Ruth Miller Email and Phone Number

We see the Smokehouse Collective as a place to bring resources together to help our communities thrive, live in the right relationship with the land and each other, and be in conversation over the practices that have been vital to our ability to live and adapt through millennia. We are those of us that believe in the transition of the commercial fishing and agricultural complex, increasing food sovereignty and security of rural and urban Alaskan communities, and building land and water-based systems of reciprocity.

Organized the recording of stories from the Bristol Bay region reflecting on the cultural significance of fish camp and the political implications on extractive development fights like the Pebble Mine.

Native Movement is additionally a partner to Indigenous Environmental Network, NDN Collective, and Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. I have led youth delegations to national and international Climate convening (including COP25 and COP26), as well as local power-building work to elevate grassroots climate justice solutions. This work has centered on strategic narrative development and climate storytelling, as well as policy advocacy, primarily as the Alaska state lead to the National Green New Deal Network. This includes facilitation of the Alaska Climate Alliance and the Alaska Just Transition Collective.

Climate Justice Consultant on contract, Alaska Youth for Environmental Action Summit TrainerWorked with the director of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action to advise the program structure on more inclusive, decolonial and liberatory frameworks. Worked with dozens of high-school aged youth to curate and lead a three day summit aimed on empowering, uplifting, and educating Alaska youth from all across the state on decolonization and climate justice.

Was independently contracted as the first summer intern of NPA, a political action non-profit established in 2017 to provide information and resources to Native communities, organize actions and inform policy, and empower our Native community to political action, centering traditional life ways.Primary communications role: conducting interviews with community members, recording video and audio footage for media campaigns, ran social media accountsContributed to leading the University of Alaska Fairbanks Tribal Management Youth Empowerment Summit, bringing rural youth together to teach social action and empower them as future leadersSpearheaded development of the Summer Internship Program, the Rural Ambassador Program, and a Youth Leadership SummitRepresented NPA at the 2018 Elders and Youth Conference and 2018 Alaska Federation of Natives, presenting at the Plenary on Political Engagement, returned again for 2019 E&Y and 2019 AFN

Research assistant to Professor Robert Blair of the Watson Institute at Brown UniversityResearch Assistant (Summer 2017)Developed core curriculum for the international collaborative course Democratic Erosion, including creating an interactive blog, lesson plans, and performing country case studies, accessible through this address: http://democratic-erosion.com/blog/Member of an undergraduate team compiling UN Secretary General reports for all peacekeeping operations in sub-Saharan Africa since 1989, designing and piloting an online data entry system to facilitate coding, and subsequently coding reports to be analyzed for various markers of effect.

Native American Heritage Series for the Brown Center for Students of ColorCo-Programmer, (August 2016- June 2017)NAHS brings speakers, organizers and public figures to the Brown campus to speak on Native issues, as well as organizes workshops and teach ins. Our programs have thus far included the Annual Welcome Back Reception, the Annual Fry Bread Social, a collaboration with Students for Justice in Palestine on Settler Colonialism in the United States and Israel, Honoring our Sisters: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women teach-in, Indigenous Self-Care Workshop, and the Annual Spring Thaw Pow Wow

Alaska Victory ‘14 (Anchorage, AK)Campaign Intern (Aug 2014 - Nov 2014)Organization dedicated to re-electing Senator Mark Begich, and electing Governor Bill Walker and numerous state candidatesGained experience in election campaign work and worked closely with field officers to develop public communication networks, preformed extensive interaction with the public through cold calls, canvassing and rally organization

Summer Intern (May 2014 - Jun 2014)Worked closely with United Tribes of Bristol Bay leaders to prepare for upcoming hearings by the Environmental Protection Agency in review of a permit application made towards the proposed Pebble MineConducted an independent research project, working with EPA staffers in the Tribal Liaison office, to evaluate the past employments of the 404(c) process under the Clean Water ActCollected nearly 2,000 written comments from Bristol Bay residents and fishermen during the EPA’s public comment period, aided in flying in surrounding village participantsCreated an original "testimony template" to familiarize local residents with the EPA hearing process and to empower them to express their views

Former Senator Mark Begich, United States Senate (Washington, DC)Summer Intern, (July 2013 to August 2013)Worked closely with legislative assistants on issues such as education, healthcare and especially Native subsistence rightsPerformed research and analysis for legislative letters and briefings used by the Senator in various hearings, wrote vote recommendations for the Senator, preparing and informing him for voting decisions.Performed research contributed writing to the Traditional Foods and Nourishment Act S.1374; later passed into law.Wrote constituent letters on legislative policy; communicated by telephone and over email with a large number of constituents on the Senator's views and positions