Career:
Audre Gifford in Anchorage, AK
Advocating for Native Rights: Substance Addiction, Meet the Game Changer
While others are relaxing, Audré is traveling to advocate for native rights and making a stand in tribal politics. Her personal sobriety connected her to tribal politics and since then, she is a fighter for change! When she isn’t wearing her hat as game changer, she is the proud mom of two adorable kids, Zachary, 13, and Nova, 5. I Admire U Audré, you balance motherhood, family, and a career like an Alaskan rock star!
Audre in her own words...
1. You used to be a Chemical Dependency Counselor. How did you decide to enter tribal politics from there?
I absolutely loved working with clients! However, the longer I worked in that position, the more I began to see addiction as a systemic problem, a societal problem. I wanted to work to implement change at a higher level. Our tribe has recently begun offering free substance abuse treatment and mental health counseling to Alaska Natives and American Indians!
2. How has your personal journey of overcoming addiction and celebrating eight years of sobriety impact your career?
I wouldn’t use the term “overcoming addiction”, I believe that I will be healing for the rest of my life. My sobriety is something I work on every single day. My journey has had a huge impact on my career! The values I have learned in sobriety are honesty, hard work, reaching out to others, acceptance, forgiveness, the list goes on and on. After hitting my bottom in addiction, I have no fear of failure. I am a strong advocate for the underserved and underprivileged. I see value in every single person. I also have a huge passion for learning. I seek knowledge from everywhere and everyone.
3. Every year you have the special opportunity to share your story at the local high school. What do you hope the young minds take away from your journey?
There are many things I hope to accomplish when I speak to the youth. I approach my talks from several angles. I speak of being a youth and experiments, a young adult that lived with addiction and alcoholism, being a parent, and being a woman in recovery. I hope that by addressing these different perspectives that the majority of the youth will be able to identify with at least one thing I say. My hope is that they will remember my story before they decide to experiment. I hope that if they find themselves addicted and hopeless that they remember there is hope. That when they go home to parents that struggle with substances, that they remember it is not their fault. My hope is that they choose a healthier path than I chose at that age.
“I want to change systems that oppress others, I want to dissolve stigma around addiction and mental health issues. I want to be a symbol of empowerment for others.”
4. You are a powerhouse! You sit on the Kenaitze Indian Tribe council in three committees, chair the Traditional Healing committee, on the Board of Directors for CITC in Anchorage, and sit on the Dena’ina House Academy committee. How did you choose to get involved in all of these programs? What did you have to do to get involved?
Tribal council is an elected position, I was chosen by my tribal members for that position. My fellow council members appointed me to treasurer of the tribe, all the committees and the CITIC Board. Basically, a lot of people took a chance on me and I work very hard to try to make them proud. I live in constant gratitude to all of these people for giving me these opportunities.
5. You travel all over the nation to give Native Rights a voice. When your work takes you to Washington D.C., what kind of change are you hoping to progress?
I advocate for strengthening Alaska Native Tribal sovereignty and promoting/encouraging the United States to uphold their trust/treaty responsibilities. I also advocate for funding for education, and health services for Alaska Natives and American Indians.
6. Many people compliment you and your work as "inspiring." Five years from now, what do you hope your legacy in tribal politics will be?
The idea of leaving a legacy conflicts with our traditional values. I do not work alone, or to leave some kind of mark. I work with many locally, statewide, and nationally to advance the health and well-being of our people. Among the areas I am most passionate about are reducing substance abuse within our population and promoting subsistence rights.
"After hitting my bottom in addiction, I have no fear of failure. I am a strong advocate for the underserved and underprivileged. I see value in every single person."
7. For someone interested in pursuing a career in politics or being an advocate for change, what nugget of advice would you share? What helpful resources would you recommend?
I would suggest searching your heart and finding what you are passionate about. Then, learning everything possible about the agencies, laws, and other stakeholders in the area. Always speak out when you see injustice or the need for change. Your voice, paired with knowledge is the most powerful tool you will ever possess. Use it responsibly and regularly.
8. You are the proud mom of two kids, Zachary and Nova. Nova was born with a rare ganglioneuroblastoma, a tumor that grows in nerve tissue, which caused her to spend the majority of her first three-and-half years of her precious life in the hospital. How did you cope with her sickness while having a career?
By having amazing supervisors, and a huge support system! My coworkers were amazing, they donated their personal leave time so I could be with my family during our numerous hospital stays. I was able to do a lot of work “on the road” as well. I live in a small tight knit community. Everybody surrounded us with immeasurable love and support. There were times when we didn’t know if she would make it through. We learned to appreciate every single second we had together as a family. All the day to day stresses just melted away. It gave our family a whole new perspective on what is important.
9. I’m curious, what’s next for you?
That’s a great question, I’ll keep you posted! God puts these fires in my heart and I follow. I won’t know until he guides me to my next adventure.
10. I Admire U, who do you admire?
I admire people that take risks, the ones that step outside of their comfort zone. I admire the people that fail, and keep trying. I admire the people that are scared but somehow manage to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.
I absolutely loved working with clients! However, the longer I worked in that position, the more I began to see addiction as a systemic problem, a societal problem. I wanted to work to implement change at a higher level. Our tribe has recently begun offering free substance abuse treatment and mental health counseling to Alaska Natives and American Indians!
2. How has your personal journey of overcoming addiction and celebrating eight years of sobriety impact your career?
I wouldn’t use the term “overcoming addiction”, I believe that I will be healing for the rest of my life. My sobriety is something I work on every single day. My journey has had a huge impact on my career! The values I have learned in sobriety are honesty, hard work, reaching out to others, acceptance, forgiveness, the list goes on and on. After hitting my bottom in addiction, I have no fear of failure. I am a strong advocate for the underserved and underprivileged. I see value in every single person. I also have a huge passion for learning. I seek knowledge from everywhere and everyone.
3. Every year you have the special opportunity to share your story at the local high school. What do you hope the young minds take away from your journey?
There are many things I hope to accomplish when I speak to the youth. I approach my talks from several angles. I speak of being a youth and experiments, a young adult that lived with addiction and alcoholism, being a parent, and being a woman in recovery. I hope that by addressing these different perspectives that the majority of the youth will be able to identify with at least one thing I say. My hope is that they will remember my story before they decide to experiment. I hope that if they find themselves addicted and hopeless that they remember there is hope. That when they go home to parents that struggle with substances, that they remember it is not their fault. My hope is that they choose a healthier path than I chose at that age.
“I want to change systems that oppress others, I want to dissolve stigma around addiction and mental health issues. I want to be a symbol of empowerment for others.”
4. You are a powerhouse! You sit on the Kenaitze Indian Tribe council in three committees, chair the Traditional Healing committee, on the Board of Directors for CITC in Anchorage, and sit on the Dena’ina House Academy committee. How did you choose to get involved in all of these programs? What did you have to do to get involved?
Tribal council is an elected position, I was chosen by my tribal members for that position. My fellow council members appointed me to treasurer of the tribe, all the committees and the CITIC Board. Basically, a lot of people took a chance on me and I work very hard to try to make them proud. I live in constant gratitude to all of these people for giving me these opportunities.
5. You travel all over the nation to give Native Rights a voice. When your work takes you to Washington D.C., what kind of change are you hoping to progress?
I advocate for strengthening Alaska Native Tribal sovereignty and promoting/encouraging the United States to uphold their trust/treaty responsibilities. I also advocate for funding for education, and health services for Alaska Natives and American Indians.
6. Many people compliment you and your work as "inspiring." Five years from now, what do you hope your legacy in tribal politics will be?
The idea of leaving a legacy conflicts with our traditional values. I do not work alone, or to leave some kind of mark. I work with many locally, statewide, and nationally to advance the health and well-being of our people. Among the areas I am most passionate about are reducing substance abuse within our population and promoting subsistence rights.
"After hitting my bottom in addiction, I have no fear of failure. I am a strong advocate for the underserved and underprivileged. I see value in every single person."
7. For someone interested in pursuing a career in politics or being an advocate for change, what nugget of advice would you share? What helpful resources would you recommend?
I would suggest searching your heart and finding what you are passionate about. Then, learning everything possible about the agencies, laws, and other stakeholders in the area. Always speak out when you see injustice or the need for change. Your voice, paired with knowledge is the most powerful tool you will ever possess. Use it responsibly and regularly.
8. You are the proud mom of two kids, Zachary and Nova. Nova was born with a rare ganglioneuroblastoma, a tumor that grows in nerve tissue, which caused her to spend the majority of her first three-and-half years of her precious life in the hospital. How did you cope with her sickness while having a career?
By having amazing supervisors, and a huge support system! My coworkers were amazing, they donated their personal leave time so I could be with my family during our numerous hospital stays. I was able to do a lot of work “on the road” as well. I live in a small tight knit community. Everybody surrounded us with immeasurable love and support. There were times when we didn’t know if she would make it through. We learned to appreciate every single second we had together as a family. All the day to day stresses just melted away. It gave our family a whole new perspective on what is important.
9. I’m curious, what’s next for you?
That’s a great question, I’ll keep you posted! God puts these fires in my heart and I follow. I won’t know until he guides me to my next adventure.
10. I Admire U, who do you admire?
I admire people that take risks, the ones that step outside of their comfort zone. I admire the people that fail, and keep trying. I admire the people that are scared but somehow manage to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.
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