Arctic Entries

Jaron is a web designer and the editor in chief of Lit.cat: The Literature Box of the Internet. He spends his time tilting pinball machines, writing bad jokes, and smelling weird.

Her passion for living shapes how she views and interacts in the world. Her love for learning opened the door for her career as an educator and teacher. Her curiosity about other cultures led her to travel the world, immersing herself in new cultures as she learns new ways of seeing things from every place she visits. She is grateful for each experience and person she has met on her journey.

Forrest Gump is the greatest movie of all time. And that’s all he has to say about that.

Tammy is a lifelong Alaskan and the General Manager at Crowne Plaza Anchorage Midtown. Not your average “Rambolina” but considered a pretty tough lady whom you’d want on your team during a crisis.

When Eve was a child, she was convinced she was a fairy. Her whimsical back-woods Bird Creek upbringing only encouraged this sentiment. When not on the Arctic Entries stage, you will find her frolicking in magical mountain passes.

Molly starred in the 1999 made-for-TV movie Asteroid. Okay, her part got left on the cutting room floor, but her performance riding a bike across the street was Oscar worthy, she promises. When not starring in made-for-TV movies, Molly still rides her bike, and loves the outdoors and her new pup, Champ Bailey.

Charlene is a lifelong Native Alaskan from Kenai. She has lived in Anchorage since graduating from UAA and works as a manager at an Alaska Native regional corporation.

Leyla was born in Hong Kong and grew up across the globe. Seeking adventure from a young age, she pursued an undergraduate degree in what her family calls “professional camping” or what is otherwise known as environmental science and adventure education. Always drawn to the path least taken, she continues to adventure from her home base in Anchorage, where she works as a biologist.

Lucas spends his summers as a wild land firefighter, and his winters chasing snow and adventure both domestic and abroad. You’ll be happy to hear at this time there are no long-lasting physical effects from the incident featured in Lucas’s story. The jury is still out on long-term mental effects.

Jay doesn’t just admit to living in Spenard with a chicken coop and a compost pile—he proudly proclaims it. He’s a husband, a dad, a high school teacher, a community activist and a year-round bike commuter.

Emily is a sophomore at West High. She is described by her friends as a 5’7 and 3/4” ball of fury, with mediocre reflexes and advanced voice projection. Her activities include excessive hair twirling, mispronunciation of common words, and canoeing.

Harry and his twin brother Larry were born in February 1947. Two years later, Larry died due to complications from an experimental Blue Baby Syndrome corrective surgery. Harry knows that Larry has been orchestrating his life from the very beginning. Harry has made Anchorage his home since June 2013. He has been haunted by a speech impediment from early childhood experiences, which is now mostly controlled. Still, Arctic Entries is providing him the opportunity to further confront that Inner Child that can be found inside of us all.

Tami was born and raised in Israel. After working as a journalist and theater director, she became a psychologist. She is currently a provider at the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, and is proud to be part of a great team of people devoted to providing quality care. She believes in play, laughter, kindness, and the ability of stories to change the world. If she had to sum up her life in one word, that word would be “Flash.”

Leanna embodies the dichotomy of order and structure mixed with a good dose of free-spiritedness. Basically, she likes to straddle boundaries, build bridges, move between worlds, and sample everything at the salad bar. Leanna has a Ph.D. in oceanography and works on climate change issues by helping to build coalitions of people who work in science, policy, design, communications, conservation, art, and engineering, etc. Ten years ago she met the most delightful, amazing, inspiring, and one-of-a-kind man, who—as her husband and partner—has been her greatest teacher in life.

Phillip comes from Yup’ik and Quebecois families found on the lower Kuskokwim River and Valleyfield, Canada, respectively. He is a life-long artist, educator, musician, playwright, and storyteller currently working at the Alaska Native Heritage Center as a Cultural Arts Specialist. Recently, he had work accessioned into the French National Museum. At the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, he led 800+ statewide community members on an art project now on display above the Norton Sound Seafood House.

For Annie, her grandmother’s sudden death at her grandfather’s wake would remain the most compelling story of her youth—a story her mother would retell at holiday gatherings so often because it drew folks in. Tonight’s story came from a text Annie sent a friend in the middle of the night after she realized that she couldn’t do what she promised she would. She credits her Forrest Yoga practice axiom: always speak your truth.

Candace lives with her wife, Jen Novobilski, and their two cats, Oliver and Ipa. Before they were married, Jen told her that the cats were part of the package and that she would always have two cats. Despite the sneezing and feline hair everywhere, Candace has grown to love the cats, and has recently taken on such domestic duties as grooming and feeding the cats. She has come to the realization that the cats will always win.

Don Lee - Smell of Fear! by Arctic Entries

Wendy Battino - Taking a Stand by Arctic Entries

Peter Mathiesen - My Move to Alaska by Arctic Entries