Denali, picturing a better future...

between two types of music is denali, skein of mountains beneath stars brighter than the whispering lights of Anchorage and Fairbanks with the wind and the mountains drowning the world away into clean lines of stillness. a place to return to ... stop and breathe when you feel like your drowning and need to touch the cold again.



In October at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention up in Fairbanks, several inches of snow on the ground with the wind and the latitude making it taste like winter ... I could feel in myself and the community of people drifting in and out of the Carlson Center the walls that we face collectively and individually as we look to the future.

Tonight I remembered this article www.adn.com/2010/07/26/.../village-leader-pleads-for-state.html ... and it pushed me in a good way to remember that we need to get things done here, we need to make things happen. There will be another great chance to learn about opportunities and plans for this Adventure Service work end of November during 350 satellite art...




Check out Gloria O'Neils speech from the convention for some inspiring words about working together to build a better world.

Go Green Alaska for 10/10/10

Come to the Snow Goose on October 10th for 350.org International Climate Action Day, Alaska Go Green... we are working with other top environmental leaders to join the Global Work Party. Live Music and Speakers include





Pamyua (www.tribalfunk.wordpress.com) 907Britt (www.907Britt.com) Melissa Mitchell (www.homegrownak.com/) ... Hig and Erin McKittrick from (www.groundtruthtrekking.org) Larry Mecullieff
(www.arcus.org/arctic_speaker/speakers/merculieff.html) and much more... Additionally we are working to nail down a great IT tech speaker who will present on what is happening with broadband infrastructure in rural Alaska and the associated opportunities for better tech education, digital job creation and online entrepreneurship.

Great opportunity to network for a better Alaska, watch some amazing speakers and learn about new and exciting developments. The Yukon River Media Project's Evolution into true grassroots fledgling Adventure Service Program...

In 2010 we are pushing to run quarterly - perhaps monthly - Adventure Service programs out of different Alaskan Universities to remote communities, creating the space for undergraduate students and Creative Arts & Social Business pros to travel through the wilderness, learn from each other and the environment while spending time in the villages doing a combination of hands on service work and facilitating educational photo/film/creative-arts workshops in the schools. The educational program is designed so that youth from these communities will develop transferable skills by creating high-impact media and social entrepreneurship projects for exhibition and competition based on innovative solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges that face Alaska. We are gaining momentum, improving and it will be all about leveraging partnerships, and changing the world through creativity and business.

If you are interested in participating in one of our trips this fall fire a quick one page email to lastfrontierecoalliance@gmail.com with the details on why you want to get involved, what you are working on or studying, what you think you can offer the program. Its a great opportunity to grab your backpack and sleeping bag and escape for 2-4 days and explore Alaska... but the work in the schools is serious and takes preparation and dedication.

We most likely will be running a two day October trip right out of Anchorage after the 10/10/10 Global Work Party, on the 11th and 12th. Lets work to celebrate climate solutions in Anchorage on the 10th and than lets take that momentum and bring the message and energy to a nearby Alaskan community that is off the road system...

After basic event expenses are covered funds from ticket sales on Sunday will be used to purchase flip video cameras to be distributed to rural Alaskan Schools as part of Adventure Service program... where youth will learn about 350, film and much more.

“What actually makes people happy is full engagement. You are most alive when working at the limit of your abilities.” - Bill McKibben
(find event details @ 350.org, 10/10/10 Global Work Party... under Campaigns, Anchorage Alaska)

whirlwind of leaves

September

The Story of the Last Frontier Eco Alliance...
"Wanted: For hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in case of success."
— Ernest Shackleton

~

Hands Across The Sand

www.handsacrossthesand.org
We pulled together a small group from Fairbanks at the last minute to Participate in Largest Gathering Against Offshore Drilling in History, solidarity with events around the country to raise awareness about the dangers of offshore drilling and call on leaders to end our oil dependence and move America into a clean energy future. June 26 12pm noon.

Middnight Sun Festival

T-Shirts ... gold star for alaska's charm, blue letters on the back and left arm
be a billboard 4 a good cause ... and continuing camera drive for fall 2010 yukon river media project tomorrow the 20th at the middnight sun festival in fairbanks, drop off your cameras at Fairbanks Downtown Association and Northern Center booths.. and find me to learn more about our work, and how you can get involved (will be helping as mc by one of the stages). And how I can get involved in what you are working on... You are also welcome to purchase any type of camera and mail it to my POBOX (email for address), flip video cameras can be bought for about $100 and can earn your business or non profit space on our list of sponsors for this fall's expedition, help our vision find the bandwith it needs to catalyze social change in Alaska.

A lot of the rural villages are anxious because the Yukon King Salmon Run is behind Schedule: http://www.adn.com/2010/06/18/1330234/king-salmon-late-in-returning.html ... this is combined with Gov Parnell's Recent Veto of 25 million funds that had been approved for Renewable Energy Projects ... rhttp://www.thearcticsounder.com/article/1024rural_alaska_reeling_over_veto_of_25_million ...





Lets give youth in these communities a chance to learn about and be inspired by cutting edge social innovators, and a chance to express themselves creatively and find their voice through photography, film and the creative arts.

~

Earth Day Green Mixer

Real Low key, casual....

http://earthdaygreenmixeranchorage.eventbrite.com/

Earth Day Green Mixer and Camera Drive for Yukon River Media Project, Stop by and drop off your old video camera... accepting all types and varieties of cameras. This is an ongoing Camera Drive that will continue through the summer. You can mail your used cameras to me at JT HESSERT (email for address) Every Camera will go directly to rural youth through our program next fall. Screening some films on projector at Anchor starting at 5 through late.

If you all are interested in the vision for Yukon River Media Project , we are hoping to organize Fundraising events for next fall in ANC + Fairbanks linked to the planned expedition: Presentations by our growing Team + some social entrepreneurship/ IT startup technology speakers, Film Screenings, Creative Eco Fashion Show in spirit of Object Runway http://www.adn.com/2010/02/08/v-swf/1130104/objectrunway-fashion-show.html (need to find collaborators), Live Music Concert, some sort of atheltic event (5k), snowfall lottery etc.

All of great ideas but we need local business partners, volunteers, sponsors and lot more. Stop by tonight to learn more, but if you can't make it hit me with an email about opportunities to get involved for next fall.

One big goal I am excited about for the summer is developing / securing bio-fuel powered watercraft ... should make our expedition more efficient and be a great example of what is possible when clean tech innovation meets transportation in the bush. Inspiring article about following your dreams and Expedition Organizing... Any Diesel Engine can run Biodiesel, this guy took a Biodiesel powered zodiak 35 thousand miles around the world ... http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=118&q=&page=all

Thanks JT

"Yukon River Media Project Remixed: Dawning Age of Alaska's Digital Renaissance?"

~ excerpt from a letter re Yukon River Media Project 2010 Linked to University Media Programs ... and Econ Self Determination Opportunities For Remote Isolated Villages that will come with the Connectivity that results from Investments in Rural Alaska BroadBand Infrastructure ~

Read More--->


Yukon River Media Project Remixed: Dawning Age of Alaska Digital Renaissance
or good old fashion cut and paste:
(http://jthessert.posterous.com/yukon-river-media-project-remixed-dawning-age)

Walk For Haiti

"Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted." = Martin Luther King, JR.

The Federal Government has declared the fisheries along the Yukon in Alaska a Disaster (Another Link with Video http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=11830390)(finally). What that exactly means and what it might recognize, solve or cure is unclear. This is announced on January 15th days within the moment the world is shocked by the devastating Earthquake in Haiti. An estimated two hundred thousand are dead and one point five million homeless. In the aftermath of this nightmare I fired off several emails looking for an opening to work or volunteer for an NGO on the ground there, idealistically thinking of taking a leave of absence from my job and leaving my goals here in Anchorage somehow for a few months. As snowflakes swirl out the windows of the coffeeshop from which I write these twin crisis interrupt my thoughts time and time again and I question their unfortunate alignment, their deeper meaning, and realize the depth and power of my connection to Alaska and the clarity of the divide between those with opportunity and those without all over the world.

The question of solutions hangs in the cold air like the breath of the hungry at soup kitchens and aid stations the world over. This past weekend saturday night barrel fire sparks at the half pipe competition in Girdwood when the power went out part way through, people hanging in the chairlift, catcalls in the dark, events people working hard, heavy snowflakes.



After a slew of photos are taken doubling back to Anchorage to Wilda Marsten Theatre where Alaska Communities For Social Justice hosted a powerful event that included an outline of a terrible local case of racial profiling, the trauma the case created for twelve year old son and family, daughter gives mother flowers on stage ... standing ovation. Voices break when words are spoken. Outside snowflakes pouring out of the streaming dark, midnight ice rink without midnight skaters, midnight stars lost in clouds from the same streaming sky over Haiti's lost fortune... like loss of cold to warmth to forever life cycle held lightly in remembrance sever quiet sky clear and starless.

I have a lot of big ideas about how to bring about transformative social change @ scale, I don't blog about that. I focus on these Alaska-Based projects. I will be testing out some of the media-making skills I have been working on developing this weekend with the first Walk for Haiti:

Pasted From the Above Link:

Like all of us, I have been overwhelmed by the devastation in Haiti and struggling to find a meaningful way to help. At this moment, it seems the most effective action we can take is financial... Many of us don't have a lot of money to spare, or are not in a position to travel to Haiti. This walk is a natural and healthy way to make a difference, to address the tragedy in Haiti and honor the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.


On Saturday January 23rd, friends and I are going to walk across the City of Anchorage, taking a creative path for about 15 miles from Kinkaid Park to Downtown, to raise support for Haiti. It would mean a lot if you would support us by giving $1, 5, or 10 per mile, or any other amount. We'd like to direct the money to Partners in Health, an organization with long standing relationships and a deep commitment to Haiti in the short and long term. You can start from Kinkaid (skiis and bikes welcome as well), direct pledges here and decide on your own route during the day. We can reconnect during the evening in Anchorage.

Great people in Manhatten did #15 miles last Sunday and raised over 6 k ...

If you are in Anchorage or close by, join us for a few blocks or a few miles!

You can also follow our progress on twitter at #15miles!

How to pledge online: cut and paste this link and send to your network...


http://act.pih.org/page/outreach/view/haitiearthquake/faceaids

If we donate thru Faceaids a investment firm will match up to 50,000 dollars

Email me your name + any questions : lastfrontierecoalliance@gmail.com

Green Drinks after...

And please join us for a walk through the city, which we will document with a collection of hundreds of beautiful photos and video interviews of people from all walks of life about the disaster in Haiti and the disaster of the Yukon Fishery here in Alaska http://bit.ly/7sd2LG . Even if we don't raise a lot of money here in Anchorage, we intend to use the day to get a better perspective of our community and create positive social impact. The resulting media project will help us explore our sense of interconnectedness, while appreciating the unique beauty of our city on a winter day. Thank you for your time, energy and spirit.

JT HESSERT www.lastfrontierecoalliance.com