AKPIRG

Connecting community power to policy impact 🔥 est. 1974

06/18/2026

Earlier this week we shared the final installment of our American Community Survey (ACS) Alaska Native Languages Toolkit. This project was years in the making, and we want to take a moment to recognize the incredible team behind it.

The project was led by Rochelle Adams, AKPIRG's Language Access Director, with support from Erin Willahan, Jaylein Kriska, and Brittany Woods-Orrison. Together, they helped connect panelists from across Alaska with information about the American Community Survey and why reporting Alaska Native languages matters. When Alaska Native languages are counted in the ACS, they become more visible to government agencies, helping unlock language access resources, translated materials, and other investments that support language revitalization efforts.

We're also deeply grateful to Chloey Cavanaugh of Black & White Raven Co., whose thoughtful design work gave the project its visual identity. Chloey worked closely with our panelists to transform their ideas, experiences, and cultural knowledge into beautiful, accessible, and printable posters that can be shared by communities across Alaska.

Most importantly, we hope you’ll join us in thanking our language panelists, who generously shared their time, expertise, creativity, and vision for the future of Alaska Native languages. This toolkit reflects the priorities, strengths, and knowledge of communities across Alaska, and would not exist without their leadership.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this project possible!

Mahsì’ choo! Tsin’aen! Chin’an! Quyanaqpak! Enaa baasee’! Gunalchéesh! Qaĝaasakung! Quyana! Háw’aa!

06/17/2026

AKPIRG's Economic Justice team has been on the road!

Claire Estelle Lubke, AKPIRG's Economic Justice Director, and Indra Arriaga, AKPIRG's Executive Director, visited DC the first week of June to participate in Consumer Advocacy Week. They met with staff from Representative Begich, Senator Sullivan, and Senator Murkowski's offices to discuss:

➡️ regulating financial tech companies and curtailing predatory lending apps
➡️ making sure Alaskans still have access to recourse through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
➡️ passing a 36% annual percentage rate (APR) cap for all loans offered in the United States

They also learned from advocates in other states and national experts about the serious threats posed to consumers by emerging trends, such as surveillance pricing and deregulated prediction markets, like Kalshi and Polymarket.

After DC, the entire Economic Justice team met up in Boise, ID to connect with other pro-housing advocates from the Welcoming Neighbors Network. We were hosted by the Gem State Housing Alliance and discussed a variety of city- and state-level strategies for making it easier and faster to build homes of various shapes, sizes, and income-accessibility. The EJ team also left feeling inspired about centering tenant experiences and tenant voices in the fight for housing abundance in Alaska!

06/15/2026

Today, we’re honored to share the final installment of the Alaska Native Languages ACS Toolkit: a beautiful three poster series created by the Neets’aii Gwich’in Language Panel 💚

These posters feature traditional dancing slippers – just as dancers follow the footsteps of those who came before them while creating new paths of their own, language moves from generation to generation, carried forward by speakers, learners, and communities.

For Gwich’in speakers and learners, marking your language on the ACS helps make Gwich’in visible and can support expanded access to resources, services, and language revitalization efforts.

It feels especially meaningful to share this final toolkit installment while all of our Alaska Native language panelists are gathered together in Gwichyaa Zhee for a healing gathering. As we celebrate the conclusion of this project, we are also celebrating the relationships, knowledge, and care that made it possible.

Mahsì’ choo to the Neets’aii Gwich’in Language Panel for sharing their vision, creativity, and language with all of us. ✨
—
This message is brought to you in Dinjii Zhuh K’yaa by the AKPIRG Neets’aii Gwich’in Language Panel, with Caroline Tritt-Frank and Mildred Allen.

Graphic design in collaboration with Black and White Raven Company ( ).

06/09/2026

Housing advocates and community members across the city agree: Anchorage needs better access to housing. 🏘️

Tonight, the Anchorage Assembly is set to introduce the Missing Middle Housing Opportunity Overlay (MMHOP), a proposal that would make it easier to build more housing along transit corridors and help address the city's growing housing shortage.

By increasing the supply of middle-income housing, MMHOP aims to make homeownership more attainable and help bring down housing costs for Anchorage residents.

Anchorage Housing Club and AKPIRG strongly support this ordinance. Stay tuned for more ways to get involved as part of Housing Action Summer. ☀️😎

06/08/2026

Happy Pride Month, Alaska! 🌈

Alaska is strongest when everyone feels safe, valued, and able to fully participate in their communities. This month, we celebrate the resilience, joy, and contributions of LGBTQ+ people across Alaska, and recommit to building a state where everyone can thrive.

05/28/2026

Lawmakers are still convening for a special session on AKLNG, but the regular legislative session is now over.

It ended with some big wins, and some unfinished work that will carry into future sessions.

Here’s what passed, what didn’t, and how lawmakers ended up back in special session.

05/27/2026

Our series highlighting the Alaska Native Languages ACS Toolkit continues! A few months ago, we shared a beautiful video from the AKPIRG Denaa Kkenaage’ Language Panel featuring Velma Schafer speaking about the importance of the American Community Survey (ACS). This month, we’re excited to share a companion piece: “Weaving Our Net” – a poster featuring Velma weaving a fishing net 🧶🐟

Just like a fishing net is woven strand by strand to support and sustain a community, every completed ACS form helps strengthen the collective picture of our communities’ needs. Participating in the ACS helps direct federal funding and resources for things like healthcare, housing, transportation, and language access – helping communities thrive for generations to come.

Enaa baasee' to the entire Denaa Kkenaage’ Language Panel for creating this powerful resource, and special thanks to Velma for sharing her knowledge and artistry with us 💜

Check out the full toolkit with downloadable and printable resources in nine Alaska Native languages at akpirg.org/acs (link in bio!)
—
This message is brought to you by the AKPIRG Denaa Kkenaage’ Language Panel, with Velma Schafer, Hʉkk'aaghneestaatlno Lorraine David, and Brittany Woods-Orrison.

05/20/2026

A huge win for all Alaskans: SB 249 is headed to the Governor's desk with UNANIMOUS support from the House and Senate! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who used our action form to contact their legislators in support of this bill -- your advocacy helped move this important consumer protection bill across the finish line. Together, we helped deliver real accountability and justice to Alaskans harmed by Crypto ATM fraud.

05/18/2026

Sign-ons needed TODAY! Urge the House to bring SB 249 to a floor vote!

bit.ly/StopCryptoATMFraud

05/14/2026

Yesterday our team participated in the Anchorage Waterways Council's annual creek cleanup! Our staff chose an area of Chanshtnu Creek, or Chester Creek, near our office to spend an afternoon cleaning up 🚮

By the end, we filled 10 bags of trash and helped make this community green space and this local waterway a little cleaner for everyone. 🌿🗑️

Thank you to the Anchorage Waterways Council for organizing, and to all the sponsors of the creek cleanup!

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2522 Arctic Boulevard
Anchorage, AK
99503

Telephone

+19073502286

Website

http://akpirg.org/, http://linktr.ee/akpirg.org

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