Juneau, Alaska

In Áak’w Ḵwaan—the Lingít name for the area that surrounds Juneau, Alaska—healing begins with a reclamation of self-identity.

Following the cumulative momentum of generations, residents in Juneau are reimagining their future. Eighty years after segregation was banned in the state, Alaska’s capital city is reaching more and more toward expression and acceptance. From preschools to health clinics to the local radio station, partners are unraveling deep trauma across generations and embracing Lingít practices, language, and culture. Juneau serves as a place for learning, not only for the victims of colonial harm, but also for the descendants of those who enacted that harm.

Partnerships across Áak'w Ḵwaan support queer youth, celebrate interconnection, and build spaces for ancestral learning. Through shared leadership, cultural return, and deep commitment to truth, this community shows that healing is not only possible—it’s already underway. Key highlights of their work include:

• Addressing structural racism demands brave conversations. Deeply informed by First Alaskans Institute’s Alaska Native Dialogues on Racial Equity, the Haa Tóoch Lichéesh Coalition trained 150 leaders in Juneau as community dialogue hosts in an effort to advance racial and gender equity.
• A decade ago, Alaska recognized Indigenous languages as official state languages, a landmark achievement made possible by dedicated community advocacy. Alaska is one of only three states that officially recognizes languages other than English. Juneau has made great strides in revitalizing local Indigenous languages, including reclaiming place names and incorporating Indigenous language into school classrooms, community spaces, and public media.
• The first step to healing and reconciliation is truth. In 2021, Juneau hosted its first Orange Shirt Day in remembrance and recognition of the harmful legacy of Indigenous Boarding Schools. Juneau’s commitment to reckoning with a difficult and violent past fosters community truth-telling, healing, and a commitment to acknowledging the region's true history. 
• Juneau is a leader in the revival of Indigenous culture, healing generational trauma and envisioning a just future. By reconnecting community members to traditional practices and promoting healing through celebration and grief, Juneau has experienced a surge in Native values and culture, offering numerous opportunities for year-round cultural participation and intergenerational healing.
• Focusing on cultural preservation, storytelling, education, violence prevention, and mental health within the region, community partners in Juneau are building strong relationships and leveraging each other's strengths to develop trauma-informed policies, culture-centered healing, and equitable power distribution.