Caffeine with Kunaan
By Kunaan Panik
Caffeine with KunaanJun 12, 2023
Land Acknowledgements Part 2
We are back!!!! The semester was over weeks ago, and we finally finished moving, but it turns out that not logging into various websites and programs meant updating a lot of things and figuring out once again how to make my equipment work. I finished one episode that I promised a while ago and look forward to starting recording new topics for y'all.
This is a continuation of the two discussions in our Fairbanks City Government regarding Land Acknowledgements. One discussion was happening at the Fairbanks City Council and the other was happening at the Fairbanks Diversity Council. One conversation may make you angry as it did me, but the other won't.
Here are the links to listen to the original meetings yourselves that were in either the first Land Acknowledgement episode or this one:
City Council Agendas
8/23/21
9/27/21
11/8/21
1/17/22
3/14/22
Diversity Council Agendas
10/12/21
1/11/22
2/8/22
3/8/22
Don't forget you can leave me voice messages on my website: caffeinewithkunaan.com
If you do leave a voice message, let me know if it's okay to use it in a podcast episode or not. I promise not to do anything if you want the message kept quiet.
You can also email me at kunaan@caffeinewithkunaan.com if you have any podcast ideas, would like to be a guest to talk about something that impacts us here in Alaska (especially if you are talking about something in the Fairbanks area), or if you just want to tell me something.
If you have the means and would love to help me out, please consider leaving a donation. Every dollar helps. Currently, we have 2 private donors and one donor I am excited to share more about in the next podcast episode. I will consider all donations private unless you tell me otherwise. If you let me know your donation is public, I will mention you in my next podcast episode.
Abortion Access in Alaska with Rose O'Hara-Jolley
In this episode, we are joined by Rose O'Hara-Jolley from Planned Parenthood Advocates Alliance to discuss where abortion access is in Alaska, where it could go, myths around abortions, and what we can do to not only protect but ensure Abortion Access for every Alaskan.
Planned Parenthood Advocates Alliance Alaska has a website to volunteer in this election, see what candidates they have endorsed, and other information just for Alaskans. Don't forget to sign up for their emails to learn about local actions, bills or other laws that would impact Alaskans and our abortion access, and other information that's useful as a community advocate. You can still do last minute canvassing or phone banking to remind people that the election is just around the corner. One of PPAA's amazing employees will make sure you have supplies and know how to get their attention if you do end up having questions.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th, this year. Please make a plan to vote and bring a friend who usually forgets. This is not the year to assume that everyone else will vote. Your voice will make a difference.
Rose mentioned Sister Song, which is an organization that focuses on reproductive justice for Black community members as well as other people of color. We highly recommend that you check them out, learn more about reproductive justice and how you can ensure equitable abortion access in your community, and how to advocate for those who aren't privileged within Alaska.
To learn more about domestic violence and healthy relationships, which was briefly mentioned in the podcast at least twice, please go to Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living.
If you are able to donate and you liked listening to the show, please go to our website and consider giving a one time donation or setting up a monthly donation so our podcast can continue and grow.
KWRK is an amazing, local, volunteer run organization that airs out podcasts including Caffeine with Kunaan.
Constitutional Convention with Luke Hopkins
In this episode, we learn what a Constitutional Convention is, what to expect, who is part of Defend Alaska Constitution, and what we can do.
To learn more about this topic or volunteer, go to defendakconstitution.com and look around the website. Luke Hopkins shared his email, lukethopkins@gmail.com, if you want to email him with additional questions.
To look at Alaska's Constitution, go to the Lt. Governor's website. You can also look up the Constitutional Convention at akleg.gov, which I hyperlinked for you.
We mentioned one of NAACP's Candidate Forums in the episode. It's the one for District 31, 32, and Senate P; but you can look at the other Districts they have on their YouTube as well.
Please talk with your friends and family about the upcoming election, what will be on their ballot, and make a plan to vote and bring a friend who usually forgets. Election Day is November 8th. Early Voting starts October 24th for those who know they are busy on Tuesdays.
Vote No on 1.
Fairbanks City Council and Land Acknowledgements Part 1
In this episode, Kunaan shares two different conversations around Resolution 4981. This Resolution would have added a Land Acknowledgement to the beginnign of Fairbanks City Council Meetings to be read the same time the Council gives a Pledge of Allegiance and the invocation (or prayer). One conversation we follow is from Fairbanks City Council itself and the other is from Fairbanks Diversity Council. This is only the beginning of the conversations, so there will be more episodes covering these conversations.
We do apologize for taking so long to publish this episode. Kunaan struggled to record this several months ago. She kept putting this episode off until summer hit; this is when she decided to slow down and take a different tactic. They listened to over 9 different meetings, editing out clips while doing this. Then once again, they struggled to record before deciding to record when they could and editing along the way.
She will be back to finish the rest of this conversation, but plans to release one or two more episodes before releasing a part two for this episode.
You can look at the agendas for the different meetings in this episode if you like: the first Fairbanks City Council Meeting, the second City Council Meeting, and the first Fairbanks Diversity Council Meeting.
Elections for a new Mayor and two City Council seats will happen on October 4th, but early voting begins September 19th (this upcoming Monday). You will also be able to vote for FNSB Borough Assembly, FNSB School Board, and North Pole City Council. The two city councils are only available to vote on if you live in the city limits for the city council you want to vote in.
Local Music with Wasabi
Hey peoples! How is your summer starting out?
In this episode, we are interviewing Wasabi, who is a friend of mine, about her music and goals. We picked out four songs to share, but she has plenty more you can listen to. All of the songs we shared are available on Wasabi's YouTube, but she has even more songs than what's available there.
Here is the link to Wasabi's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYFCFyT3r_9EYOEkc7oiJGQ
Here is the link to Wasabi's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/akwasabi
Here is a link to a song Wasabi did for Sovereignty Stories: https://brightshores.org/wewillrise
Here is a link for information to go with Sovereignty Stories song: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A72634a85-27c2-4403-999f-3b51a6015ebb&fbclid=IwAR0B-rPPpiioJRbCpeD28Bw6ybKrIw6uLPxDQ6SthOAYR76wK-0MUQh-bG4#pageNum=7
Here is a link to KWRK: https://www.kwrk.org/
Please share out local artists and support them. Quyanaqpak for listening.
What Is the Bread Line with Hannah Hill
In this episode, Hannah Hill, the Executive Director of Bread Line Inc, joins us to talk about the various aspects of the Bread Line from the employees to the volunteers to the guests and their needs. This low barrier way to feed the community has helped me in the past and I love working with them to help educate and feed people to this day.
To donate time, money, or supplies to the Bread Line, go to breadlineak.org or call (907) 452-1974. Also follow them on Facebook to see daily updates and remember how hard people are working in our city.
Also mentioned in this episode were Choosing Our Roots, the Rescue Mission and KWRK.
Police Reform Bills in the State with Representative Geran Tarr
In this episode, Kunaan has a conversation with Rep. Geran Tarr about bills she's introduced in the House. These bills would make changes to how police are allowed to interact with the public, create data for law makers to work with, and create public safety.
The House Bills introduced by Rep. Tarr are HB253, HB254, HB255, HB256, HB269, and HB270. She suggested that you call her office and talk to David (907-465-3424} or email her.
Rep. Tarr mentioned that these bills she introduced are the Sister Bills to ones Sen. Elvi Gray-Jackson introduced in the Senate. The Senate Bills are SB1, SB2, SB3, SB4, SB7 and SB46. These are the bills that will have a tab for documents where you can find information that supports the bills.
When you go to the main page, at the bottom, you will find 3 pieces of information. The first one Rep. Tarr mentioned was texting the bill (for example, HB253) you want information on to 559-245-2529 to enroll for text messages about the bill. The second thing she mentioned was Bill Tracking Management Facility which you sign up to get emailed updates. The third thing wasn't mentioned, but you can put in your address to find your legislators.
Kunaan brought up an event that will be held in Anchorage on April 1st, Justice for Bishar Hassan. My condolences to Bishar's family. They are not the only people grieving because of Police Violence in our state.
We also mentioned donating to your local soup kitchen, which is Stone Soup Cafe in Fairbanks. You can also donate to KRWK. If none of these links work or you would like to donate to Kunaan so she can continue this work, go to caffeinewithkunaan.com
Executive Order 121 with Andrée and Robin
In this episode, Andrée McLeod and Robin O'Donoghue, both from AKPIRG, join Kunaan to help explain Governor Dunleavy's Executive Order 121, what is known and unknown about how this will impact Alaskans, a House Special Concurrent Resolution (HSCR2) that was introduced, and what we as Alaskans can do.
They didn't mention this form AKPIRG created that you can fill out and edit to be sent to your legislators, but I'm adding it here.
They did mention that we can testify to House Health & Social Services Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 1st, at 3 pm. The phone number to call is 907-465-4648 and the email address is House.Health.And.Social.Services@akleg.gov
They also recommended communicating with your Senators and Representatives as well as reaching out to your LIO for more information.
You can also reach out to AKPIRG for more information.
We would like to thank our donors and KWRK for the help they give me. If you would like to support this podcast, please donate at the website.
If the platform you are using to listen to this program doesn't hyperlink everything in this text box, then go to caffeinewithkunaan.com and look for links there.
A Lack of Medically Necessary Resources in Alaska with Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq Gamache
In this episode, Kunaan interviews Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq Gamache. Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq shares her personal story about the struggles in finding adequate medical care for her son in Alaska, gives advice on what everyone can do to make changes, gives advice to others in similar situations, and shares what gives her hope when everything seems to be working against her. Better bring some tissues and be prepared to cry and laugh.
Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq mentioned Stand Up Alaska and has since created a Facebook group called Alaska Coalition for Equitable Access to Care.
Don't forgt to write emails to Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young. If you click on their names, you should find the phone numbers to their offices where you can ask their staff questions or leave short messages as well. We mentioned Build Back Better as a possible conversation piece.
We also mentioned contacting Gov. Mike Dunleavy, your State Senators, and your State Representatives. We mentioned the Governor's proposed budget and the President's Infrastructure Law as possible points of conversation.
If you need help either figuring out the best way to send anyone who represents you an email, email Kunaan. If you need help figuring out how to find out your rights, email Natasha Aġnaŋuluuraq Gamache.
We are grateful to our donor. You can donate at our website. Also consider donating to KWRK as they share my podcast along with other local voices.
Racism in Alaska Featuring Alyssa Quintyne
Hey peoples! Racism still exists and Alaska is not exempt despite what people may say or believe. In this episode, Alyssa Quintyne joins me to talk about racism, how it impacts Alaskans, lateral violence, and oppression olympics.
We realized that we forgot to thank Alyssa for joining us for this important discussion while recording, and while this isn't the same, we wanted to make sure that we publicly thanks her for taking the time and labor to share her knowledge, personal stories, and information to help us work towards making Alaska more inclusive and equitable. She went above and beyond for all of us and we are grateful.
Here are the articles that Alyssa Quintyne mentioned in the episode:
The Danger of Oppression Olympics
Here is the article Kunaan mentioned that discusses the Wampanoags, their version of the first Thanksgiving, and the regret that they feel for their actions.
Here are some podcasts that Kunaan recommends listening to:
Local to Fairbanks Black and Indigenous led organizations are NAACP of Fairbanks, Native Movement, and SILA.
To donate to or volunteer with Bread Line, Inc., go to their website, call 452-1974 or email info@breadlineak.org
Check out the website, caffeinewithkunaan.com, to donate or for updates. Please only donate if you have the funds. KWRK also airs our podcast, so consider donating to them as well.
Interview with new media artist Nathan Shafer
In this episode, Kunaan interviews Nathan Shafer about his work as a new media artist and author of Wintermoot. Those who went the the first Comic Con in Fairbanks, AK might remember meeting Nathan as the booth he shared with Dimi Macheras was one of the first you would see walking into the Carlson Center. Nathan is also a teacher, so we would love to have him back to learn more about that work in the future.
Quyanaq for your patience as I worked on editing episodes and ignored my own fortnight deadline for putting new episodes up. I can't promise that I'll never miss a deadline again, but I am still here. This episode is much longer than any I've done before, so I hope you enjoy it.
Find Nathan's work at:
fishheadsoupcomics.com (The other artists that Nathan mentions working with, like Dimi and Melissa, are found at this website as well.)
KWRK broadcasts this podcast, so please show them some support. Their website is kwrk.org
All of our updates can be found at caffeinewithkunaan.com
A Resolution and An Ordinance
In this episode, Kunaan talks about two items introduced at the November 22, 2021, Fairbanks City Council meeting.
Resolution 4998 discourages businesses from requiring proof of vaccination to enter the premises.
Ordinance 6188 would extend procedures created for the pandemic indefinitely, but doesn't keep the procedures tied to the pandemic.
The full recording of the audio I used along with the agendas to read the resolution and ordinance yourself are here.
You can find the Covid-19 Dashboards here.
The CDC information I read is here.
The Washington Post article I read is called In Alaska Native villages and across communities of color, the enduring silence of grief by Akilah Johnson.
Please write an email to council@fairbanks.us or give testimonies on December 6, 2021. Currently, you can testify in person, via zoom, or by written testimony. Instructions from Fairbanks City Council are found here.
Quyanaqpak.
Interview with Former Assembly Member Liz Lyke
Kunaan interviews former Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly Member Liz Lyke. We learn about her experiences, how covid impacted her term, advice she gives, and more.
To learn more about the FNSB Assembly, click here.
There are links to the agendas, schedules, how to contact current Assembly Members and more.
Interview with Lisa McEnulty
Kunaan interviews Lisa McEnulty about the Cultural Diversity Integration class she and her sister Angel created to help combat discrimination and racism within our city.
To learn more about Lisa and Angel or their class, use these links below.
Link to class: Culturaldiversityintegration.teachable.com
Link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Angel-Lisa-110470411316431
Phone number: 907-385-9443
Email: angelandlisa@cdiak.com
Follow Kunaan on Twitter or Facebook to stay updated on new episodes.
Sept. 21, 2021 FNSB School Board Meeting
This episode is about Fairbanks North Star Borough Board of Education Resolutions 2021-04, 2021-05, and 2021-06. These resolutions impact marginalized members of our community, focusing on females, Indigenous people, and members of the LGBT community. Some of the comments on these resolutions need to be talked about.
Content Warning for Episode: There is offensive language in one of the clips I used. I called out the offensive language.
I struggled to get this episode recorded, so I ended up writing a script for this episode and reading it. I also recorded while my toddler was awake, so let me know if the background noise is too distracting.
Link to hear the School Board General Meeting, read agendas, or find the resolutions:
https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/9887
Links to information about Day of the Girl Child:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/girl-child-day
https://www.unicef.org/gender-equality/international-day-girl-2021
Link to understand an offensive term:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/dahleen-glanton/ct-dahleen-glanton-colored-email-reading-list-20200304-utx7geiwm5hupa3t7w6xr3xqn4-story.html
Link to learn about Alaskan Native Discrimination happening today:
https://www.juneauempire.com/news/alaska-native-leaders-say-racial-discrimination-still-affects-communities/
Link to information about LGBT history month:
https://lgbthistorymonth.com/background
E is for Emotional Control
In this episode, Kunaan finishes going over the BITE model and determining where on the spectrum her former church is.
I is for Information Control
In this episode, Kunaan goes over the Information Control from the BITE Model to discuss where on the spectrum her former church is as a cult.
T is for Thought Control
Kunaan is an atheist, queer, Iñupiaq who was raised in a Fundamental Baptist Church in her hometown. Kunaan uses she/they pronouns. In this episode, they continue the using the BITE Model while discussing things about the church to show how they came to the realization that they were raised in a cult.
B is for Behavior
In this episode, Kunaan talks about how the church she grew up in is a cult. She uses Steven Hassan's BITE Model to show how she came to this conclusion. She only discusses Behavior Control, which is the B in BITE.
Content Warning: There is discussion about forms of abuse including sexual abuse. While Kunaan does not give examples, the topic is talked about.
To learn more about the BITE model, visit freedomofmind.com
Yes, we know that they said .org in the podcast, but it was a mistake and they are sorry. They will correct this information in the next episode.
Join us for the next episode as we discuss Information Control, which is the I in BITE.
Caffeine with Kunaan Preview
Kunaan's pronouns are she/her/they/them. She is Iñupiat and her family is from the North Slope. They are also an atheist who has studied their way out of religion. She identifies as Bisexual and Sipiñiq, an Iñupiatun word for their third gender. They also have ADHD, so be prepared for a few rabbitholes as they discuss topics ranging from politics to religion to colonization and everything in between.
Listen to Kunaan's perspective as she talks about whatever she wants at least every other week.
Join us next episode as we discuss how some of the churches I have attended are cults.