ALASKA NATIVES COMMISSION
JOINT FEDERAL-STATE COMMISSION
ON
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AFFECTING
ALASKA NATIVES
4000 Old Seward Highway, Suite 100
Anchorage,
Alaska 99503
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Witness List | PDF
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COMMISSIONER SEBESTA: Next
on the list is Greg Nothstine. Greg, would you come forward?
And then, let's see, Myra? Is Myra here? Myra, would come forward,
too?
(Pause.)
Greg, would you like to introduce yourself and share your ideas with us?
MR. NOTHSTINE: Okay. My name is Greg Nothstine.
(Introduced himself in Native tongue.) I'm presently the Chairman
for the Alaska Federation of Native Sobriety Movement, and
I was asked to testify. Mike Irwin had caught me upstairs and
said that I -- he put me on the list and wanted me to state
for the record the proclamation I read before the delegates
of the convention. So, I will do that. But, prior to doing
that, I would like to say that the Sobriety Movement of AFN
was initially known as the Alaska Native Blue Ribbon Commission
on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. And we began to wonder, were we
duplicating services and principles of other programs? We wanted
to do something different, because programs or any other project
that's going to be tackling substance abuse is pretty much
named and focused from that. They're named after the problem.
We decided to take a fundamental approach and change our name
to the AFN Sobriety Movement and focus on the solution, because
definitely money, and resources, and time spent on the problem
gives the problem focus. And, of course, we already know what
the problem is. But time, money, and resources focused on the
solution will create the same results, if we go in that direction.
Without further ado, I'll just name the individuals who make
up the Sobriety Movement and then read, for the record, the
proclamation I gave to the AFN delegates. Wilson Justin's the
Vice-chairman, he's the President of AHTNA; Nena Olsen's an
honorary elder from the Kodiak Area Native Association; Sam
Dementi, the Executive Director for the Fairbanks Native Association;
Esther Combs, Cook Inlet Tribal Council, she' s the Executive
Director; Johne Binkley, who sits on this Commission; Dr. Jim
Berner, and his alternate, Bill Brave Heart, of the Alaska
Native Medical Center; Julie Kitka, the President of the Alaska
Federation of Natives; Anne Walker, the Alas -- the Executive
Director of the Alaska Native Health Board; Doug Modig, who's
been a private consultant and working in the area of sobriety
for the last eight years -- ten years? -- Gene Peltola, the
Executive Director of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation;
Jesselie Kolyuk, Sr., Mayor of the North Slope Borough; Dennis
DeGross, former Executive Director of the Alaska Native Health
Board and works for the University of Alaska; Ermalee Hickel,
the First Lady, the wife of the Governor; and General John
Schaeffer retired, present Chairman for the Alaska Federation
of Natives. Without further ado, I’ll begin this proclamation:
“The Alaska Federation of Natives' Convention
is a collaborative network of regional profit and non-profit
corporations, Native councils and associations, which has,
in the 26 years of its brief historical existence, become a
political nerve center, curator, and voice on social policies
and conditions affecting Alaska Natives. Before 1988, and years
hence, delegates to the AFN have unanimously recognized the
resolution upon resolution that alcohol and drug abase is an
ultimate contributor to the high rates of the following: family
disintegration, accidental death, fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal
alcohol effect, high school dropout, home runaways, HIV infections,
AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases, crime, imprisonment,
child abuse, sexual abuse, elder abuse, joblessness, and the
overall apathetic attitude to preserve the distinct cultural
values and activities we Native people cherish. In an effort
to diminish the destructive forces of alcohol and drug abuse
among Native people, AFN delegates mandated a Commission be
formed to find ways to effectively campaign and support the
grassroots sobriety movement gradually growing in Native communities
across the state. The Commission became known as the Alaska
Native Blue Ribbon Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and
has since self-terminated only to be resurrected and later
become known as the Alaska Federation of Natives Sobriety Movement.
The Sobriety Movement, for its purposes, defines sobriety as
a positive, healthy, and productive way of life, without the
devastating effects of alcohol and illicit drugs. They encourage
anyone who would do so to use this reference in association
with any depiction of a culturally relevant scene promoting
pride or survival. The AFN Sobriety Movement encourages Native
people and other concerned individuals to join them and take
the AFN Sobriety Pledge, asking they claim the AFN Sobriety
Movement's goals as their own: To encourage and support sober
Alaska Native families. To encourage the practice of traditional
values and activities. To cooperate and work with agencies
promoting sobriety among Native people. To encourage the formation
of sobriety groups in every Alaska Native community. To encourage
and support sober Alaska Native leaders and role models. To
date, well aver 3,800 have signed. The AFN Sobriety movement
invites any organization or interested party to become a charter
member of the AFN Sobriety Movement by adopting its goals and
giving value to sobriety, holding at least one Silver Celebration
on an annual basis within their community or region. Now, therefore,
I Greg Nothstine (speaking in Native tongue), Chairman of the
AFN Sobriety Movement, hereby proclaim the goals set out by
the AFN Sobriety Movement consistent with reinforcing the principles
and purposes under which AFN is organized under Article 3 of
its articles of incorporation, and further proclaim that anyone
who affirms with integrity that they represent the best interests
of their Native constituents or shareholders who respect and
participate in AFN’s process, take ownership of their role
in the success or failure of this most important directive
to rekindle the hope, spirit, and strength of our Native people,
which they deserve from the Sobriety Movement Initiative. And,
finally, I proclaim every AFN Convention an Annual Silver Celebration,
where all Alaska Natives can heed the call to action, sign
the AFN Sobriety pledge, and take pride in their heritage to
live a positive, healthy, productive way of life, without the
devastating effects of alcohol or illicit drugs. May God continue
to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
There's a couple of things that I understood prior to this is that we use a lot of athletes to promote healthy ways of living, and then all of a sudden we have beer commercials subsidizing those particular games; and in his particular society, free speech predominates, and the one with the highest amount of money can afford to, well, lobby their product on the airwaves. I'm wondering if there's any subs -- federal-subsidized TV stations, radio stations, allow this to continue if -- the federal government endorses healthy ways of living or sobriety, for that matter? And what they're going to do about things like this-- the radio stations or TV stations -- to allow alcoholic beverages to be advertised during those particular times when sports are prevalent? That was just a question of mine.
Anyway, the other area of concern that I had happened to be listening to as our elder was speaking earlier was that, you know, of the -- from time to time, I will go to different schools, demonstrating the Native youth Olympics traditional Native games; and I find it pretty interesting that a lot of the PE instructors come from the -- outside the state; and, well, they have little or no familiarity with the Native games of the Alaskan people; and, therefore, don't really take to heart the importance of these cultural games. And I was curious why some school districts and regions will allow one week of broom ball over one week of Native Youth Olympics. What's the culturally relevant approach for allowing that to happen, when all of these particular games allow for students who are of Native her -- descent to take pride in their heritage, to participate in the fun things that give them a sense of self-worth. What's -- we need to allow more opportunities for these games to start to be played in the school districts. We need a comprehensive curriculum that the state will adopt to promote these games all over. And I guess that's really what I wanted to share, and thank you for your time and your attention. Any questions?
COMMISSIONER SEBESTA: I'm just very glad to hear the level of commitment that you have expressed in approaching this problem and, you know, pushing for sobriety; and, you know, approaching it from other (indiscernible -- noise), too. For example, the sports in the school system. But I think that as was mentioned just before you, the need for commitment, I see it. And such a good statement; and I am very happy to hear it. So, thank you very much for sharing that with us.
MR. NOTHSTINE: Thank you.
This document was ocr scanned. We have made every
attempt to keep the online document the same as the original,
including the recorder's original misspellings or typos.
