HOW IT ALL STARTED

Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic started with three young Iñupiaq community members who wanted positive change. A young man who grew up in the Arctic Slope hunting, fishing, and working in a variety of community positions. A young mother of five Inupiaq children who grew up on the Arctic Slope finishing her masters in rural development, and a young Iñupiaq woman with family rooted in the Nuiqsut and Barrow working in environmental justice organizing in Fairbanks, AK.

In May of 2019 the three attended the Frontline Oil and Gas Conference in Ponca OK, where they learned their community experienced similar things to others close to extractive industry. Cancer clusters, respiratory illnesses, and community divide due to billion dollar corporate interests. They were inspired to try and create a place to share what they had learned and hold their leaders accountable, but most of all they wanted to find hope for a healthier future.

In December of 2019 they released their website, silainuat.org to advocate for a Just Transition from extractive industry with a focus on health and wellness. They tried to balance institutional change and non-institutional grassroots bottom up based organizing. Our movement started to gain momentum with elders and community support and has grown to a place the three founders could have never imagined. We strive to continue this work in a good way with Iñupiaqatigiigñiq: Traditional Iñupiat Values at the core of everything we do.