Amplifying Indigenous Voices for Energy and Broadband Justice in Rural Alaska
July 30th, 2024 | Written By: Lila Hobbs and Autumn Cantu
Hobbs
Imagine opening your electric bill one day and finding that your rate had increased by 400% without warning. Last month you paid $500—already a cripplingly high sum—and the next month you’re being asked to pay $2,000. Or what if your town lost 911 services for six months? Who would you call in an emergency? What if you lost power while caring for a terminally ill relative and all the food they had harvested and frozen was lost? What if you lost access to the internet for months?
These stories are real. Communities across Alaska, particularly rural communities, are navigating the stark realities of persistent, systemic energy injustice in rural Alaska. These challenges represent only a small glimpse into the infrastructure instability across Alaska.
Energy injustice refers to the unequal distribution of affordable, reliable energy resources. In rural Alaska, this manifests as disproportionately high energy bills, unreliable power generation, and limited access to essential services like broadband and telecommunications. These disparities are more than inconveniences—they have profound implications for health, safety, and economic stability. When communities are cut off from reliable energy and communication networks, their ability to thrive is severely compromised.
The roots of energy injustice in rural Alaska are deeply intertwined with the legacies of colonization and systemic racism. Through my work and relationships with Tribal communities, I have witnessed how rural Alaska bears the burden of disproportionately high costs for basic essentials like electricity, internet, and phone services. Energy insecurity and the persistent digital divide are manifestations of an ongoing legacy of colonialism, resource extraction, and systemic marginalization of Indigenous people. The disproportionately high costs, decaying infrastructure, and substandard services in rural Alaska are direct consequences of chronic underfunding, policies of forced assimilation, and the intergenerational trauma inflicted by a centuries-old, extractive worldview rooted in the denial of Indigenous sovereignty.
While my understanding is shaped by my work and the time I spend in communities across rural Alaska, the lived experiences of Alaska Native individuals provide crucial insights into these challenges. My colleague and co-author, Autumn Cantu, a Koyukon Athabascan from Ruby, AK, brings professional expertise and a profoundly personal understanding of these realities.
Cantu
The loss of subsistence food due to power outages has been particularly devastating. After the significant effort involved in hunting, butchering, and storing food, seeing it spoil due to an inconsistent power supply is heartbreaking and threatens our food security. These experiences underscore the urgent need for reliable renewable energy systems in rural Alaskan communities. Embracing renewable energy addresses these challenges and eases the financial strain of escalating electricity bill.
In my work as the Rural & Indigenous Outreach (RIO) Director at The Mobilization Center and MMIWG2S Communications Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Native Movement, I advocate for equal rights in community safety. Our work emphasizes the critical necessity of reliable energy, broadband services, and consistent telecommunications throughout all rural Alaskan communities.
Hobbs & Cantu
We recognize that addressing these critical needs requires a radical paradigm shift—one that centers on transformative solutions rooted in Tribal sovereignty, Indigenous self-determination, and decolonial models of sustainable development. To build a just and sustainable future, we must combat energy injustice and bridge the digital divide in rural Alaska. Prioritizing Tribal energy sovereignty empowers Indigenous communities to control their energy resources and determine their futures through development aligned with their values and traditional ecological knowledge systems. Investing in Tribally-led renewable energy, such as solar and wind microgrids, can provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable power. These initiatives pave the way for the creation of Tribally-owned independent power producers, fostering economic independence, creating local jobs, and generating revenue for critical community services. Enhancing broadband infrastructure owned and operated by Tribes is equally vital, ensuring digital self-governance and unrestricted access to opportunities in telehealth, online education, and economic development.
But true systemic change demands we dismantle the root causes of inequity. This includes significantly increasing federal funding for rural infrastructure development directed by and accountable to Tribal nations. It also means empowering tribal communities by making grant applications and financing mechanisms easily accessible and continually tailored to their needs, and by removing unattainable match requirements. It necessitates meaningful collaboration between federal and state government, the private sector, and Tribal governments—not as an act of charity, but as a restorative process in service of Tribal sovereignty.
We share a vision for Alaska’s future: Imagine a future where every Alaskan Tribe controls its energy resources, where access to broadband and telecommunications are open and accessible to all Alaskans. We see villages powered by renewable energy systems that respect cultural values and ensure long-term resilience. In this new reality, we envision an Alaska where the digital divide is a distant memory and every future generation has access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, regardless of location. Together with our communities and partners, we are committed to turning this vision into reality.
Written By: Lila Hobbs and Autumn Cantu
Lila Hobbs, Energy Justice Lead, Native Movement
Lila Hobbs (she / her) was born and raised on the unceded Dena'ina lands now known as Anchorage. She received her BA in International Relations from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Global Health from Johns Hopkins University. She has devoted the past decade and a half to working at the intersection of coalition building, policy and advocacy, and communications. Lila is deeply committed to uplifting Indigenous knowledge and advocating for a regenerative economy, reproductive rights, criminal and juvenile justice reform, and refugee rights. Beyond her work at Native Movement, you can find her practicing radical listening and bearing witness to local storytellers as the President of Arctic Entries, rescuing lost and injured people in the backcountry, and gleefully careening down mountains on her beloved mountain bike, Tallulah (“Lu”).
Autmn Cantu, Rural & Indigenous Outreach (RIO) Director at The Mobilization Center and MMIWG2S Communications Coordinator & Graphic Designer at Native Movement
Autumn (she / her ) is originally from Ruby, Alaska. Her parents are Francis Captain Sr. and Deanna Houlton, Her grandparents are Martha Wright, the late Eugene Floyd Davis on her mother’s side, and the late Eleanor Captain and the late William (Billy) Captain Sr. on her father’s side.Autumn spends her free time with her family, enjoying the outdoors and reading as much as possible. Autumn is attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) for her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and plans to go for her Master’s degree in Social Work as well. She has an exceptional work history with years of knowledge in training staff, establishing rapport with clients, and strategic planning. Autumn is the business owner of Cantu Tactics & Consulting (CTC), she currently works at Native Peoples Action and Native Peoples Action Community Fund as the Communication & Indigenous Engagement Manager. She has also worked at Recover Alaska, as a Youth Wellness Coordinator. She has years of experience as a Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (TVR) Technician, Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success (SPF-PFS) Project Director, and a Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC), where she worked for 5 years. Autumn also worked in Galena, Alaska as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) for about 3 years at the Yukon Koyukuk Elder Assisted Living Facility (YKEALF). Overall, she has gained many partnerships throughout her work history. Autumn is very resilient, she believes in protecting our ways of life through civic engagement, encouraging healthier social norms in communities, bridge building, and being an example for strong future generations to come.
