Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Forum Podcasts
The Speaker's Forum is held each Sunday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Forum topics often address and spur dialogue about a current local community, statewide, national or international issue. Some forums feature a local author and the topic of the author's new book, or a representative of a local non-governmental organization (NGO) describing the organization’s work, programs, and accomplishments.
Episodes
689 episodes
A Celebration of National Poetry Month - various speakers
John McKay, our beloved Forum facilitator (and a poet in his own right), had the idea of celebrating Poetry Month by having members of the fellowship read inspiring poetry selections, rather than inviting a handful of poets to present their ...
Cyrano's Legacy & The Power of The Arts to Entertain, Enrich, and Transform - Cyranos Theatre Co-founder Sandy Harper
Sandy Harper, with her late husband, actor and director Jerry Harper, co-founded Cyranos in 1987. Five years later, they launched Cyranos Off Center Playhouse as the home of Eccentric Theatre Company, which later became Cyranos Theatre C...
The Plastics Crisis in Alaska and the Circumpolar Arctic: Toxic Threats to Health, Human Rights, and Indigenous Lands From the Petrochemical Industry - Pam Miller, Exec. Dir., Alaska Community Action Against Toxins
Pamela Miller founded Alaska Community Action on Toxics in 1997 and serves as its Executive Director. Pam works passionately for environmental and reproductive justice, health, and human rights, with more than 35 years of research, educa...
Candidate for Governor of Alaska - Matt Claman
Matt Claman first came to Alaska in 1980 to work in a mining camp. After graduating from law school, Matt returned to Alaska to make his home, raise his family, and establish his career. Matt was elected to the Alaska House of Representa...
Candidate for Governor of Alaska - Tom Begich
Tom Begich is a candidate for Governor of Alaska in the 2026 election. Tom served in the Alaska State Senate from 2017 to 2023 and was the Senate Minority Leader from 2019 to 2023. In the past, he served as a staff assistant to two Major...
Contemporary Issues Facing Alaska Native Tribes - Wes Furlong, Senior Staff Attorney, Native American Rights Fund
Wesley James Furlong is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Native American Rights Fund. Wess practice primarily focuses on protecting Indigenous cultural resources and traditional cultural places and landscapes. Much of this work involves re...
The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act - From the Beginning to the Present - Willie Iggiagruk Hensley, Alaska Statesman and Native Elder
Willie Hensley is an Alaska statesman and Native Elder. He was instrumental in the creation of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, which became law in 1971. He is a co-founder and currently serves as Chair of the First Alaskan...
How Alaska Institute for Justice Serves Legal Needs of Alaskas Immigrants - Anna Taylor, Executive Director, AIJ
Anna Taylor is the Executive Director at the Alaska Institute for Justice. She started working with AIJ as a staff attorney in March 2014 at the Juneau office. In February of 2018, she moved to the Anchorage office. Since joining AIJ, An...
AUUF R.E. Programs for Youth"OWL (Our Whole Lives) Sex Ed for Teens, & More - Jenn Bluntach, AUUFs Director of Religious Exploration
Jenn Bluntach is AUUF's Director of Religious Exploration. Jenn moved to Anchorage with her husband, Ryan, leaving behind their Minnesota roots, when she accepted the DRE position in the Fall of 2024. She has previous experience as an ac...
Candidate for Alaska’s U.S. House Seat - Bill Hill
Bill Hill is a lifelong Alaskan. The son of two teachers, Bill spent nearly 25 years as a teacher, principal, and superintendent. In 2023, he was named Alaska Superintendent of the Year. A Dena’ina Athabascan, Bill grew up in a small...
Data for Indigenous Justice: Addressing Missing & Murdered Indigenous Persons in Alaska - Charlene Aqpik Apok, Exec. Dir., Data for Indigenous Justice
Charlene has served in many spaces as an advocate for Indigenous Womxn, Indigenous Sovereignty, climate justice, and Indigenous rights to health and wellbeing. Charlene is a lifelong learner in both her cultural traditions and decolonizi...
Know Your Rights With I.C.E. - Immigration Attorney Asa Hohman
Asa Hohman earned his law degree and an M.B.A. from the University of Montana and an LL.M. from the University of Washington. Shortly after his admission to the bar, Asa began focusing his practice on immigration and small-business forma...
Community Update 2026 - Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance
Mayor Suzanne LaFrance grew up in Palmer, Alaska, and is a proud graduate of Alaska’s public schools. She lives in South Anchorage with her husband Dave Hemstreet, their three kids, and their puppy. Mayor LaFrance served two terms ...
Subsistence: Its Importance to the Native Sense of Community, Spirituality and Nutrition - Joaqlin Estus, Native Journalist
From 1991-2024, Tlingit Joaqlin Estus spent her career primarily as a reporter for public radio and television, and for the national online news platform ICT (formerly Indian Country Today). She has a degree in history from UAA and first worked...
Schools, Taxes, Energy, PFDs, and More—What’s Ahead for the 34th Legislature? - Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator Bill Wielechowski has been representing East Anchorage in the State Legislature since 2007. He has served as the President and Executive Board member of the East Anchorage Northeast Community Council, the Anchorage Planning and Z...
The Story Behind the Score: Reclaiming What Matters in Public Education - Caroline Storm, Executive Director, Coalition for Education Equity
Caroline Storm was born in Canada to immigrant parents, one from South Africa and one from Czechoslovakia. Education and learning were central to her home environment, and she was pushed to pursue a professional degree. Educated and lice...
Breathwork for Daily Life: Release, Recharge, Reclaim - Dr. Robert Alexander
Dr. Robert Alexander is the CEO and Co-Founder of AuraLab, whose Breathscape app supports deep meditative states by transforming breath into music through biofeedback. Before launching AuraLab, he worked as a NASA fellow at the Godd...
Freeing Wrongly Convicted Alaskans and Preventing Future Injustice - Jory Knott, Executive Director, Alaska Innocence Project
Jory Knott is the Executive Director of the Alaska Innocence Project. A lifelong Alaskan, he earned an interdisciplinary degree in art and music at UAA, then moved to Oregon, where he composed music, wrote grants for creative projects, and appr...
TSDO or not TSDO? That is Not the Question Housing and Zoning in Anchorage - John Weddleton & Erin Baldwin Day
John Weddleton moved to Anchorage in 1987 after a life of traveling across the country and world, including several years in Istanbul, Lugano, and five years as a dry cabin dweller in Fairbanks. John started his work career as an economi...
CybercrimeThe Criminal Enterprises Stealing Your Information and Money - Leon Jaimes
Leon Jaimes (pronounced hi-Mays) is a network security professional who has provided security consulting services to the healthcare, financial services, state and local government, telecommunications, and retail sectors. He has ove...
Rediscovering Your Library: 21st Century Services, and Hidden Gems - Margie Harrison, Anchorage Municipal Library Director
Margie Harrison has worked in libraries for over thirty years. She planned to go into social work after college, but her career path changed after taking a job at a small urban library. Margie graduated with a Master's Degree in Library ...
Can We Count on the Courts?” - Retired Judge Elaine Andrews
Retired Judge Elaine Andrews served as a trial judge for over 20 years in Anchorage. She served as Presiding Judge of the Third Judicial District from 1996 to 2002. Prior to assuming the bench in 1981, she was an attor...
How APD is Providing Help and Hope On the Front Lines of Homelessness - APD’s Hope Team: Ruth Adolf and Tanya Vandenbos
Ruth Adolf is an 18-year Police Officer with the Anchorage Police Department (APD). Her extensive experience includes patrol work, specialized Crisis Response, and a key role in developing and implementing APD's successful co-responder m...
Exceeding Our Hopes Team Breathe Conquers the Bike Race Across America - Steve Lindbeck, Brad Cruz, and Trevor Storrs
Steve Lindbeck has enjoyed a 45-year career in Alaska journalism, public affairs, and non-profit management. He served as CEO & General Manager for Alaska Public Media, Vice Chancellor for Advancement at the University of Alaska Anch...
From Micro-Units To the Big Picture: How is Anchorage Addressing Homelessness? - Julie Greene-Graham, Chair, In Our Back Yard, Thea Agnew Bemben, Special Assistant to Mayor LaFrance, Susanne Fleek-Green, Chief of Staff, Mayor LaFrance
Julie Green-Graham is a retired teacher who served in the Anchorage School District for 34 years. Married to a lifelong Alaskan, she is the mother of four daughters and Mema to four grandchildren. She is a member of Central Lutheran Chur...
