On Sept 5-6, ISER co-hosted with Rep. Mary Peltola, the Alaska Federation of Natives, and the First Alaskans Institute a statewide convening on outmigration issues in Alaska.
The first day began with an overview of data on trends in outmigration, exploring both rural-to-urban and out-of-the-state population shifts. Dan Robinson, Chief,
Division of Research and Analysis, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and ISER’s own Mike Jones shared data on recent trends. Mike also shared ISER’s storyboard for the Alaska Out-Migration, designed to provide Alaskans with insights into who is leaving which communities, where they are going, and why it matters.
After brief table discussions about the data, participants heard presentations on innovative solutions for alleviating out-migration and drawing residents back to their home communities. These included new approaches to housing, education, energy, economic development, and responding to climate change.
On day two, attendees participated in breakout groups where they explored topics in more depth including public safety, energy, education, private sector development, and more. The convening ended with the sharing of suggestions for actions.
The next steps for this work include creating a long-term working group of interested parties from tribal, municipal, state, federal, non-profit, and private entities and convening regional
conversations to dig more deeply into local and regional challenges and opportunities. ISER is summarizing the outcomes of the convening and will produce a draft report in time for the
Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in October.
More information, including the convening agenda and PDFs for all the presentations can be found here: https://shorturl.at/iBcj7
ISER’s Alaska Outmigration Storyboard can be found here: https://shorturl.at/BQQlQ
Please direct questions or further requests to ISER Director Diane Hirshberg at dbhirshberg@alaska.edu
