UAF and Kawerak Inc. hosted the second annual Alaska Native Collaborative Hub for Research on Resilience gathering in March 27-28 in Nome. ANCHRR focuses on the strengths of Alaska Native people, culture and communities to describe community-level factors that reduce risk and increase youth wellness.

The second statewide gathering brought together about 100 community members from across the state. The two-day gathering opened with remarks from John Waghiyi from Savoonga, who shared stories of resilience. Other keynote speakers were UAF’s Walkie Charles and Baxter Bond, both of whom spoke about language revitalization as part of community wellbeing.

Rural human services students were highlighted in a leadership panel for conducting the Alaska Native community resilience study, part of ANCHRR. The meeting facilitated roundtable discussions with representation from across the state on what communities are doing to promote strengths and protective factors for their youth. The meeting ended with a local potluck and dance group performances.

For more information on ANCHRR visit the website or follow the organization on Facebook or Instagram.