‘Rising in Our Voices’: Alaska Federation of Natives convention kicks off in Anchorage
Matt Faubion / Alaska Public Media Dr. Rosita Worl was the keynote speaker at the 2026 Alaska Federation of Natives convention, which started in Anchorage on Thursday. The Alaska Federation of Natives kicked off its annual convention in Anchorage Thursday, marking the organization’s 60th anniversary. Delegates filled the Dena’ina Convention Center as the state’s largest gathering of Alaska Native people met to celebrate the theme — Rooted in Land and Tradition: Rising in Our Voices. In her welcoming remarks, Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance referenced a very different environment that hung over last year’s convention. Days before, the remnants of Typhoon Halong forced thousands of Western Alaska residents to evacuate to the state’s largest city. “A year ago, in the midst of an emergency, we opened our doors to neighbors who needed us,” LaFrance said. “Today, we open our doors again.…
