Shine a Light Speaker Series

At UAF, we are growing into a socially just and caring institution of higher education. This ongoing speaker series, titled Shine a Light: Promoting Conversations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, is designed to encourage understanding, build empathy and engage us in thinking critically about our worldviews.

The series is led by UAF Northwest Campus, UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability, and the Nanook Diversity and Action Center and is open to ALL! Thanks for being here! Join us on the third Tuesday of every month for a new speaker and topic.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Northwest Campus

University of Alaska Fairbanks Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability

Nanook Diversity and Action Center

Current events

Understanding the Real Needs of Latinos in Alaska

with Joan Ryan Estay

Tuesday, Sept. 19, Noon-1pm, via Zoom

Over the last decade, Latinos made up 46% of the state's population growth. Today, they account for 7.3% of the state's populationand are the second biggest minority group, after Alaska Natives. So, what are their needs, challenges, joys, and why do they stay in the Last Frontier?

Joan Ryan Estay (two last names), originally from Viña Del Mar, Chile, is the Board President of Enlaces; a Hispanic/Latino non-profit in Alaska. Joan holds a BA in performing arts, an associate's degree in health and natural therapy, and an MBA in Strtegic Leadership. She is a Program Coordinator for the Healthy and Equitable Communities Unity for the State of Alaska and is an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at UAF.

Join via Zoom

Past events

Murdered/Missing Indigenous Persons

May 16, 2023
Lonny Piscoya

Alaska Native, Native American, and Native Hawaiian people experience disproportionally high rates of violence, murder, and disappearances. In 2021, the Alaska Bureau of Investigation created the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Initiative to address active and cold case missing and murdered persons cases. Current MMIP Investigator Lonny Piscoya will share details about the initiative, their work, and how they’re working to bring closure to families and communities across Alaska.

Lonny Piscoya is Inupiaq Eskimo and was born and raised in Nome, Alaska. Piscoya has over 25-years of experience in law enforcement and recently came out of retirement fall 2022 to serve as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Investigator for the Alaska Bureau of Investigation.

Video Forthcoming

Sivuqaq, Toxins, & Research

April 18, 2023
Vi Waghiyi

The Yupik people of Sivuqaq (St. Lawrence Island) report high rates of cancer, thyroid disease, diabetes, heart disease, and birth defects. One cause may be persistent toxic pollutants related to abandoned military installations from the Cold War era. Hear how collaborative community-based research is helping to identify contaminants and find solutions.

Vi Waghiyi is from Savoonga on Sivuqaq. She started working for Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) in 2004. Vi is a nationally recognized environmental justice leader and has devoted her life to bring environmental health & justice to her Sivuqaq Yupik People and the people of the Arctic.

Video Forthcoming

Co-Production of Knowledge: Critical Reflection on Arctic Research

March 21, 2023
Margaret Anamaq Rudolf

Co-production of knowledge is the trending research approach in the Arctic, which, in theory, means shared decision-making, prioritizing relationships, and co-produced outputs. In practice, this aspirational approach has failed to reach potential, receiving criticism from Indigenous leaders. Learn how research has and can be a colonial act, the current state of co-production of knowledge, and the challenges faced when put into practice.

Margaret Anamaq Rudolf is a UAF PhD student focusing on improving research processes with Alaska Native communities, specifically the perspectives of success and those who facilitate successful projects.

Video Forthcoming

Death by 1000 cuts: Surviving in a World of Microaggressions & Marginality

February 21, 2023
Traci Gatewood