available in 2024.
•    Parents of the Year – Recognizes Alaska Native parents who exhibit many of the qualities and values important to the continued physical, social, and cultural survival of Native people. These values may include sharing and teaching of Native culture, love of children, respect for Elders, spirituality, cooperation, and responsibility and involvement in the community.
•    Public Service – Recognizes an Alaska Native who has demonstrated dedication, competence, and sensitivity in the area of public service. This award recognizes individuals who have promoted and assisted in the development of their community, or whose accomplishments and leadership qualities have most directly affected and benefited Native peoples.
•    Dr. Walter Soboleff “Warriors of Light” – Named for the late Dr. Walter Soboleff, this award recognized individuals who uplift our people, enrich our spirits, and unify our people.

More from News of the North

• Dozens evacuated from small cruise ship in Alaska after engine room fire

  Juneau, Alaska (AP) — A fire in the engine room of a small cruise ship in Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve prompted the evacuation of dozens of passengers and crew on Monday. No injuries were reported, and the fire was extinguished, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

• United Fishermen of Alaska announces support for Senator Lisa Murkowski’s Fishing Industry Credit Enhancement Act

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Late last week, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Angus King (I-Maine) introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at supporting rural fishing communities.

• Here’s what passed and what didn’t in Alaska’s legislative session

  Juneau, Alaska (Alaska Beacon) - Thirty-one bills passed House and Senate this year, the third fewest of any first-year session since statehood

• New Riverview Senior Living Community in Juneau Now Open

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The new Riverview Senior Living community in Juneau, Alaska, is now open for residency.

• Learn the basics of running for local office at free workshop on June 24

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Have you ever thought about running for local office? This October, Juneau voters will elect three Assembly members and two School Board members—and one of them could be you.

• Coast Guard, partner agencies responding to vessel fire in Glacier Bay, Alaska

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - The Coast Guard is responding to a reported fire aboard the on the 178-foot passenger vessel Wilderness Discoverer in Glacier Bay, National Park, Alaska.

• Multiple deaths reported on vessel

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - On May 31, at about 2:23 p.m., a 34-year-old female reported to JPD that she found her friend, 51-year-old Curtis Edwin Anderson, deceased on the vessel Dusky Rock.

• Coast Guard to conduct pollution response exercise in the Bering Strait

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) — The Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct a pollution response exercise in the Bering Strait June 7, 2023

• Sealaska contributes to renovation of ANB/ANS Halls in Angoon and Hoonah

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Sealaska recently made two significant donations to support the renovation of the Alaska Native Brotherhood/Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANB/ANS) halls in Angoon and Hoonah.

• Yakutat youth participate in marine debris cleanup

  Yakutat, Alaska (Alaska Beacon) - They’re part of a federally funded project managed by the city and the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe

• 'We are warriors' Cancer Connection celebrates National Cancer Survivors Day

  Juneau, Alaska (KINY) - Cancer survivors and people with loved cancer survivors walked from Marine Park to Bill Overstreet Park in a celebration of life, an event Cancer Connection holds every year.

• Reward available for information about shooting of Steller sea lions in Cordova

  Cordova, Alaska (KINY) - NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to a civil penalty or criminal conviction in the May 2023 shooting of seven Steller sea lions.