Indianz.Com > News > Alaska Federation of Natives: A significant step towards healing and justice
Benjamin Mallott
Benjamin Mallott, who is Tlingit and Athabascan, serves as President of the Alaska Federation of Natives. Photo: AFN
Alaska Federation of Natives Responds to President Biden’s Apology
Friday, October 25, 2024
Indianz.Com

Anchorage, Alaska — The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) welcomes President Joe Biden’s apology to Native boarding school students and their families. This historic acknowledgment marks a significant step towards healing and justice for Indigenous communities affected by a policy that has caused deep-seated trauma over generations.

The findings from the federal government’s comprehensive study, conducted under President Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, lay bare the dark realities of the boarding school era. Our communities have lived with the lasting effects of the boarding school era, which stripped away language, culture, and familial bonds and perpetuated cycles of dysfunction within our communities. Tragically, some students never reunited with their families and homelands because they lost their lives due to the realities of the U.S. board school era and policies.

AFN President Benjamin Mallott stated, “We appreciate President Biden’s acknowledgment of the pain and trauma caused by the boarding school policies. This apology is an important step forward, but it must be accompanied by meaningful actions addressing these historical injustices’ ongoing impacts. This includes revitalizing our languages and cultures and bringing home our Native children who have not yet been returned, so they can be laid to rest with their families and in their communities.”  

At the 2021 and 2023 AFN Conventions, delegates voted on and passed Resolution 23-14 supporting the Alaska Native Heritage Center’s Lach’qu Sukdu Research Program to promote healing through awareness, and Resolution 21-9 supporting the inception of Orange Shirt Day and observing the Day of Truth honoring the lost children who never returned home.  

At the recent 2024 AFN Convention, delegates passed Resolution 24-5, which supports Senate Bill 1723 and House Bill 7227. These pieces of legislation aim to establish the Truth and Healing Commission on Federal Indian Boarding School Policies Act in the United States. This Commission will conduct a comprehensive inquiry and investigation into the genocide and assimilation policies associated with boarding schools and education. It will also mandate that any repatriation solutions be applied to our children’s graves, regardless of the land status where they are located. 

AFN encourages all levels of government to actively engage with Native communities. It is essential that our voices are heard and that lessons from our past lead to meaningful change. We also seek the support of the federal government to aid efforts in bringing all Alaska Native and American Indian children back to their home communities. We stand united in our commitment to healing and cultural revitalization and look forward to collaborating on initiatives that will secure a better future for our children and generations to come. 

The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) is the largest statewide Native organization in Alaska. Founded in 1966, AFN celebrated its 50th year in 2016. Its membership includes 177 federally recognized tribes, 154 village corporations, 9 regional corporations, and 10 regional nonprofit and tribal consortiums that contract and compact to run federal and state programs. AFN is governed by a 38-member board, which is elected by its membership at the annual convention held each October. AFN’S mission is to enhance and promote the cultural, economic and political voice of the entire Alaska Native community. Learn more at nativefederation.org.
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