Across much of Alaska, summer has been slow to arrive, with snow still accumulating on the peaks into June. But when the clouds part and the damp chill gives way to a bone-warming sun, brilliant greens sweep the marshes and tundra, snow-capped mountains glow in the long twilight, the waters shimmer with movement. 

In a place that often feels like an artist’s rendering made real, creative expression bursts forth with the abundance of our late-summer berries—and it nourishes us in the same essential way. This month, we are honored to share the creative journey of Quinn Christopherson, an Alaska Native singer-songwriter and Aywaa Creative Artists Fellow.  

The Aywaa Artists Fellowship is one of many ways Alaska Venture Fund supports resilience across our state. While the Aywaa program advances narrative sovereignty of Indigenous people, our wildfire program strengthens self-determination in remote communities by building local capacity to protect people, homes, and broader values of ecosystem health and carbon management. We see connections across unconventional lines, and we invite you to help us weave this vital web.  

Please reach out anytime if you’d like to learn more about our work—we would love to hear from you.