Are you registered to vote? Do you want a say in the issues and policies that affect you, your family and the Native community? Use your vote as your voice and be heard. Sealaska strongly encourages tribal member shareholders to vote in the general election on November 2. You must be registered in order to vote. The voter registration deadline in Alaska is Sunday, October 3, 2010. Registration is free.

If you are in Juneau, you can register to vote on the fourth floor of Sealaska Plaza. If you have Internet access, you can visit the Alaska Division of Elections website to register to vote. Or you can go to the Division of Elections in your community. The Division of Elections offices are open Monday through Friday and will be open on the weekend of the registration deadline.

Sealaska will continue to beat the drum of awareness about the importance of voting. But a drummer needs voices, and your vote is your voice. Please join in the song so the voices of Alaska Natives can be heard in our communities, in our state and in our nation’s capitol. Please register and please vote on November 2.

If you are already registered to vote, please join Sealaska in spreading the word about the importance of voter registration and voter participation. Please forward this eNewsletter to your friends and relatives by clicking "Forward to a Friend" button above.

Pictured Left: Malachi Johnson

Malachi Johnson stopped by the Sealaska Plaza the day he was heading to Fort Hood, Texas where he will be stationed for the next two years. Johnson is a private first class in the Army and recently served in Korea. He returned to Juneau to visit family before heading to Texas. He provided us a bit of insight on his desire to enlist and a message to others.

Dressed in his Army green, Johnson told us he was inspired to enlist in the Army after attending the Alaska Military Youth Academy in Anchorage. The mission of the academy is to motivate young men and women to become successful citizens.

Johnson’s message to other young Alaska Natives about the military is, "Don’t over-think it. It will be what you make of it." He recommends Juneau Youth Services for young adults who need a fresh start and a structured environment for success.

Johnson plans on making the Army his career. He is Raven Sockeye and his father is Sam Johnson, III of Juneau. His grandparents are Ray and Helen Watkins also of Juneau.

The San Francisco Tlingit and Haida Community Council cordially invites you to its semiannual Cultural Event on Saturday, October 2, in Oakland, California. The event begins at 11 a.m. The agenda includes Native storytelling, a carving demonstration, a raffle for Alaska Airlines ticket and prizes, a silent auction, door prizes for registration, and a slide show of the University of Alaska Southeast Eagle totem pole raising ceremony held earlier this spring in Juneau. The Haida Laas Dancers of Seattle will perform. To learn more, go here

Pictured Left: Dr. Brian Kemp, who conducted DNA research at Celebration 2008, will summarize his study in his lecture “Genetic Relationships Among Native Alaskans.”

Sealaska Heritage Institute will sponsor a noon lecture series for Native American Heritage Month throughout November. The lectures are open to the public. SHI will also sponsor a Native Artist Market on November 5, 2010. The Native Artist Market will feature dance performances by Angoon dancers and David Boxley’s Tsimshian dancers. The two dance groups will also perform for students at the Juneau Douglas High School and for the general public.

Check out www.sealaskaheritage.org for additional details in the coming weeks. Artists who want to reserve a free table at the artist market should contact Carmaleeda Estrada at carmaleeda.estrada@sealaska.com or 907.586.9280. The deadline to apply for the market is October 15.

Wholly owned Sealaska subsidiary Kánaak Corporation has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), as the Minority Manufacturer Firm of the Year. The honor recognizes Kánaak for their industry leadership, business success, economic impact, philanthropy and community involvement. Continue reading

Sealaska is recruiting qualified applicants with accounting experience for a broad range of positions at corporate headquarters and within subsidiaries. Sealaska’s accounting department is growing, and opportunities may be available from management to internships. If you are interested in employment at Sealaska, we’d like to hear from you. Please see our careers website for specific job postings and check back regularly. You may apply via the online application tool and you will be contacted if your qualifications match a particular accounting position.