Tlingit artist and filmmaker, Regional Catalyst for Regenerative Tourism in Southeast Alaska, Alaska Representative for AIANTA (American Indian Alaskan Native...
Entrepreneurs + Culture + Environment = Impact
With a shared heritage of beautiful and sacred surroundings, this pan-Pacific effort supports community-driven economic development for regenerative impact experiences that embrace the culture and desires of people and place. An array of facilitators and mentors in Hawai’i and Alaska will work together to equip local entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and groups with Regenerative and Blue Economy strategies to develop net-positive offerings to benefit the community, culture, and natural systems of their place and promote healing.
Important Dates:
- February 7: Applications Open
- February 28: Applications Close for Review
- March 7: Cohort Notifications begin (via email)
- March 18 – April 29: 8-week Regenerative Business Accelerator hybrid intensive (one ~60-min session per week)
Cost: FREE
Background
Rooted in Indigenous values of stewardship, the Regenerative destination development model has been adopted by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, a statewide government entity, as an overall strategy and a branding and destination management initiative to protect and preserve the future of the destination with repeat visitors.
Concurrently in 2021, Cordova and the Cordova Chamber of Commerce adopted a Regenerative destination strategy and vision as a means to add healthy economic opportunity that supports existing industries while strengthening ecological and cultural assets and initiatives.
What is Regenerative Development?
Also known as Community-Based development, Regenerative destination development centers around the idea that there is an opportunity for visitors to improve a destination. Rooted in Indigenous values of stewardship; it addresses impacts holistically, from destination and community perspectives as well as environmental. This approach seeks to address community needs by working together with and building up the local cultures and ecosystem as well as the current industries and businesses through visitor opportunities that promote cultural revitalization, environmental restoration, and hyper-local spending, as well as growing regenerative industries.
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We believe the sourcepoint of unimaginable challenges can also be the conditions to inspire resilience, innovation, and positive change.
This innovative Alaska-Hawaiʻi Impact Studio will result in:
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New Activity Offerings
that provide engaging opportunities to support the local culture and economy
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Indigenous-to-Indigenous Exchange
that strengthens connections between Native groups in Hawai’i and Alaska
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Strengthened Communities
through healthy economic diversification that supports existing industries and cultures
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Bio-culture Restoration
through built-in opportunities for visitors to support local ecological and cultural revitalization efforts
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Resilience
economic, ecological, and cultural strength to endure challenges and rise to new opportunities
Program Support
Mondy Jamshidi-Kent, MA GLSD
Principal, Naupaka Pacific; Honolulu, Hawai'i
Regenerative Tourism Practitioner, Subject Matter Expert; Curriculum and Nonprofit Program Designer (20 years); Global Leadership and Sustainable Development; Professor, TIM,...
Cathy Renfeldt
Executive Director, Cordova Chamber of Commerce; Cordova, Alaska
Professional Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Destination Management, Local Alaska Chamber of the Year recipient; Top 40 Under 40 recipient, Association...
Tommy Sheridan
Director, Alaska Blue Economy Center, ARCTIC Community Site Coordinator, ACEP, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Cordova, Alaska
22 years in nonprofit hatchery, seafood industry, mariculture development, and fishery management roles. ABEC is focused on community resilience through...
This event is part of the Community Accelerator programming in part supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. 2344553 and by the State of Alaska.
