I’ve been a part of the KNBA and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation’s broadcast coverage of the annual Alaska Federation of Natives convention for four years – two of those have been virtually.

AFN may be one of the most important events in Alaska – as thousands of Alaska Native people, Tribes, governments, communities and organizations come together to hear updates from dignitaries, as well as develop key state and federal policy that will impact generations into the future.

I love covering the Alaska Federation of Natives convention. Most people don’t get to see all the scrambling and planning that are behind the scenes of our national broadcast – but it can be high energy sometimes. But what a cathartic feeling when things gel and come together.

The convention is so important to me that I covered it virtually in 2020 from home, with a pretty bad case of COVID-19. I wasn’t about to miss the opportunity.

This year, I’m extremely grateful to have built a newscast team and a wrap-up team that was 100 percent Indigenous – and everyone but me (Ojibwe) were Alaska Native. I’m so proud of the work that people did to help provide newscasts and commentaries, as well as their unique insights into Alaska Native communities.

I firmly believe that self-determination and sovereignty extend to media coverage of Indigenous events and communities, and our Native coverage team is a perfect example of that.

I am forever indebted to and proud of the work that Alyssa London, Hannah Bissett, Alice Qannik Glenn, Lyndsey Brollini and others put in to make the newscasts and end-of-day coverage work.

It couldn’t have been done without partnerships from organizations like Native American Calling, KTOO in Juneau, First Alaskans Institute and the Alaska Federation of Natives, among others.

These kinds of broadcasts also would not be possible without the support of listeners, funders like The CIRI Foundation, and the wider Koahnic Broadcast Family.