ANCHORAGE, AK-Thousands of Alaska Natives gathered in Anchorage October 23-25, for the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) annual convention, the state's largest convention of any kind. Some 5,000 people gathered at the Dena'ina Center in Alaska's largest city.

This year's conference theme was "Rise as One" with emphasis on unity on issues like language, subsistence and child welfare.

While these issues took up much of the discussion and debate, there was a lot of politicking going on as well. Candidates for governor, a U.S. Senate seat, and Alaska's only representative in Congress, all made appearances at the convention in an attempt to gain endorsements and win votes.

In addition to hearing presentations and speeches on a wide range of topics, representatives of tribes, regional non-profit organizations, and Native for-profit corporations will vote on resolutions. Among them are resolutions endorsing candidates Sen. Mark Begich for re-election, Bill Walker for Governor, and Byron Mallott (a former chair of AFN) for Lt. Governor. 

According to a news report on KNBA, speakers at this year's AFN convention covered a wide range of topics, from co-management of fish and game, economic development, and violence against children to education, and health. Presenters included representatives of the U.S. departments of Interior and Justice, the National Congress of American Indians, and statewide Native leaders such as Rosita Worl, head of the Sealaska Heritage Institute; Myron Naneng, president of the Alaska Association of Village Council Presidents; and Evon Peter, the new director of the University of Alaska's rural campuses. AFN will also present awards for parenting, cultural knowledge, outstanding hunter and fisher, and in other areas.

KNBA, 90.3 FM, broadcast the AFN Convention live Gavel-to-Gavel including special AFN newscasts by Emily Schwing of KUAC, and translations of her newscasts in the Tlingit, Inupiaq, Yup'ik, and Athabascan languages.

The conference was also streamed live on AFN's website.