WHAT: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration at Alaska Pacific University

WHEN: Monday, October 14, 2019, 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM

WHERE: Alaska Pacific University, Moseley Sports Center, 4400 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508

WHO: Alaska Pacific University, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Native Brotherhood Camp #87, Alaska Native Heritage Center, Anchorage Museum, Native Peoples Action and Native Vision, Native Village of Eklutna, and UAA Native Student Services – This event is free and open to the public. The event will feature traditional >dancing as well as speeches from community members and cultural leaders.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS (as of 10/8):

Ethan Schutt, Chairman of the Board at APU, Mayor Ethan Berkowitz, Debra Call, Heather Kendall Miller

CONFIRMED DANCE PERFORMANCES (as of 10/8):

Alaska Native Charter School Yup’ik Choir, College Gate Yugten Immersion, Lepquinm Gumilgit Gagodim, Kingimiut

BACKGROUND: Indigenous Peoples’ Day (IDP) is celebrated on the second Monday in November across the country and honors and respects the indigenous peoples of this land. It commemorates our shared history and culture and it is a day of celebration. This IDP celebration event hosted on the Alaska Pacific University campus is the largest in the state. Alaska is one of more than 60 cities and states that recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a state holiday. It became permanent state holiday in 2017 when Alaska House Bill 78 was signed into law by then-Gov. Bill Walker. Also, in that same year, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was made permanent by the Municipality of Anchorage. Locally, the Municipality of Anchorage is Alaska’s largest Native village, with more than 23,000 Alaska Natives calling Anchorage home.

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