As an Alaska Native living in Alaska, I’m incredibly privileged. I’m extremely grateful for the affordability of basic healthcare, and the scholarships I’ve received to fund my pursuit of higher education. With these needs met, my quality of life is quite comfortable.

The Golden Days Parade was lovely this year… mostly. The Best Political Float prize, awarded by the Chamber of Commerce, put a nasty taste in my mouth, and I’m not alone. To some, school board candidate Michael Humphrey’s blow-up walrus may have just seemed like a fun Alaskan animal, or even a joke about Humphrey’s own mustache, but the sign indicating its name was “Johnny” made the float take on an entirely different meaning.

Did you know that there are a lot of Native students that attend the Universities and have an Indigenous name? The names they used to identify with are given to them by their families or their communities. I know at the University of Alaska schools; most Native students are known by their preferred name in the community they grew up in. These communities are remote villages in rural Alaska. Many of us also have an English name. For me, like any other person, I have a preference on what I would like to be called by.

This opinion piece is about striving for balance with overwhelming responsibilities as humans and how we can prioritize during stressful times.