Like a book our lives have many chapters. One chapter of note is the birth of a child. An independent entity that will have a life of its own, but is still somehow, “yours” because you gave so much of yourself just to bring them into the world. You can care about them, worry about them, and sacrifice for them. You want to influence them and try carefully not to recover missed opportunities by living your life through them. In the end, the best you can do for your child is to help them learn to live without you. The same is true for a business enterprise or non-profit and now is ARK’s time.
The Alliance first appeared on the scene in Oregon in 2008, where friends Amber and Heather helped me formalize years of community organizing around hopscotch painting at local schools and parks. It sprouted once again in Alaska in 2011 where Peggy, Miriam, and Loretta helped establish the current 501c3 nonprofit with a focus on community resilience. In the beginning, the mission was the simple acknowledgement that people helping people makes the world a better place. It solidified into an academic goal of providing educational opportunities that empower individuals and enrich the communities where they live. After the pandemic, the mission stayed the same, but the efforts shifted from academic, to workforce development. Specifically establishing the means to provide wrap around services for marginalized individuals and over 12 months, help them work a 12-step program that transform what many see as a community liability into an asset of unlimited potential.
“Grow” is the title of our newsletter, not because we are an agricultural organization but because we are committed to personal growth as a formal entity. Change is inevitable, but growth is optional and to grow, healthy capable adults need a village too. Everything we do at the global level is simply designed to provide the support needed for every blade of grass to grow strong in the light of the sun. There are so many non-profits, government agencies, and religious organizations that provide services for when someone falls but, there is simply not enough work being done to weave the cultural net that allows people the safety to fail (a critical part of growth) and when they do, the support to keep them from dying of loneliness and despair. This is the heart of the Good Jobs for a Green World program, which is now our corporate focus.
On August 1, 2024, our small global community will celebrate the beginning of a new chapter as we officially establish Alaska as an independent organization. While still under the umbrella of the corporate 501c3, the state chapter will only focus on the common self-reliance goals of the region. It has its own bank account with Credit Union One and applications are now being accepted for an inaugural governance council. Furthermore, the focus will be on just meeting the needs of the people of this state. Working with the corporate board and our advisory Global Rainbow Congress, we will help the local council stand, walk, and learn to live, play, and leave an enduring legacy. A model for how people, communities, states, and ultimately nations learn to work together as we remember we are all one family, and this is our home.
Alaska is positioned to be a global hub of culture and commerce. With that awesome power comes the great responsibility to think beyond the next budget cycle, to see beyond the next election term, and learn to think critically about how our individual actions impact the world now and for seven generations. This is not a novel or unique way of thinking, but the deep wisdom of the land passed down for eons and only forgotten recently because of the capitalist way of thinking about pieces and the control of commodities.
Ultimately, making the best of what happens next will be up to the people of this land. We are humbled and honored to serve as we can to help keep everyone looking up and moving forward as we explore the strange new worlds of a bright future.