Language Access

Building language equity by weaving Indigenous knowledge into every space.

Why is Language Access Important?

Niłeereech’yaa, We Are Counting
American Community Survey (ACS) Resources in Alaska Native Languages

Learn more about the American Community Survey (ACS)

Health & Policy Information Equity

  • The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped life everywhere, but its impacts were not felt equally. In the Arctic, Indigenous women experienced the pandemic in ways shaped by gender, culture, language, and place. The COVID-GEA Project was created in collaboration with The George Washington University and AKPIRG to better understand these experiences by centering Indigenous women’s voices and ensuring that research findings were accessible to the communities they came from. Together, they engaged Indigenous communities in Alaska and the Nenets Region to examine the gendered impacts of COVID-19 across the Arctic.

    This work was completed through AKPIRG’s Iñupiaq (Inupiaqtun) Language Panel. You can view the full toolkit here.

  • Protecting Our Mamaqs: An Environmental Health Toolkit for Breast Cancer Prevention is designed to train Community Health Aides/Practitioners (CHA/Ps), health care professionals, and the people of Alaska about environmental contaminants found in the North and Arctic regions that are linked to breast cancer. This project was in partnership and collaboration with Alaska Community Actions on Toxics (ACAT). Our Yugtun (Yupik) language panelists worked on translations for eight fact cards. 

    You can view the fact cards and the full toolkit here.

Community Language Networks

  • It is not only vital that information be translated into Alaska Native languages, but it is critical how the translation process is done.

    As AKPIRG worked on various language projects, we started recognizing themes across projects; patterns and protocols for building trusting relationships with our language panelists, and creating incredible results.

    With the help of our Indigenous Language Translation Consultant, Annauk Olin, we have put together the Alaska Native Language Protocols. You can read the full protocols as well as a short 2-page version here.

  • In order to make sure translation work is done well, AKPIRG convenes language panels of Alaska Native language experts, Elders, language learners, and culture bearers. These convenings include education, cross-cultural dialogues, and other key components of creating a more connected, thriving language revitalization ecosystem.

    Learn more about our Alaska Native Language Panels below!

Voting & Elections

  • In 2020, AKPIRG worked with Yup’ik language experts to produce information about the new Ranked Choice Voting system, linked here.

    In addition, our Language Access Team worked with Language Panelists to share messages encouraging their communities to vote. Those messages can be found here.

    In 2022, with the partnership of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), AKPIRG hired a team of Filipino-American community leaders in Kodiak to distribute information about voting in Tagalog during the 2022 election cycle.

  • AKPIRG’s Language Access Team convened our Language Panels to translate Census materials, for the first time ever, into eight Alaska Native Languages. This was in order to remove the barriers towards getting an accurate count.

    In addition, we created and translated ‘Know Your Rights’ information into 11 world languages. All of this work can be found on Alaska Counts.

  • With the partnership of Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), AKPIRG hired a team of Filipino American community leaders in Kodiak to distribute information about voting in Tagalog during the 2022 election cycle.

  • Learn more here.

Alaska Native Language Panels

AKPIRG convenes multigenerational panels of Alaska Native language experts, Elders, language learners, and culture bearers from across the state, representing nine distinct languages. These panels guide translation work, develop culturally resonant messaging, and contribute to both community-specific and statewide projects. Through collaboration and cultural exchange, the panels foster healing, connection, and the reclamation of Alaska Native languages.

Do you have a request for translation or a language access project for our team?

Use the form below to get in touch:

Language Access Project Request Form

Ahtna / Atnakenaege’

Dena’ina / Dena’ina Qenaga

Gwichyaa Zhee Gwich’in / Dinjii Zhuh K’yaa

Neets'aįį Gwich’in / Dinjii Zhuh K’yaa

Inupiaq / Inupiaq

Koyukon / Denaa Kkenaage’

Tlingit / Lingít

Unangax̂ / Unangam Tunuu

Yup’ik / Yugtun