On Earth Day 2018, a contingent of rural Alaskans led by Rev. Belle Mickelson walked down Main Street in the fishing town of Cordova carrying a banner that read, “We Stand with the Gwich’in People - Protect the Arctic Wildlife Refuge – Conserve Energy – End Plastic Pollution.” “Cordovans know how oil companies can impact our lives. We also know that we are part of the problem,” said Mickelson, a former science teacher and Les Voyageur. “We all use oil and oil end-products like plastics. But we can do a lot more to conserve energy and use less so we don’t need to drill in precious, fragile places.”

The Gwich’in people of northeast Alaska and northwestern Canada have lived off the land for thousands of years, with the Porcupine caribou herd as their main source of food. These caribou calve on a narrow band of the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — where the U.S. Department of Interior has announced plans for an oil and gas lease sale. “The Gwich’in people live a subsistence lifestyle that truly depends on the caribou. Most of their jobs are hunting, fishing, and hauling wood and water,” Mickelson said. The caribou are also a vital part of their culture, their songs, their dances, and their stories. They call themselves ‘The Caribou People,’ and refer to the calving area as ‘The Sacred Place where Life Begins.’”

Mickelson aims to inspire her flock to help protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling. The Earth Day rally raised awareness, but she’s spreading the word on action items as well.

“Our congregation’s Earth Day Pledge asks us to try these simple actions: Bring your own shopping bags. Ditch single use plastic straws. Stop buying plastic bottles of water. Grow a garden. And bring your own forks and spoons — rather than single use plastic ones. These ideas are just a start. We can all do our part to be responsible citizens of this wonderful earth,” she said.

In addition to serving as rector of St. George's Episcopal Church, Mickelson is the founder and executive director of Dancing with the Spirit, a program that connects rural Alaskan youth and elders through schools and camps to promote spiritual, physical, and mental wellness through music. The nonprofit aims to prevent suicide, drug, alcohol, and domestic abuse by building self-esteem, preserving musical traditions, and encouraging strong healthy communities. They hold week-long music camps for children in Alaska’s Native  villages. These camps, which features local elders, has since grown to 48 villages and has reached more than 5,000 children.  “By the end of the week. we’ve made such great friends with the kids that we can talk to them personally about drugs and alcohol and suicide,” says Mickelson, “And we let them know that we’re counting on them to be leaders, to be the strength of their community, to carry on their culture and tradition.”

Mickelson’s work gained national recognition in 2015 when she won the Purpose Prize, an annual award granted by Encore.org to honor people over 60 who “combine their passion and experience to solve tough social problems in new ways.” [embed]https://youtu.be/YZNaL4_yGO4[/embed]