Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women in Alaska, accounting for nearly one-third of all female cancer cases. Breast cancer in women under the age of 40 years old is 58% higher in Alaska Native women compared to non-Hispanic white women in the same region. Scientific evidence shows that there is a trend in younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer at earlier ages, and a significant amount of scientific evidence associating toxic, persistent chemicals like PFAS, flame retardants, phthalates, PCBs, and microplastics to chronic illness like breast cancer and other serious chronic diseases.
Connecting breast cancer prevention with language revitalization acknowledges that culture and identity are fundamental determinants of health. Research in Indigenous communities has shown a direct link between language revitalization and improved health outcomes, including lower suicide rates and better mental health.
Protecting Our Mamaqs & Our Health: An Environmental Health Toolkit for Breast Cancer Prevention & Protecting the Health of People Living with Breast Cancer (POM toolkit) is designed to train Community Health Aides/Practitioners (CHA/ Ps), other health care professionals, and the people of Alaska about environmental contaminants found in the North and Arctic regions that are linked to breast cancer. To accompany the toolkit we have created a poster and factcards in Yugtun and English as additional educational materials.
ACAT offers this toolkit in the spirit of providing information to support people’s ability to make their own informed decisions.
In this webinar, we heard from Rosalie Lincoln and Catherine Moses, Yugtun translators with Alaska Public Interest Research Group (AKPIRG), Jasmine Jemewouk, Water Quality and Community Health Protection Coordinator, Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT); and Dr. Samarys Seguinot Medina, Environmental Health Director at ACAT. Together, they explored the intersections of chemicals of concern, environmental justice, breast cancer prevention, and the importance of making educational materials accessible in Indigenous languages.
Featured Speakers
Catherine Moses:
Angayuqaagka Yugtun Yugissaullruuq Igvaq-wa. Aatallemkun apaurluirutka Apaullruuq, maurluirutka-llu Maassaluullruluni. Aanallemkun apaurluirutka Angukaraullruuq, maurluirutka-llu Nanirquksuaraullruluni. Yugtun atqa Keggutailnguuguq.
My parents were Pauline Kameroff-Prince-Hunt and Frederick Prince. My mother was born and raised in Kotlik, Alaska, while my father grew up in a reindeer camp. My maternal grandparents were Theresa and Stepka Kameroff, and my paternal grandparents were Pauline and Charlie Prince. My English name is Catherine Moses.
I attended a boarding high school in St. Mary’s, Alaska, and later went on to study at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). After graduating, I worked as a certified Yup’ik teacher for the Lower Kuskokwim School District for a little over twenty years before retiring. Following retirement, I became involved with Yugtun Piciryaranek Qaneryaranek-llu Cuqyun (YPQC), directed by Gayle Miller, as a member of a Yup’ik expert group.
I was born into an ethnic group of Yup’ik people who lived a subsistence lifestyle and were deeply rooted in a culturally rich, value-based environment. The inerquutet and alerquutet (roughly translated as admonitions or guiding principles) shaped the social structure of our community. Relationships—with other people, with the land, the waters, the sky, and all the plants and animals that sustained us—were central to life and ensured survival through long winter months.
Jasmine Jemewouk is a graduate of the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in rural development. She is Inupiaq, Yupik and Cherokee from the village of Elim, Alaska located in the Bering Straits region. Jasmine works to oppose various mines around Alaska, including the Ambler Access Road Project, Graphite One, Panther Minerals AK Inc. Uranium exploration project, and others. Jasmine began working with ACAT in 2015 as an intern with the STEP-UP program then later joined ACAT's board in 2017. She represented her family and community perspective on the board until she resigned to join ACAT's team as the Water Quality and Community Health Protection Coordinator. Jasmine is very excited to work with ACAT and wants to help her community and future generations to protect themselves from harmful exposures and live a healthy lifestyle.
Rosalie Lincoln:
Waqaa tamarpeci! Atengqertua amauIinqigutma atranek Angakayagaq Qaivaralria-llu.
I was named after my great great grandmother on my mother’s side. My name Angakayagaq (Little great uncle) and Qaivaralria (one that surfaces from below) has been passed down from our ancestors and now I own it with so much respect. I live in Toksook Bay (Nunakauyaq) on Nelson Island located in the western coast of Alaska. I am married to the love of my life Simeon (going on for 47 years) and we have four wonderful grown kids, 13 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild.
I am a retired Yup’ik Elementary teacher for 30+ years. And over those years I have written several Yup’ik children’s books during summer institutes for teacher aides and teachers Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD). In 2016, I completed my master’s degree in applied Linguistics from University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).
Since I retired, I have taught online Yup’ik classes under UAF since January 2019 to 2022. I have enjoyed my second career as a Yup’ik language translator. I have translated Little Polyglot books for Linguacious in 2020. I joined the Alaska Public Interest Research Group (ASPIRG) as a Yugtun translator for 2020 census, 2020 census and COVID-19, and on the COVID-19 vaccine 2021. AKPIRG translations CENSUS2020, COVID-19, VACCINES in 2021, and Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT) in progress (2024).
Samarys Seguinot Medina, DrPH, also known as Sama or by her given Siberian Yupik name, Umyuugalek, is a Boricua from the Archipelago of Borikén (Puerto Rico). She has been ACAT’s Environmental Health Director for the last 15 years. Most of her work has been leading community-based participatory research in remote areas of Alaska and other EJ&H efforts in Puerto Rico, the U.S., and Geneva, Switzerland as part of ACAT’s international work. Sama has a DrPH (Doctor in Public Health) from the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus in San Juan, and a master’s degree in Environmental Risk Assessment and Planning from Universidad Metropolitana (Metropolitan University) in SJ, Puerto Rico.
This webinar will be hosted by the CHE-Alaska Partnership, which is coordinated by Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT). Driven by a core belief in environmental justice, ACAT empowers communities to eliminate exposure to toxics through collaborative research, shared science, education, organizing, and advocacy.