Alaska’s largest Native organization is challenging a Southeast group to lead the regional campaign to regain federal voting-rights protections. The Alaska Federation of Natives is already campaigning to restore voting protections struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last year. Speaking at a Native Issues Forum in Juneau, President Julie Kitka asked for regional help. “You have the history in our Native community, helping leading us to getting us to the right to vote,” she said. “We need the full weight of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood.”
The organizations have a hundred-year history of advocating for Alaska Native rights, including voting. The Brotherhood and Sisterhood have about 20 local chapters, called “camps,” mostly based in Southeast.
ANB Grand Camp (regional) President Bill Martin said the organizations are behind the effort.
“At our ANB convention in Yakutat in October we passed a resolution. And we’ll be there again this year, both the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood, to voice our objections,” Martin said.
Full Article: AFN Asks For Help in Voting-rights Campaign | Alaska Public Media.