Sealaska Director Honored as Champion of Native Rights

The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska (ACLU) announced the 2010 Liberty Awards on January 23, 2010. Five honorees were recognized as Champions of Constitutional Rights, including Sealaska director Byron Mallott.

Byron was honored with the Eric Johnson Champion of Native Rights award. Eric Johnson was recognized by the ACLU for his work at striking down Alaska law that required English as the only language for communication with state government.

“As I reflect this honor, I’m reminded of the leaders that made this generation of leaders possible,” said Byron Mallott. “One can’t begin to review what you’ve accomplished without revering those that came before you.

“Institutions and individuals who over successive generations of leadership and involvement with the state have helped make the state a much better place than what it was when I walked through the door of a boarding school. I suddenly realized that life was not what I had wished for. Knowing today that my children and grandchildren have a much wider and promising future than I could have ever imagined.

“I hope that the next 50 years of statehood will be a place where every person is respected and has a sense of hope and opportunity and where their abilities are cherished in advance from birth through the oldest of age, where color and race and ethnicity are celebrated and respected but not used as a way to separate us but to bring us together in richness and strength, and most of all to be able to say to my grandchild, ‘You are no different, no better and you have same opportunities, you have the same qualities as all of those around you. But they believe that you are special in a certain way and I want you to believe you are special in a certain way. Because you were the first people of this land and after so many struggles and so much effort of those that came before you, it’s now recognized and celebrated and your life will be good.”

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