It was 2015, and the Paris Agreement was on the horizon, Pope Francis called for urgent action in “Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home”, and here in Fairbanks, a group of passionate organizers felt the same fire—the need for bold, collective action. In the back room of Gulliver’s Books, Jessica Girard (our first Executive Director), Cathy Walling, and Charlie Basham gathered to dream of a climate justice movement rooted in Fairbanks values. A week later they met again joined by Enei Begaye and Princess Johnson and their vision turned into reality.

Film screenings, deep discussions, and community-building soon followed. From the very start, this movement was shaped by relationships, shared power, and the values of decolonization and democratic organizing. FCAC’s first leaders built a framework that invited neighbors, friends, and allies to step into their power—launching working groups, hosting trainings, and sparking conversations that ignited action.

Jessica Girard moved from working at the Northern Alaska Environmental Center to becoming the first staff member at FCAC, which became an official organization sponsored by Native Movement. Tristan Glowa and Kengo Nagaoka were the next employees, completing organizing internships in the summer of 2016.

This initial period of FCAC was filled with excitement, community connection and shared values that pushed us into action. The FCAC we have today, while much larger, is still fueled by the same concerns and the deep hope that when people stand together, we can make meaningful change in our world.

This was a period of transformation, with both individuals stepping into the work and deepening their analysis, as well as the movement growing and strengthening across the state. During this time of growth for FCAC, we brought on added capacity, with additional organizers and communications staff to support our working groups.

This was also during the midst of the first Trump administration, and the threats at the federal level drove a lot of renewed engagement throughout the community. During this time, we got bolder, increasing our visibility through direct actions. We held our first rally at UAF outside the 2016 Arctic Science Summit in support of science. We supported Defend the Sacred in protection of the Arctic Refuge, including taking over a BLM meeting around leases in the Refuge, creating an opportunity for the people to share their opposition publicly. We showed up at Borough Aassembly meetings and got them to pass a resolution to create a local Climate Action and Adaption Plan. These public actions offered opportunities for community members to push themselves to be bold about confronting climate change.

It was also a time of growing deep connections and coalitions across the state. FCAC and Native Movement planned organizer camps for skill sharing and community building on the land. FCAC members and staff traveled to Arctic Village to connect and support efforts to protect the Arctic Refuge, and to Fort Yukon for a climate-focused fathering. It was also during this time that the Just Transition Collective was formed, formalizing this coordinated statewide climate organizing. The Just Transition Collective hosted the first Just Transition Summit in January of 2020 in Fairbanks. This summit brought together different perspectives but shared values to create a vision for the future of Alaska.

This sense of growth, community and collective power reshaped the conversation on climate action in Alaska.

Starting in March of 2020, when so much of daily life shifted, our movement found new ways to grow. The challenges, grief, and fear of the unknown were real, but so was the surge of creativity, connection, and determination. In the first summer of the COVID-19 pandemic, FCAC expanded our capacity with paid organizers and communications staff who helped move our work entirely online. From living rooms and kitchen tables, we reimagined how to build community and in doing so, discovered fresh power in organizing together across vast distances.

This was a time when many movements flourished. Solidarity stretched across geography, bringing together voices that might never have met otherwise. The Alaska Climate Alliance took root, linking dozens of groups statewide to coordinate action. Together we:

• Hosted multi‑week trainings, bringing in facilitators from across the country

• Published Alaska’s Time to Thrive, a zine with 22+ co‑authors uplifting local perspectives in national policy debates

• Launched the Just Transition in Action video series on broadband, kelp farming, and food sovereignty

• Exposed “Bad AIDEA,” helping bring overdue scrutiny to harmful state investments

Even while apart, we were united. And we learned that connection is more than proximity. These years strengthened our networks, sharpened our organizing skills, and deepened the bonds of care and purpose that drive this work forward.

 Here’s to resilience, solidarity, and the people who kept showing up to fight for climate justice wherever we were.

After a long stretch of digital-only organizing, spring 2022 marked a turning point. We began gathering in person again, sharing meals, working side by side, and rediscovering the energy that comes from being together. Hybrid meetings remained a staple, but the return to face-to-face connection helped us reimagine what our organizing could look like moving forward.

This period also brought major organizational shifts. In 2023, our founding Executive Director, Jessica, stepped down after years of visionary leadership. The year prior, we launched a strategic planning process to explore new leadership models. With input from staff, council, and members, we chose a multi-ED structure. After Jessica’s departure, we welcomed Margi and Tristan as co-EDs, and later that year, former KING organizer Sarah joined as a third co-ED. We also expanded our council to bring in new voices and strengthen our collective direction.

And we didn’t just grow internally—we won big.

• After seven years of organizing, we celebrated the passage of the borough’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. That night, we stayed at the borough building until nearly 3 a.m., feeling the weight and joy of what we’d accomplished together.

• GVEA committed to replacing a coal plant with alternative energy sources, including new wind projects—a major step forward for local energy justice.

• Our Interfaith Working Group provided funding to 19 faith communities for energy efficiency, food justice, and renewable energy projects.

• We launched our Tools for Change training series, which has become one of our most powerful ways to share organizing skills and grow leadership across the Interior.

This chapter has been about rebuilding, reimagining, and recommitting to the work. We’re proud of what we’ve done—and even more excited about what’s next.