Articles tagged with: Alaska Natives
Providence Hospital offers LGBT-inclusive course on cross-cultural communication
Providence Alaska Learning Institute is presenting a course this coming Monday on Courage, Compassion and Cross Cultural Communication, particularly in the medical setting. This course specifically includes the LGBT community.
Need more info? Contact Chaplain Susan M. Halvor, Senior Chaplain at Providence Alaska Medical Center and a member of the LGBT clergy of our community. She can be reached at 212-2993 or by email at susan.halvor@providence.org.
The course is aimed at nurses, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapists and therapy assistants, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, radiology technicians, physicians, patient care technicians, certified nurse assistants, spiritual care, psychologists, social services — in short, anyone who works or interacts with people.
Three panel discussions, with opportunities to visit table displays from different community members, will include representation from Hmong, Japanese, Polynesian, Islamic, Russian Orthodox, Hispanic, Alaska Native (Inupiat), Navajo, military, and gay/lesbian communities.
Keynote speakers include:
- Fr. Michael Oleksa, talking about the basics of Cross Cultural Communication
- Barb Jacobs, Alaska Immigration Justice Project, talking about Interpreting Skills
- Karen Ferguson, Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services at Catholic Social Services, presenting “Refugees 101”
The course is approved for continuing education credit in nursing. To obtain full contact hour credit for this activity you must sign the roster; attend 100% of the presentation; complete the Assessment of Learning and the course evaluation form.
- Date/time: Monday, October 24, 2011, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Location: East Auditorium, Providence Alaska Medical Center, 3200
- Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission: registration $50.00
- Further info: see the Course registration form, or contact Rev. Susan Halvor at 212-2993 or by email at susan.halvor@providence.org
A Lesbian in the Bush: Tales of LGBT Life in a Native Village
by Angela Minor
Please welcome a new contributor, Angela Minor, with a new series on her experiences as an openly LGBT teacher in the Southeast Alaska village of Angoon. First of a multipart series.
Angela Minor is a professional freelance writer. She specializes in destination pieces, personality profiles, and civil rights commentary. Her work is published locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Sample portfolios can be seen at iFreelance, Yahoo Contributor Network, and 10ThousandCouples. Follow her on Twitter @Angela_Minor.
Moving to a new location and starting a new job both rank at the top of the greatest-stressors-in-life list. I feel sure the data for these studies did not include relocating to a Native Tlingit subsistence village in the bush of Alaska. Nor did they incorporate information from LGBT individuals. Therefore, the stress-findings on this list paled in comparison to the “nerves” I experienced as Mal inched her way into the deep port at Angoon.
With two dogs, a bird, and a U-Haul trailer in tow, I exited the ferry M/V Malaspina (Mal) into the pouring rain and darkness. The school system had offered me a teaching job several months earlier, and this was the moment for which I had planned. Two teachers met me at the dock and guided me to the system-housing apartment. They pointed to the building and quickly departed, leaving behind admonitions to watch for bears. I knew that Admiralty Island had three bears to every person, but I didn’t think that meant in the town! After all, the island was almost a million square acres? I added this to the stress list for the night.
After sitting anxiously on the floor of the empty apartment waiting for daylight, the first visitor arrived at my door. The neighbor, a fellow teacher, came knocking with greetings and advice. “The native people will want to know why you came with a female companion,” he stated. My partner at the time was with me, so there was, in my mind, no confusion as to my demographic – female, white, lesbian. He “assured” me that in a village the size of Angoon (pop. 600) everyone would know by lunchtime. I had plainly told the hiring committee months ago, and had lived openly for many years. I did not see a problem. Honestly, the bears made me more nervous that the neighbor’s predictions.
The first day of school arrived and my little leaky pre-fab classroom was overflowing with fifth and sixth grade students. This was the day to test the new teacher, which is the rule in every school. One student in particular, let’s call him Johnny, led the charge to determine who was the leader. He danced around, shouted, told jokes, left the room, and rolled around on the floor. So I sat on the floor with him, calmly explaining that he could participate in his own education or go see the principal. He chose the principal. All was calm, until the next morning.
Before the school day began, I was summoned to the principal’s office to meet with Johnny’s grandfather. Walking up the hill to the main building, the neighbor’s predictions rushed unexpectedly into my mind. This meeting was not going to be about teaching, the classroom, or Johnny – it was going to be about me personally. As my blood pressure rose, I reviewed all the responses that every LGBT person keeps in their mind for just such an occasion.
I entered the office and could cut the tension with a knife. The grandfather’s body language was hostile and Johnny wore a look of smug victory. Clearly the meeting had begun without me. Without the niceties of introduction, the grandfather spouted out, “Why are you picking on Johnny?” Before I could inhale for a reply, he responded to his own question. “You white people always treat us like this…” My brain froze. This was not about LGBT bigotry; it was about racial bigotry. As we continued through the meeting in search of common ground for Johnny’s education, I listened carefully for any indication whatsoever of anti-gay sentiment. There was none. I could not, however, take comfort in this since the room was filled with the grandfather’s racially laden accusations and ignorance. Clearly I would have an even steeper hill to climb in Angoon.
To be continued.
It Gets Better for Native American Youth
“This is for all the LGBTQ Native youth throughout the country. From the villages in Alaska, to the Islands in Hawaii, to every corner of Indian Reservations across America… It Gets Better… we are living proof!!”
If you or someone you know is feeling alone, call the Trevor Project, they can help: 1-866-4U-TREVOR.
Watch the new It Gets Better video from the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center:
Alaska Native youth for Scott McAdams
Verner Wilson III, who spoke at Pride Conference last year, is at the Alaska Federation of Natives Elders & Youth Conference this week and is one of four Alaska Native youth in a new video for U.S Senate candidate Scott McAdams. McAdams grew up in rural Alaska, worked as a fisherman in western Alaska and supports the teaching of Native languages. He also supports LGBT equality.
Here is the video:
Verner shared more reasons for supporting McAdams:
5 things you might not know about Scott McAdams
1) He was born to a single mother in rural Alaska, and admitted they didn’t always have food in the cupboard of their small house growing up.
2) He fought at School Board conferences to allow schools to teach Alaska Native languages.
3) He’s just 40 years old, and wants to gain seniority in the US Senate and use this power to make Alaska energy-independent and help us in the long run while voting for Democratic values (unlike Lisa who is entrenched by big oil and Republicans).
4) As a fisherman in Sitka alongside his indigenous wife, they understand and will fight for subsistence…HE’S ONE OF US!
5) He’s within striking distance of beating both the Republicans in the latest polls and if you vote for him you can put him over the top, really pissing off Joe Miller!
