Caffeine with Kunaan

We are back!!!! The semester was over weeks ago, and we finally finished moving, but it turns out that not logging into various websites and programs meant updating a lot of things and figuring out once again how to make my equipment work. I finished one episode that I promised a while ago and look forward to starting recording new topics for y'all.

This is a continuation of the two discussions in our Fairbanks City Government regarding Land Acknowledgements. One discussion was happening at the Fairbanks City Council and the other was happening at the Fairbanks Diversity Council. One conversation may make you angry as it did me, but the other won't.

Here are the links to listen to the original meetings yourselves that were in either the first Land Acknowledgement episode or this one:

https://www.fairbanksalaska.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/fairbanks_diversity_council/meeting/31371/03_08_22_diversity_council_agenda_-_revised.pdf

Don't forget you can leave me voice messages on my website: caffeinewithkunaan.com

If you do leave a voice message, let me know if it's okay to use it in a podcast episode or not. I promise not to do anything if you want the message kept quiet.

You can also email me at [email protected] if you have any podcast ideas, would like to be a guest to talk about something that impacts us here in Alaska (especially if you are talking about something in the Fairbanks area), or if you just want to tell me something.

If you have the means and would love to help me out, please consider leaving a donation. Every dollar helps. Currently, we have 2 private donors and one donor I am excited to share more about in the next podcast episode. I will consider all donations private unless you tell me otherwise. If you let me know your donation is public, I will mention you in my next podcast episode.

In this episode, we are joined by Rose O'Hara-Jolley from Planned Parenthood Advocates Alliance to discuss where abortion access is in Alaska, where it could go, myths around abortions, and what we can do to not only protect but ensure Abortion Access for every Alaskan.

Planned Parenthood Advocates Alliance Alaska has a website to volunteer in this election, see what candidates they have endorsed, and other information just for Alaskans. Don't forget to sign up for their emails to learn about local actions, bills or other laws that would impact Alaskans and our abortion access, and other information that's useful as a community advocate. You can still do last minute canvassing or phone banking to remind people that the election is just around the corner. One of PPAA's amazing employees will make sure you have supplies and know how to get their attention if you do end up having questions.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th, this year. Please make a plan to vote and bring a friend who usually forgets. This is not the year to assume that everyone else will vote. Your voice will make a difference.

Rose mentioned Sister Song, which is an organization that focuses on reproductive justice for Black community members as well as other people of color. We highly recommend that you check them out, learn more about reproductive justice and how you can ensure equitable abortion access in your community, and how to advocate for those who aren't privileged within Alaska.

To learn more about domestic violence and healthy relationships, which was briefly mentioned in the podcast at least twice, please go to Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living.

If you are able to donate and you liked listening to the show, please go to our website and consider giving a one time donation or setting up a monthly donation so our podcast can continue and grow.

KWRK is an amazing, local, volunteer run organization that airs out podcasts including Caffeine with Kunaan.

In this episode, we learn what a Constitutional Convention is, what to expect, who is part of Defend Alaska Constitution, and what we can do.

To learn more about this topic or volunteer, go to defendakconstitution.com and look around the website. Luke Hopkins shared his email, [email protected], if you want to email him with additional questions.

To look at Alaska's Constitution, go to the Lt. Governor's website. You can also look up the Constitutional Convention at akleg.gov, which I hyperlinked for you.

We mentioned one of NAACP's Candidate Forums in the episode. It's the one for District 31, 32, and Senate P; but you can look at the other Districts they have on their YouTube as well.

Please talk with your friends and family about the upcoming election, what will be on their ballot, and make a plan to vote and bring a friend who usually forgets. Election Day is November 8th. Early Voting starts October 24th for those who know they are busy on Tuesdays.

Vote No on 1.

In this episode, Kunaan shares two different conversations around Resolution 4981. This Resolution would have added a Land Acknowledgement to the beginnign of Fairbanks City Council Meetings to be read the same time the Council gives a Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation (or prayer). One conversation we follow is from Fairbanks City Council itself and the other is from Fairbanks Diversity Council. This is only the beginning of the conversations, so there will be more episodes covering these conversations.

We do apologize for taking so long to publish this episode. Kunaan struggled to record this several months ago. She kept putting this episode off until summer hit; this is when she decided to slow down and take a different tactic. They listened to over 9 different meetings, editing out clips while doing this. Then once again, they struggled to record before deciding to record when they could and editing along the way.

She will be back to finish the rest of this conversation, but plans to release one or two more episodes before releasing a part two for this episode.

You can look at the agendas for the different meetings in this episode if you like: the first Fairbanks City Council Meeting, the second City Council Meeting, and the first Fairbanks Diversity Council Meeting.

Elections for a new Mayor and two City Council seats will happen on October 4th, but early voting begins September 19th (this upcoming Monday). You will also be able to vote for FNSB Borough Assembly, FNSB School Board, and North Pole City Council. The two city councils are only available to vote on if you live in the city limits for the city council you want to vote in.

Hey peoples! How is your summer starting out?

In this episode, we are interviewing Wasabi, who is a friend of mine, about her music and goals. We picked out four songs to share, but she has plenty more you can listen to. All of the songs we shared are available on Wasabi's YouTube, but she has even more songs than what's available there.

Here is the link to Wasabi's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYFCFyT3r_9EYOEkc7oiJGQ

Here is the link to Wasabi's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/akwasabi

Here is a link to a song Wasabi did for Sovereignty Stories: https://brightshores.org/wewillrise

Here is a link for information to go with Sovereignty Stories song: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A72634a85-27c2-4403-999f-3b51a6015ebb&fbclid=IwAR0B-rPPpiioJRbCpeD28Bw6ybKrIw6uLPxDQ6SthOAYR76wK-0MUQh-bG4#pageNum=7

Here is a link to KWRK: https://www.kwrk.org/

Please share out local artists and support them. Quyanaqpak for listening.

In this episode, Hannah Hill, the Executive Director of Bread Line Inc, joins us to talk about the various aspects of the Bread Line from the employees to the volunteers to the guests and their needs. This low barrier way to feed the community has helped me in the past and I love working with them to help educate and feed people to this day.

To donate time, money, or supplies to the Bread Line, go to breadlineak.org or call (907) 452-1974. Also follow them on Facebook to see daily updates and remember how hard people are working in our city.

Also mentioned in this episode were Choosing Our Roots, the Rescue Mission and KWRK.

In this episode, Kunaan has a conversation with Rep. Geran Tarr about bills she's introduced in the House. These bills would make changes to how police are allowed to interact with the public, create data for law makers to work with, and create public safety.

The House Bills introduced by Rep. Tarr are HB253, HB254, HB255, HB256, HB269, and HB270. She suggested that you call her office and talk to David (907-465-3424} or email her.

Rep. Tarr mentioned that these bills she introduced are the Sister Bills to ones Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson introduced in the Senate. The Senate Bills are SB1, SB2, SB3, SB4, SB7 and SB46. These are the bills that will have a tab for documents where you can find information that supports the bills.

When you go to the main page, at the bottom, you will find 3 pieces of information. The first one Rep. Tarr mentioned was texting the bill (for example, HB253) you want information on to 559-245-2529 to enroll for text messages about the bill. The second thing she mentioned was Bill Tracking Management Facility which you sign up to get emailed updates. The third thing wasn't mentioned, but you can put in your address to find your legislators.

Kunaan brought up an event that will be held in Anchorage on April 1st, Justice for Bishar Hassan. My condolences to Bishar's family. They are not the only people grieving because of Police Violence in our state.

We also mentioned donating to your local soup kitchen, which is Stone Soup Cafe in Fairbanks. You can also donate to KRWK. If none of these links work or you would like to donate to Kunaan so she can continue this work, go to caffeinewithkunaan.com

In this episode, Andrée McLeod and Robin O'Donoghue, both from AKPIRG,  join Kunaan to help explain Governor Dunleavy's Executive Order 121, what is known and unknown about how this will impact Alaskans, a House Special Concurrent Resolution (HSCR2) that was introduced, and what we as Alaskans can do.

They didn't mention this form AKPIRG created that you can fill out and edit to be sent to your legislators, but I'm adding it here.

They did mention that we can testify to House Health & Social Services Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 1st, at 3 pm. The phone number to call is 907-465-4648 and the email address is [email protected]

They also recommended communicating with your Senators and Representatives as well as reaching out to your LIO for more information.

You can also reach out to AKPIRG for more information.

We would like to thank our donors and KWRK for the help they give me. If you would like to support this podcast, please donate at the website.

If the platform you are using to listen to this program doesn't hyperlink everything in this text box, then go to caffeinewithkunaan.com and look for links there.

In this episode, Kunaan interviews Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq Gamache. Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq shares her personal story about the struggles in finding adequate medical care for her son in Alaska, gives advice on what everyone can do to make changes, gives advice to others in similar situations, and shares what gives her hope when everything seems to be working against her. Better bring some tissues and be prepared to cry and laugh.

Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq mentioned Stand Up Alaska and has since created a Facebook group called Alaska Coalition for Equitable Access to Care.

Don't forgt to write emails to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young. If you click on their names, you should find the phone numbers to their offices where you can ask their staff questions or leave short messages as well. We mentioned Build Back Better as a possible conversation piece.

We also mentioned contacting Gov. Mike Dunleavy, your State Senators, and your State Representatives. We mentioned the Governor's proposed budget and the President's Infrastructure Law as possible points of conversation.

If you need help either figuring out the best way to send anyone who represents you an email, email Kunaan. If you need help figuring out how to find out your rights, email Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq Gamache.

We are grateful to our donor. You can donate at our website. Also consider donating to KWRK as they share my podcast along with other local voices.

Hey peoples! Racism still exists and Alaska is not exempt despite what people may say or believe. In this episode, Alyssa Quintyne joins me to talk about racism, how it impacts Alaskans, lateral violence, and oppression olympics.

We realized that we forgot to thank Alyssa for joining us for this important discussion while recording, and while this isn't the same, we wanted to make sure that we publicly thanks her for taking the time and labor to share her knowledge, personal stories, and information to help us work towards making Alaska more inclusive and equitable. She went above and beyond for all of us and we are grateful.

Here are the articles that Alyssa Quintyne mentioned in the episode:

The Danger of Oppression Olympics

The Intersectionality Wars

White Supremacy Culture

Here is the article Kunaan mentioned that discusses the Wampanoags, their version of the first Thanksgiving, and the regret that they feel for their actions.

Here are some podcasts that Kunaan recommends listening to:

Still Processing

Seeing White

Code Switch

Here to Slay

The Diversity Gap

The Red Nation

This Land

All My Relations

Local to Fairbanks Black and Indigenous led organizations are NAACP of Fairbanks, Native Movement, and SILA.

To donate to or volunteer with Bread Line, Inc., go to their website, call 452-1974 or email [email protected]

Check out the website, caffeinewithkunaan.com, to donate or for updates. Please only donate if you have the funds. KWRK also airs our podcast, so consider donating to them as well.