Our first edition of Woven includes deep dive stories, impact reports from across the region, community perspectives and more.
‘We are tired of being resilient.’ Our community has told us this time and time again. Yes, Southeast Alaskans, and Alaska Native peoples in particular, are strong — standing today as an act of resistance to colonialism, attempted erasure, and systems that were not built to benefit Indigenous communities. It’s not easy for anyone to live in the remote, rural and rainy, or, to stand hopeful in the face of social and environmental uncertainty.
The word “resilient” envisions growth in the wake of trauma. However, centering trauma, and defining Southeast Alaskans by an ability to withstand impact, does not represent the complexity and beauty of our identity. This is why the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) is changing the name of our monthly column from Resilient Peoples & Place to Woven.
By choosing the name Woven, we emphasize the interconnectedness, strength and balance of our communities. We believe that our identity is more than our ability to survive, but our inherent worth, the vibrant tapestry of our shared experiences, and our continued power to thrive.
As SSP Program Director Marina Anderson explains, “Alone, as warps and wefts, we are fragile. Woven together, we are strong enough to lift our communities.”
We are collaborative and creative. We are joy and laughter. We are self-determined. We are not just responsive to impact, we hold the power to shape our circumstances. That power comes from the tight weave we share across generations, communities, landscapes, disciplines and more. The name Woven celebrates the richness and intricacy of our connections to one another, and to the lands and waters we love.
Each year, the SSP will release a magazine in limited print, and available digitally that compiles stories, perspectives, artwork, and photographs that illustrate the wide work of this collective impact network. Our first edition, ‘Aasgutuyík Tuwa.aax̲ch — Lingít for ‘We hear the sound of the forest’ is available now, most easily viewed on issu.
