Kawerak applauds the Alaska Supreme Court for upholding the equal protection clause of the Alaska State Constitution, as well as Kawerak President Melanie Bahnke and AFN Executive Vice President Nicole Borromeo for their tireless efforts to uphold equality when outlining the maps for the Alaska Redistricting Board.
Because the Alaska Supreme Court declared the actions of political gerrymandering unconstitutional, the ripple effect includes a more fair representation for voters. In the map previously approved by the Republican members of the Redistricting Board, voters from the diverse Anchorage neighborhoods would have had their votes diluted due to pairing with more affluent and conservative neighborhoods, according to written filings by the Alaska Black Caucus, NAACP Anchorage Inc, Native Movement and First Alaskans Institute.
By speaking up Bahnke and Borromeo stepped away from the politics of things, and towards what is fair and just for Alaska. The two put in long hours and weeks away from family and loved ones, but the result is something they can be proud of. “The first time Kellan and Ivy vote, it will be under a map that Nicole and I drew and fought to make fair — and preserve. That’s an incredible legacy from a mother to child. It reminds me of Elizabeth Peratrovich and the pictures I’ve seen of her with her harms wrapped around her child during the civil rights movement.”
Borromeo triumphs, “the power has been wrestled away from partisan politicians and returned to the people. It’s a good day.”
Kellen is Ms Borromeo’s 10 year old son. Ivy is Ms. Bahnke’s 11 year old daughter. Both women are “Undeclared” voters.
