Alaskan Way Featured on KNBA 90.3 FM: Sharing Our Mission, Our Story, and the Urgent Need for Medically Supportive Housing in Anchorage

On November 25th, Alaskan Way had the honor of being featured on KNBA 90.3 FM, Anchorage’s Alaska Native–owned public radio station dedicated to elevating Indigenous voices and community stories. Hosted by the incredible Kelly Brabec, the interview offered a powerful opportunity to share the heart of our work, the reality of the crisis our medically fragile relatives face, and the hope we carry for a better future.

This wasn’t just a broadcast — it was a moment of recognition, a moment of truth, and a moment of visibility for a population that is often overlooked: our elders, our medically vulnerable relatives, our people who cannot safely navigate the shelter system as it exists today. For us, the broadcast was more than an interview. It was a step toward healing, advocacy, and change.

You can listen to the full KNBA interview here:
👉 https://www.knba.org/our-community/2025-11-25/oc-alaskan-way

A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight

Anchorage is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of individuals experiencing homelessness are medically fragile — meaning they are elders, mobility-impaired, recovering from surgeries, coping with chronic illness, or unable to meet Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) without assistance.

The reality is stark:

• Most shelters in Anchorage are not medically equipped.

• Individuals who cannot meet ADLs are often discharged, not out of cruelty, but because staff are not trained or certified to legally provide that level of care.

• Many medically fragile people end up outside, in cars, or cycling between hospital emergency rooms and unsafe environments.

• Elders, especially Alaska Native elders, experience some of the highest rates of housing instability in the city.

This gap is what Alaskan Way exists to fill.

During the broadcast, Kelly asked a question that allowed us to speak directly to this crisis: “What inspired you to create Alaskan Way?” The answer is simple but heavy.

We created Alaskan Way because no elder should ever be outside. No person recovering from illness should have to live in a vehicle. No one who cannot bathe, dress, or safely move on their own should be left without support.

The KNBA interview gave us space to explain this truth — clearly, honestly, and with the full weight of our experience.

A Mission Rooted in Culture, Community, and Love

Alaskan Way was founded on American Native values: caring for our elders, helping our relatives when they are struggling, and making sure no one is left behind. These values guide both our programs and our presence in the community.

During the interview, we spoke about Mino Bimaadiziwin, an Anishinaabe teaching meaning “living the good life.” For us, this teaching is not just a phrase — it is the foundation of our work. Living the good life means being connected, being cared for, having dignity, having safety, and having community.

We shared with Kelly that our approach focuses on supporting each person:

• Physically

• Mentally

• Emotionally

• Spiritually

This holistic, culturally grounded care model is central to Alaskan Way’s identity. It’s who we are, and it’s how we show up for our people.

The KNBA Interview: A Conversation Filled With Heart

The KNBA studio was a safe and welcoming space. Kelly Brabec led the conversation with kindness, curiosity, and genuine compassion.

Why this is so deeply important to everyone at "Alaskan Way"

“I’ve seen firsthand what happens when a client cannot meet their ADLs. I’ve had to make that call. I’ve had to say we cannot safely keep this person in shelter — and it hurts every time. Alaskan Way was created so no one has to hear ‘you can’t stay here’ ever again.”

This is the reality that drives our work. Those moments stay with you. They change you. They force you to ask: How can we do better?

Kelly allowed us to speak openly about those experiences — the ones that are difficult, painful, and often invisible to the public.

She also uplifted our strengths: our vision, our cultural grounding, our determination, and the community we are building around this mission.

What Makes Alaskan Way Different

During the broadcast, we shared the central components of our approach:

1. Medically Supportive Transitional Housing

We are building Qasgiq House, a home-like environment for medically fragile individuals who cannot safely live in a traditional shelter.

2. PCA (Personal Care Attendant) Support

We are establishing Alaskan Way PCA – Partners in Care, a Medicaid-billable PCA program that will allow us to legally assist clients with:

• Bathing

• Toileting

• Dressing

• Mobility

• Medication reminders

• Meal preparation

• Transfer assistance

This changes everything. It gives medically fragile people a real chance to stabilize and heal.

3. Case Management & Life Skills Support

We aim to address the whole person — connecting them to:

• Housing applications

• Medical care

• Behavioral health services

• Benefits navigation

• Transportation

• Cultural support

• Community connections

4. Cultural Framework & Healing

Our model is built around Indigenous teachings, community belonging, and restoring dignity.

Because healing is not just physical — it’s emotional, mental, and spiritual.

Why This Broadcast Matters

The KNBA interview did more than inform — it humanized a population too often ignored. It brought visibility to an issue that is easy to overlook until someone you love is impacted.

This broadcast matters because:

• It raises awareness about medically fragile homelessness

• It explains a gap in Anchorage’s system that few understand

• It lifts up Alaska Native values in a space where they are often pushed aside

• It affirms our community’s role in caring for its elders

• It positions Alaskan Way as a true solution — built for people, by people who understand

One of the most meaningful moments of the interview came when Kelly asked about our vision for the future. Our response was simple:

“We believe that by supporting our clients physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, we can help them live the good life — Mino Bimaadiziwin.”

This vision is not just ours. It belongs to our community, our elders, and our future generations.

Listen to the Interview

If you missed the live broadcast, you can listen to the full KNBA interview here:
👉 https://www.knba.org/our-community/2025-11-25/oc-alaskan-way

We encourage you to share it with your friends, your relatives, your coworkers, and anyone who believes our elders deserve dignity and safety.

A Call to Action: Join Us in Building a Safer Future

Our work is community-driven. We cannot do this alone.
If the KNBA broadcast moved you, inspired you, or opened your eyes — there are ways to help:

✔ Donate to support Qasgiq House

Every dollar moves us closer to opening our transitional shelter.

✔ Share the Interview

Help us amplify the message across Anchorage.

✔ Volunteer or Partner

We welcome community members, providers, cultural leaders, and organizations willing to collaborate.

✔ Spread Awareness

Talk about medically fragile homelessness.
Talk about ADL challenges.
Talk about our elders.

✔ Invite Us to Present

We are always ready to share our mission with groups, agencies, and organizations.

With Gratitude to KNBA

We extend our deepest gratitude to Kelly Brabec and the entire KNBA 90.3 FM team for giving us this platform — for listening, for caring, and for helping us elevate the voices of our community.

This interview was breathtaking, beautifully produced, and deeply meaningful. It captured our mission, our values, and the urgency of this work with respect and clarity.

Quyana — from the bottom of our hearts.

Learn More or Support Our Mission

Visit AlaskanWay.org to learn more about our programs, get involved, or support our mission to provide culturally grounded, medically supportive transitional housing for medically fragile relatives.

Together — across cultures, generations, and communities — we can build resilience.
We can build dignity.
We can build a place of safety and healing.

We can build the future the Alaskan Way.