As I finish up my second to last week, I’m continuing to work on my favorite type of projects - deep research memo drafting. Using publicly available, verifiable resources, I’ve learned more over the course of five days about Federal Indian Law as applied to Alaska than I could’ve dreamt of learning through a university course. Working alone, I’ve felt free to let my curiosity take over. Any question I have I can immediately seek to answer through further research. Any interest I have is nearly immediately sated, as I have been free to research, read, and report back on topics like PL-280, ANCSA, ANILCA, the amendments to both ANCSA and ANILCA, etc.
One thing I have always hoped for within my personal scholarship is to learn more about the political environment under which Alaska Natives have lived, struggled against, changed, and thrived. Though my connection culturally with the Alaska Native remnants of my family have historically been more lacking than I would like to admit, I always hoped to at least have an intellectual connection to the framework under which they lived. For me, this final culminating project has represented large steps towards achieving that private goal. I feel more confident in my knowledge of the legal problems and public safety issues facing rural Alaska. I feel more confident in my knowledge of how important ANCSA has been for all residents of Alaska. And I feel more confident in knowing, politically, legally, and policy wise, where I come from, and what I can still do for my people. In this, I am grateful for our Elders and their willingness to share their knowledge online. I am grateful for the many regional corporations, universities, and third parties willing to devote their money and time towards accurately reflecting the history of our Alaska Native peoples. And I am grateful to Senator Sullivan’s office for trusting me to be a reliable source in sharing what I have learned with others. I recognize that the information I know hold is great, and extremely nuanced. I am sure that I know less than I think, and must continue searching for knowledge in order to actually trust that the knowledge I hold is akin to truth. But I am grateful to have the opportunity to better educate myself on my people. And to be trusted and respected enough to be considered a responsible source on some of the issues I have been looking into. I feel like with this latest project I have been able to branch out fully from the tasks of the average intern and immerse myself in a niche I love. In this sense, not only have I felt happiest about the work I have been doing this week, but I feel confident and capable as well. Ever grateful to have the opportunity to truly branch out and work on what I love and have always been interested in.
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Photo used under Creative Commons from Mike Juvrud