Notes from Alex

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  • Flying the Skies of Wild Alaska

    Where the Water Was the Runway and Alaska Was the Destination From the Flight Deck — Notes from Alex There are some moments in life you never forget. For me, some of those moments happened sitting behind the controls of a De Havilland Beaver, tied to a wooden dock somewhere in Southeast Alaska, with the…

  • William Duncan: A Man, a Legacy, and a Community

    Beyond Judgment: Exploring the Man, His Legacy, and Metlakatla’s Story As I continue researching the history of Metlakatla and the work of the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation, I find myself returning again and again to one question: How do we tell the story of William Duncan honestly? Not as a saint. Not as a villain. But…

  • In the Mind of a Writer

    “Some stories are written on paper. Others are written into the heart.” There is something about writing that has always felt natural to me. I love to write. I love to tell stories. And perhaps more than anything, I love remembering. When I sit down to write, I often find myself wandering through the many…

  • Metlakatla: A Story of People, Place, and Healing

    “Where history meets healing, culture finds its way home, and the future remains unwritten.” There is something about Metlakatla that has always captured my heart. Maybe it is the water surrounding Annette Island. Maybe it is the mountains, the forests, and the feeling that you are standing in a place where generations of people have…

  • September 12, 2001: The Day We Remembered We Were One

    Twenty-five years later, I still believe the day after 9/11 has something important to teach us about who we can be together. Twenty-five years later, I still believe the day after 9/11 has something important to teach us about who we can be together. Today is September 12th. Every year, this date brings me back…

  • Metlakatla Heritage Foundation

    An Additional Note About the Image I also want to take a moment to address something directly regarding the image that has been used with some of the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation material. The image currently being used was essentially a holdover image while we work toward having local artists create something specifically for the Metlakatla…

  • Metlakatla Heritage Foundation: Moving Forward, Building Our Future

    “Preserving the places, stories, and people that connect generations of Metlakatla.” There is a lot happening behind the scenes with the Metlakatla Heritage Foundation, and I wanted to take a moment to give our community, our supporters, and everyone who has been following this journey an update. What began as an idea rooted in a…

  • What My Relationship With My Creator Has Taught Me About People

    Sometimes faith isn’t about changing others—it’s about allowing ourselves to be changed. Faith, for me, isn’t about telling people what to believe. It’s about learning how to love people a little better. There are some things in life that are difficult to explain without worrying that someone might misunderstand you. For me, one of those…

  • Remembering September 11

    “A Birthday Shared With a Day the World Will Never Forget” As I sit here reflecting, I realize that in two days I will celebrate my birthday—September 11. For most people, a birthday is supposed to be a day of celebration. But for me, September 11 has always carried something more. It carries a memory.…

  • The Code of the Killerwhale

    Some things are inherited. Others are entrusted to us. What the Killerwhale Clan taught me about family, belonging, and the responsibility of carrying a name. There is something about knowing where you come from. It isn’t simply knowing the names of your grandparents or being able to trace a family tree back a few generations.…