In 2025, Tlingit & Haida advanced a year of steady growth, strengthened governance and community-rooted progress. Building on lessons from recent crisis response, the Tribe focused on reinforcing permanent systems, expanding education and early learning, asserting sovereignty through policy and partnerships, advancing cultural restoration, and investing in long-term economic and community well being. Across homelands and urban communities, Tlingit & Haida continued to lead with culture, resilience and purpose, positioning the Tribe for a strong and sustainable future. In case you missed it, we published a recap of Tlingit & Haida impacts for 2024 including an overview of how CARES Act and ARPA funding supported Tribal citizens, communities and programs and services.
Expanding Education & Early Learning Opportunities
Education sovereignty was a defining theme in 2025. Tlingit & Haida celebrated ceremonial groundbreakings for two new early education campuses on Prince of Wales Island in Klawock and Craig. These campuses will offer Head Start, childcare and culturally rooted language immersion programs in Xaad Kíl and Lingít, supporting nearly 400 tribal children and strengthening Native-led learning in rural Southeast Alaska.
The Tribe also finalized a lease agreement with the City & Borough of Wrangell to expand Head Start and daycare services, further growing access to early childhood education infrastructure across homelands communities.
Literacy, Culture & Community Engagement
To boost early literacy and celebrate Indigenous voices, Tlingit & Haida partnered with NDN Girls Book Club to host a Book Drop Tour across Southeast Alaska communities in May 2025, bringing thousands of books by Indigenous authors directly to families and students.
Tlingit & Haida invited tribal citizen artists to submit artwork reflecting the 14 Southeast Alaska Tribal Values. Gunalchéesh, Háw’aa — thank you. We extend our deepest gratitude to each artist who responded to the call. The submissions showcased the incredible creativity and talent within our communities and brought to life in new artwork that will be featured across programs and communications, uplifting community identity and pride.
Totem pole raisings and carving projects also became focal points of cultural revitalization, with communities across Southeast Alaska gathering to restore carving traditions, strengthen intergenerational connections and honor ancestral knowledge. Tlingit & Haida was proud to document the celebrations, including Wrangell and the new house posts at the Generations Southeast Prince of Wales campus.
Strengthening Governance, Sovereignty & Structural Change
The 90th Annual Tribal Assembly in April was a milestone in governance, marked by a Constitutional Convention where Delegates considered key structural amendments. Tlingit & Haida prepare audited financial statements every year. These are reviewed by independent auditors and overseen by our Finance and Audit Committees, which are in place to ensure transparency and accountability. Meetings of these committees are open to Tribal citizens.
In addition, Tribal Assembly meeting minutes and our governing documents are available on the Tlingit & Haida website, so anyone can see how decisions are made.
In a strategic move to broaden political collaboration and collective advocacy, Tlingit & Haida rejoined the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), reinforcing unity among Alaska Native governments and enhancing influence on statewide issues affecting Indigenous communities.
Child Welfare & Community Health Advancements
Tlingit & Haida achieved Direct IV-E Approval, enabling the Tribe to directly administer and receive federal funding for child welfare services—a major step in self-determination for family support systems and culturally relevant care for tribal children and families.
The Community & BehaviroalBehavioral Services (CBS) Healing Center earned a new three-year CARF accreditation, highlighting excellence in culturally grounded behavioral health services and reinforcing the Tribe’s commitment to holistic wellness rooted in Indigenous values.
Economic Sovereignty & Land Back Initiatives
Economic self-determination advanced with the opening of Aan Hít (Village House), a downtown Juneau space dedicated to tribal citizen artisans and cultural enterprises as part of ongoing Land Back efforts. This facility supports economic opportunity, cultural visibility and the enrichment of Indigenous arts and entrepreneurship.
Resilience, Preparedness & Environmental Leadership
Tlingit & Haida continued proactive engagement on environmental resilience, collaborating with the City and Borough of Juneau on coordinated disaster declarations ahead of potential glacial lake outburst flooding in 2025. These joint emergency measures emphasized readiness and integrated response systems.
Looking Ahead
In 2025, Tlingit & Haida balanced strategic growth with cultural continuity, seeding long-term investments in education, human services, governance structures, and community wellbeing. These efforts not only met the immediate needs of tribal ,citizens but also reinforced systems and partnerships laying durable foundations for future generations.