Education
The years of cutting and flat-funding Alaska's public education system have had devastating impacts on our students, educators, and families. We have a constitutional obligation to provide a great education for our students and help our young people reach their full potentials.
Our educators also deserve a decent wage and dignified retirement. I support a defined benefit for public employees that will help attract and retain educators in Alaska.
pUBLIC sAFETY
Every Alaskan deserves to live in safety and without fear. This means that Alaska needs to prioritize and urgently address the MMIP crisis that disproportionately impacts our region. This means investing in victim services to support individuals who are survivors of traumatic and violent crimes - and to ensure they receive justice and healing. I will continue to make public safety in Alaska a major priority in Juneau.
SUBSISTENCE RIGHTS
We all have experienced or heard about the devastating declines in Alaskan fisheries, not just in the Lower Kuskokwim, but in many regions across our state. For the first time in generations, communities across our state are unable to consistently rely upon our lands and waters that have supported people for thousands of years.
Alaska must protect the lands and waters that our communities have depended on for millennia and ensure that subsistence rights are protected.
infrastructure
Rural Alaska has not received the investment it deserves for years, and many of our communities still do not have access to basic infrastructure that other communities take for granted. I will fight to ensure that our region receives the investment it needs, whether it be for deferred maintenance on our public facilities, maintaining our roads, expanding access to high-speed broadband, and more.
first term Accomplishments
Community Health AIDE Appreciation day
I was able to pass legislation designating September 10th as Alaska Community Health Aide Appreciation Day. Our Community Health Aides are so important to our region, and tirelessly work not only as medical providers, but as our first responders, tribal liaisons, travel coordinators, and role models. I was so proud to be able to give our CHAs the recognition and appreciation they deserve.
tRUTH AND healing commission resolution
I was able to pass legislation urging our federal government to create a Truth and Healing Commission to address the historic injustice and trauma that was created as a result of our country's harmful operation of Indian boarding schools.
As we are learning across Canada and the United States, these facilities (many of which were in Alaska) were the sites of significant abuse and violence, and our country must face this history to start the healing process.