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Island Interviews

Blankets and Alaska Native history: educational program stops in Unalaska for the first time

By Sofia Stuart-Rasi

Published July 24, 2024 at 8:29 AM AKDT

The Alaska Blanket Exercise program, organized by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, aims to educate Indigenous and non-Indigenous adults about Alaska Native history and historical trauma. The statewide program began in 2019 and is scheduled to be in Unalaska for the first time at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 2.

ANTHC's Alice Michaelson, the Alaska Blanket Exercise program coordinator, and Michael Livingston, a healthy relationships coordinator with the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, are co-presenting this session at the Unalaska Public Library.

In this episode of "Island Interviews," they’ll discuss the program's significance, origins, and the importance of recognizing historical trauma.

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Island Interviews Alaska Native alaska native tribal health consortium APIA ALEUTIAN PRIBILOF ISLANDS ASSOCIATION

Sofia Stuart-Rasi

Sofia is from Denver. She's reported around the U.S. for local public radio stations, and her work has aired on NPR and National Native News. Sofia has a master's degree in environmental science and natural resource journalism from the University of Montana, a graduate certificate in documentary studies from the Salt Institute and a bachelor's degree in studio arts from the University of Colorado Boulder. Between her studies, Sofia was a ski bum in Telluride, Colorado, for a few years.

See stories by Sofia Stuart-Rasi

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