This new competition from the Alaska Federation of Natives originated with a surprise announcement at the 2008 AFN Convention. A Great Friend of Alaska anonymously challenged members of the Native community to put their good ideas about the challenges and opportunities of the current economic climate on paper, and volunteered his own funds to seed the pool of award money. Click here to go directly to the Native Insight Competition website.

Native Insight: Thoughts on Recession, Recovery & Opportunity is an essay competition crafted to tap the wisdom and ingenuity of the Native community, and encourage Native thinkers to go public with their perspectives on the current economic and political landscape.

Participants are invited to submit a 600-1,500 word essay on one of the following topics by September 15, 2009:

1. How can the Native community best participate in the process of economic renewal? What unique contributions can we make to help jumpstart the US and international economies?


2. Are you confident that economic growth will be restarted in 2009/2010? Describe your views on how the economic recovery will take place.


3. How must our economy change to fully recover from this economic crisis? What additional steps do President Obama and the Congress need to take to make these changes happen? How can Native Americans step up to help make these necessary changes and build sustainable economies?

Six lucky winners will receive $10,000 in prize money for their original written work.

Visit www.nativeinsight.org to enter or learn more!