Reflections on the 2024 Just Transition Summit
By Colin Peacock, AFPC Regional Food Business Center Co-Director
I recently participated in the 2024 Just Transition Summit held on the traditional lands of the Áak'w Ḵwáan people in Juneau, AK. Organized by the Alaska Just Transition Collective (AK JTC), this biennial gathering brought together a diverse group of Alaskans focused on building a sustainable and equitable future for our state. The AK JTC emphasizes collaboration and intersectionality, recognizing Indigenous knowledge as foundational to a just transition. Their guiding principle, "Remembering Forward," acknowledges the wisdom of Alaska Native cultures and seeks solutions embedded within their deep connection to the land.
Each day of the summit started with dancing, singing and learning different phrases in Alaska dialects from across the state. Photo Credit: Alaska Just Transition Collective
It was an inspiring weekend, full of song, dance, healing, and righteous words of anger, joy, and celebration- a good and safe space to be heard, and for me to listen.
I wanted to share some of my food systems reflections from the 3-day summit. In which I need to frame the conversation by sharing that food was a key focus for the summit, specifically Alaska Native food sovereignty. It’s a subject that has a lot of history to it, and is essentially about reclaiming control of the food system taken away during colonization. You can read much more about it in this excellent article by our Executive Director Robbi Mixon which she wrote after the inaugural Alaska Just Transition Summit in 2020.
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“Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations.”
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Breakout session on Indigenous Methodologies to healing.
One area of discussion that further unpacked this was the discussion of the term “subsistence foods”, which there was a deep dissatisfaction with. In the context of Alaska Natives, subsistence foods are not just for basic survival, but are culturally significant foods traditionally hunted, fished, and gathered that connect them to their land and way of life. Federal law defines subsistence uses as the "customary and traditional uses” by rural Alaska residents of wild, renewable resources for direct personal or family consumption as food. This definition is a starting point used to determine specific regulations regarding subsistence hunting and fishing seasons, bag limits, and permit requirements are managed by federal and state agencies.
Many panelists and participants felt it was disempowering and reductive terminology. Especially how its connotation could frame people using it as just getting by, neglecting the rich cultural significance and deep connection to the land inherent in traditional food practices for Alaska Natives. Subsistence foods, some argued, hinders the ability to teach younger generations the knowledge and skills needed to continue these sustainable hunting and fishing practices. It reduces a complex way of life to a basic struggle for survival, failing to capture the deep respect and reciprocity with the land that underpins these practices.
Youth Plenary Panel (Video here), Photo Credit: Alaska Just Transition Collective
Taking back control of fish and wildlife management emerged as a focus area for panelists discussing this subject. The current system, overseen by federal and state entities, can be a barrier to passing down traditional ecological knowledge. By regaining control, communities could ensure these vital food sources are managed with a long-term perspective, informed by the wisdom accumulated over generations. This shift would move beyond the mere act of subsistence, towards a future of food security built on cultural practices that not only nourish the people, but also nurture the land that sustains them.
Food security was also brought up repeatedly in the context of food sovereignty. Increasing local food production, and also in terms of creating a circular economy in Alaska, highlighting the importance of reducing food waste. A circular economy is a way of thinking about our economy that minimizes waste. Instead of using things up and throwing them away, we keep products and materials in use for as long as possible, through things like reuse, repair, and recycling. This creates a closed loop where resources are constantly circulating. Which, tying with my last point about taking back control, is seen as the path forward in which many of the frustrations around the food system in Alaska could be resolved. Realizing the potential of food waste can help ensure more food reaches people who need it. Reusing food scraps for compost nourishes local soil, promoting healthier crops and reducing reliance on external resources. This creates a closed loop where local food production thrives and feeds the community.
Beyond the sessions, the Summit was a great chance to connect with colleagues over shared meals while engaging in discussions on diverse transition-related subjects. There was ample opportunity for networking and celebrating connections, and it was remarkable to see how much connection and passionate conversation occurred every day.
Given the weight of topics discussed, the summit was a challenging experience at times for everyone. But full space was created and taken to express the anger of a people who had experienced the effects of colonization across generations. To the organizers' and leaders’ credit, there was an extremely open dialogue punctuated by singing, dancing, and storytelling and other healing throughout the event. And I was left feeling that it was deeply impactful to participants.
Keynote Speech by President Richard (Chalyee Éesh) Peterson, Tlingit & Haida Central Council. Photo Credit: Alaska Just Transition Collective
Aside from food sovereignty, land back initiatives and legal efforts to reclaim stolen territory were a prominent theme, with President Richard Peterson of Central Council Tlingit and Haida emphasizing their efforts to buy back lawfully what was taken illegally. Recent developments such as Southeast Alaska Communities gaining congressional support for land settlements in the Tongass and how the new state Department of the Interior recognized expanded tribal jurisdiction were echoed as signs of change.
Other notable sessions included learning about Changelabs building an e-ship hub incubator program designed to attract Navajo people from northern Arizona back to traditional homelands from larger cities and to foster entrepreneurship through a venture capital model. Venture capitalists are like seed investors, giving money to promising startups in exchange for part ownership, hoping for a big return if the company thrives. This has implications for our own Regional Food Business Center development. There was a lot to learn as the fundraising they did to secure land, build an entrepreneurial incubator, and support their indigenous businesses can likewise be applied to ours as we do the same for food businesses in rural and Indigenous communities in Alaska.
Gah Kith Tin Alanna Peterson Keynote Panel (video here), Executive Director Spruce Root Community Development. Photo Credit: Alaska Just Transition Collective
Alanna Peterson's keynote speech on the Sustainable Southeast Partnership (SSP) impact resonated deeply with me, showcasing the power of trust-building in fostering collaboration between traditionally disparate groups over a long timespan. Sometimes it takes ten years before you are even ready to do business with someone you previously did not trust! “Moving at the speed of trust” is their guiding principle, and they have a document that talks about why that is their way of making lasting change.
I have previously worked with SSP and I look forward to doing so again along with many of our partners at their coming spring retreat in Sitka! Read about some of the amazing work they have done on food sovereignty here.
Photo Credit: Alaska Just Transition Collective
The summit underscored the importance of centering Indigenous voices and knowledge in building a more just and sustainable food system. Alaska’s own Regional Food Business Center could be a powerful ally in this effort. We are lucky in Alaska that we have two business centers that service it, Alaska Food Policy Council’s Alaska business center, and the Intertribal Agriculture Council’s Center. We are beginning to plan out how it could be to not only provide business development resources but also support the revitalization of traditional food knowledge and cultural practice. Fostering regionally-specific solutions, maximizing local investment impact, and collaborating to create a more diversified and resilient food system. These are the kind of principles we envisioned for our food systems at the Just Transition Summit.
