This summer, we invite you to journey with us through the history of the Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition as we celebrate a decade of grassroots organizing! Over the coming months, will revisit pivotal moments, courageous actions, and the unwavering spirit of those who built this movement—leading up to an unforgettable 10th anniversary celebration this fall.
Save the Date for our Ten-Year Anniversary Party on Saturday, October 18th!
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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.
Help us tell the story of the last decade
We’re collecting stories and photos from the past ten years of FCAC, and we’d love to hear from you!
Tell us about a favorite action or event that left an impact on you—a rally that energized you, a gathering that sparked new friendships, or a campaign that made you feel hopeful. Maybe it was a conversation that shifted your perspective, a moment of collective power, or a time when you saw just how strong our community truly is.
December 2015, A Community Gathering around COP 21
March 2016, Enei Begaye and Cathy Wailing Speak at the Alaskans Demand Climate Justice & Clean Energy Rally during International Arctic Science Summit
Jessica Girard speaks to a group at the Fairbanks Offshore Drilling Meeting
STORIES OF FCAC’s first year
“I think it was really awesome to suddenly have a real influx of new energy. It was real grassroots energy too, people just from the community, from a whole lot of different backgrounds, come together. I met lots of people from different parts of the community previously, but it was the first time for me being really in deeper relationship with a very intergenerational, very diverse in terms of backgrounds and knowledges and skill sets and perspectives group of people. A really important part of the success was the way that FCAC was connecting people from all these different backgrounds.”
— ODIN MILLER
“We hosted this film, ‘This Changes Everything’ at the Morris Thompson Center on December 10 [2015]. We settled on this being a first movie to show as a way to connect and gather more people. And at that point, there were different people there, and they were representing or connected with different organizations. And so recognizing people were coming from all different vantage points and perspectives. We settled on the name Fairbanks, Climate Action Coalition, recognizing the need for many of us to work together from a variety of different vantage points. So that was the first event, and told people to stay tuned- we are going to be doing more.” -Cathy Walling
— Cathy Walling
“There were a number of factors that were threading the needle at the time. I had just moved Fairbanks probably a year before, and was trying to reinvigorate their climate work, while at the same time, Kathy and Diane and others from the Quakers and other faith traditions were really talking about climate change in their own spaces, from their lens. Also at that time,Enei and Princess and others who were so connected to movement in the lower 48 they were really trying to build something up here in the North. And so those things were all happening at the same time, but not together. And I think those were really the embers, if you will, of FCAC.”
— Jessica Girard
help us reach our anniversary fundraising goaL
To commemorate this special anniversary, we’re launching a fundraising campaign with exclusive tiered gifts to thank our donors:
Seedling ($25+): A heartfelt thank-you and an exclusive FCAC sticker sheet to show off your love of FCAC!
Sapling ($50+): A beautifully crafted art print celebrating a decade of grassroots climate action.
Rooted Ally ($100+): A special edition FCAC ceramic mug, perfect for fueling your activism with a warm cup of inspiration.
Changemaker ($500+): A cozy FCAC beanie to keep you warm while you're rallying for a sustainable future.
Movement Builder ($1,000+): A premium FCAC tote bag filled with all the commemorative gifts, so you can carry your climate commitment everywhere!
Every contribution helps us expand our initiatives, train new organizers, and sustain our fight for climate justice in Alaska. Together, we’ve accomplished so much in a decade—let’s build an even stronger future!
Be part of the movement. Donate today and celebrate 10 years of action with us!
