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Three Alaska Native women join Anchorage Public Safety Advisory Commission

In what may be a first for the municipality of Anchorage, three Indigenous women will serve on the city’s Public Safety Advisory Commission.

The resolution passed unopposed at a meeting Tuesday, June 23, 2020, of the Anchorage Municipal Assembly.

The Public Safety Advisory Commission examines public safety issues and advises the mayor and assembly. It also provides input from various emergency service organizations -- to identify problems that may arise.

The three appointments include Keneggnarkayaagaq Emily Edenshaw  Edenshaw (Yup’ik and Iñupiaq) who is the executive director of the Alaska Native Heritage Center:

“I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and doing good work for our people,” Edenshaw said during the meeting before acknowledging the unprecedented appointment of the three Alaska Native women to the commission. “It’s an honor to serve my community and work alongside these two incredible Native women by my side.”

The other two appointments were:

  • Charlene Aqpik Apok, who is Iñupiaq and the director of gender justice at Native Movement. She’s also the executive director for Data for Indigenous Justice; and
  • Kendra Kloster, who is Tlingit and the executive director of Native Peoples Action and Native Peoples Action Community Fund.

Assembly member Christopher Constant says he is grateful all three women will serve on the panel.
“This conversation is a testament that this body and this community is ready for this conversation before and after what we face today,” Constant said during comments. “I think it’s more important today, now, that you are willing to stand up because of everything happening. And I’m just grateful you said yes. Let’s do some good.”

All three terms will expire in October 2022.

Originally from the Midwest, Tripp Crouse (Ojibwe, a descendent of Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, pronouns: they/them) has 15-plus years in print, web and radio journalism. Tripp first moved to Alaska in 2016 to work with KTOO Public Media in Juneau. And later moved to Anchorage in 2018 to work with KNBA and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. Tripp currently works for Spruce Root in Juneau, Alaska. Tripp also served as chair of the Station Advisory Committee for Native Public Media.
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