ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Alaska Native Heritage Center (ANHC) is proud to announce that an award from the Alaska Native Education Program via the U.S. Department of Education has been granted to the organization. The grant award is for a value of $3.8M and covers three years of programming that will be implemented in partnership with the Alaska Humanities Forum (AKHF). The project is titled Ilakucaraq, which means “being together” in Yugtun, the language of the Yup’ik people of Southwest Alaska.

From 2021 to 2024, ANHC and AKHF collectively implemented the first iteration of Ilakucaraq, which launched professional development programs for teachers, immersion programs for students, and supports that assisted in the navigation of the pandemic. The program served hundreds of teachers and students all throughout the state and ultimately contributed to the advancement of networks that continue to empower students to achieve their full potential. Through place-based education and pedagogical advancements focused on serving the Alaska Native community, this program created salient improvements for both teachers and students.

“The Alaska Native Heritage Center has always believed in the power of culture and education to uplift our youth and strengthen our communities. We are grateful to receive this award from the U.S. Department of Education and to continue our partnership with the Alaska Humanities Forum. This work reflects our statewide commitment to ensuring Alaska Native youth have access to meaningful learning opportunities rooted in who we are, and to ensure educators deepen their understanding of our peoples, cultures, and ways of life so they can teach with respect and intention. Over the next three years, we look forward to bringing culturally rich programming and knowledge-sharing to communities across Alaska,” says Kelsey Ciugun Wallace, President and CEO of the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

In the new iteration of the program, the organizations have agreed to an updated structure: ANHC will now lead youth programs, and AKHF will implement the program for teachers. ANHC will be coordinating its efforts in partnership with artists, culture bearers, and local community leaders from Fall 2025 through Summer 2028. AKHF will be folding their efforts into their Cross-Cultural Competence (C3) Program and will be working through a partnership with Alaska Pacific University. ANHC is also excited to bring programming back to Sitka to serve the students at Mount Edgecumbe High School through this program.

“I’m thrilled to continue working with the Alaska Native Heritage Center and to deepen our long-standing partnership through the Ilakucaraq Project,” says AKHF President & CEO Kameron Perez-Verdia. “Both of our organizations have worked for many years to ensure that Alaska Native students stay connected to their culture and heritage and have every opportunity to thrive. In this next phase, the Forum’s role is to ensure that educators are connected to culture and community and are prepared to support Alaska Native students in meaningful and lasting ways.”

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About the Alaska Native Heritage Center:
The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a nonprofit organization that preserves and strengthens the traditions, languages and arts of Alaska’s Native Peoples through statewide collaboration, celebration and education. To learn more, visit www.alaskanative.net.

Media Contact: Rachel Ruston
Communications & Development Manager
[email protected] | 907-330-8071