Tiffany Webb Keynote Speech at '24 Sustainability Summit
Keynote speaker, Tiffany Webb, addressed the deep impact of alcohol, drugs, and other substance abuse on Native communities, describing how these substances can "feed off your soul." She highlighted the ongoing efforts to reclaim our Indigenous languages, quoting Theresa John to emphasize the cultural and spiritual power of language in healing and identity.
Webb also spoke about the unresolved grief affecting many, particularly in light of the recent deaths of six young people in Bristol Bay. She pointed out that although opioid abuse has decreased nationwide, it has increased by nearly 75% among the Native populations, underlining a pressing need for community-based healing and support.
Tiffany’s powerful reflections include:
“In our blood is everything that we are. No matter what happens in our communities, no matter what happens outside our communities, nobody can take that. You’ll never lose that connection from all the people that came before you.”
and,
“Everything that makes us sustainable is already inside of us, but we need all of us to be working together.”
Tiffany’s keynote address emphasized resilience, language and cultural revitalization, and the importance of working together in addressing challenges and the health and well-being of our people.