EventAt this year’s 60th Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) convention, newcomer Ben Mallott—son of former AFN president Byron Mallott—takes the helm as the organization shifts toward younger leadership. AFN represents about 160,000 Alaska Native citizens, with 11 regional corporations, 11 tribal nonprofits, 196 tribes and 156 village corporations. The meeting, sometimes called “Native New Year,” focuses on policy resolutions that shape their political voice nationwide.
Ben Mallott, newly elected president of the Alaska Federation of Natives, is leading a generational shift in the organization, emphasizing unity, voting, subsistence protection and partnership-building as the council convenes its 60th convention.
The 60th Alaska Federation of Natives convention draws about 5,000 visitors to Anchorage for cultural shows, a candidate forum, and a large arts bazaar, while the organization encourages voter turnout and supports ranked‑choice voting.
