June Degnan

June Degnan was born in Unalakleet, Alaska and makes her home in Juneau.  She is President and chief fundraiser for Haven House Juneau, which provides transitional housing for Alaska Native Women leaving prison. June's father Frank Degnan was a representative to the Alaska Territorial Legislature and an advocate for Alaska Native land rights.  She spoke with us about her father, Haven House, and her life in Juneau. 

"[Haven House] became NIMBY... "not-in-my-backyard".  We got sued by the neighbors...they were going to prevent us from moving ahead... it went through the assembly... it took some effort and a community that was strong enough to stand with us... and we won." 

"You're part of your ancestry, their expectations of you, we want our children to grow up and be good citizens, and the most we can do is try.  And to me you need a sense of humor along with it, because you're just a human being, you can fail, but we try to rise above it and just to be better."

Friends Becoming Grandparents

1900 St. Michael - friends becoming grandparents - Irish, Swedish, Yupik, Inupiaq

We Need Fee Simple Title

Alaska Native Land Claims - learning from Tribes elsewhere - Father - a growing movement

Haven House

filling a need - Alaska Native women leaving prison - changing the criminal justice system

"Our prayer when we were growing up was to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.'