Support for Public Media: A Personal Perspective from Alaska

Amanda Attla, from Palmer, Alaska, reflects on the importance of public media in her community, deeply rooted in her family’s legacy. Her father, George Attla, was a 10-time world champion sled dog racer who achieved legendary status in the sport, despite having only one fully functioning leg. His remarkable success spanned from 1958 to 2011, and he continued to mentor future mushers until his passing in 2015 at the age of 81.

While Attla was a fierce competitor, his true aspiration was to share the beauty of dogsledding and Alaska Native traditions. The PBS series “Independent Lens” played a crucial role in realizing this dream by producing the documentary “ATTLA,” which aired in fall 2019 and reached millions of viewers across the nation.

This documentary not only honored Attla’s legacy but also sparked conversations worldwide, inspiring audiences to pursue their own passions and to engage with the richness of dogsledding and Native culture. The film garnered attention at prestigious venues like the American Indian Film Festival and the Smithsonian Institute of the American Indian, showcasing the vital role of PBS in promoting important stories.

Amanda Attla calls on Alaska’s congressional representatives to consider the impact of public media as they deliberate funding cuts, emphasizing how it has uplifted her community and kept her father’s spirit alive through storytelling. “We hope they will think about my dad and our community and what public media means to us,” she states.

For more community voices or to share your opinion, send to letters@adn.com.

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