Hometown, Alaska

Local guests discuss community issues and take listener calls during this LIVE call-in show. Hometown, Alaska features conversations with leaders and decision-makers in local and statewide government, social service agencies, educational institutions and cultural groups. Hosted by Kathleen McCoy and Dr. E.J. David. If you have a topic that could be discussed on Hometown, Alaska send your suggestion to: hometown@alaskapublic.org

Hometown Alaska: Hear how these Anchorage arts organizations adapted to the pandemic

Andrea Noble, executive director of the Alaska State Council on the Arts, has one word for the Alaska artists and arts organizations now tackling...

Hometown Alaska: Hear how one Anchorage entrepreneur manages work and motherhood during the pandemic

The gig economy isn’t exactly a new income stream for individuals, but the paradigm shift of the market due to COVID and other factors have launched gig work and entrepreneurship into an undeniable macrolevel behemoth. One artist and businesswoman shares her story of how she established her brand to The Last Frontier and how we can support self-employed creatives.

Community groups meet Covid vaccine hesitancy with trusted voices and accurate information

January 2022 marks the world's third year working to overcome the Coronavirus pandemic. For many different and valid reasons, people hesitate to get vaccinated....

Hometown Alaska: Food is love without the words. So what do you cook and eat with the ones you love?

Arguments over mandates, pandemic death, disruptive politics, climate change disasters. We've seen them all this year; we're worn out. The battles and struggles will...

Hometown Alaska: You might have noticed a lot of Filipino health care workers in Alaska. Here’s why.

If you’ve ever been to a hospital or a medical clinic or some type of medical facility, which most of us probably have, you may have noticed that a lot of health care workers are Filipino. They can be doctors, or home care providers, or some type of health care worker, but most of them are nurses. This is not just your imagination, as statistics show that Filipino nurses do compose the largest share of immigrant nurses in the United States. In fact, the Philippines is the world’s biggest supplier of nurses.

Hometown Alaska: From dog poop to plastics – what can you really compost and recycle in Anchorage?

UPDATE: Since the recycling/composting program aired Monday morning, here's a bit of useful info for Mat-Su Valley residents interested in curbside recycling. Alaska Waste...

Hometown Alaska: Native Heritage Month can bring complex emotions for Indigenous people. Here are three perspectives.

olks still commonly dress up in stereotypical Native costumes, and it is also when Thanksgiving happens, a holiday that is fraught with many problematic portrayals of history and Native Peoples. In this episode, we talk about these and many other relevant issues pertaining to Native Heritage Month.

Hometown Alaska: Despite the isolation, fan culture thrives in Anchorage

to escape the dark, chilly winters that conquer the final months of each year. The politics and popularity of film, comic, game, and novel franchises have brought folks together in ways we did not know possible, bringing a sense of irony to the isolated Last Frontier.

Hometown Alaska: Indigenous Peoples’ Day can be celebrated all year. Here’s how.

Indigenous Peoples' Day strikes the intersection of beauty and triumph, controversy and pain. Many have fought to reclaim its purpose and name from Columbus, to the people of the land he claimed to discover.

Hometown Alaska: Filipino history in Alaska runs deeper than you might expect.

The month of October has been recognized by the U.S. Congress and by several state legislatures as Filipino American History Month, to celebrate the long history of Filipinos in the United States. This episode focuses on Filipino Alaskan history, along with Filipino Alaskans’ many achievements and contributions.

LISTEN: Celebrating Recovery Month in Alaska

Addiction and recovery are two sides of a heavy coin. September is National Recovery Month, so this week on Hometown Alaska, we’ll learn how substance addiction contributes to recidivism and how to celebrate recovery and support sobriety and sober-curious lifestyles.
a person holds a bowl of butter garlic shrimp

LISTEN: Discussing food culture in Alaska

Alaska’s food and restaurant culture is a massive and ever-shifting adhesive for the local economy, serving and effecting both customers and business owners alike. But why is it so crucial? And how are local restaurant and food truck owners riding the wave back to success during COVID? Join host, Justin Williams, with two champions of the local restaurant community to discuss our food culture here in Alaska.

Listen: Finding the untapped talent in Alaska’s immigrants and refugees

immigrants and refugees make Alaska their home. How are new Alaskans adjusting? How can the government help in their transition? What are the ways through which immigrants and refugees enrich Alaska? Join host E.J. David for conversation about a collaborative community project called “Untapped Talent.”

New anthology: 25 years of Alaska women’s voices

On the latest Hometown Alaska, host Kathleen McCoy is speaking with the editors of a new anthology that collects the first 25 years of the journal “Alaska Women Speak."

Two first books by young Alaska writers

UPDATE: Writer Matt Caprioli, featured in this episode, has changed his last name to Frye Castillo. His website can be found here. Hometown Alaska...
A Juneteenth flag waives in the wind

Juneteenth: What, why, and beyond

Juneteenth has been called “America’s Second Independence Day”. But surveys show that only about half of Americans even know what Juneteenth is. So what exactly is Juneteenth? Why is it important? And should it be celebrated? With community leaders Jasmin Smith and Dino Allen, we will discuss the history behind Juneteenth and its continued modern day significance on the next episode of Hometown, Alaska

Alaska Version 3 asks us to imagine our collective future. You go first.

What if our latest conversations about Alaska didn't lodge on the dollar amount of a PFD, or how much a budget should be cut?...

Book love: Updates from Alaska Center for the Book and Anchorage Reads

Host Kathleen McCoy talks with founders of the Alaska Center for the Book and a librarian about community programs to promote reading.
A man in a police uniform smiles for a photo in front of flags

Hometown Alaska: A conversation with Anchorage Police Acting Chief Ken McCoy

APD's Acting Chief Ken McCoy joins host Kathleen McCoy for a conversation on the department's work in Anchorage, and more broadly, on modern policing — a public safety field that has come under increasing scrutiny as social media and video cameras have captured police at work.

Discussing anti-Asian racism

Recent events have put a spotlight on anti-Asian racism. Many Americans even seem shocked & surprised that it’s happening. But is anti-Asian racism new? Is anti-Asian racism rare? What does it look like? Where does it happen? And how does it impact Asian Americans? Join us as we discuss the complexities of anti-Asian racism on this episode of Hometown, Alaska.