Reclaiming the Narrative: Charlene's Journey through food sovereignty and higher education

May 15, 2026

Dillingham, AK- In the heart of Bristol Bay, where the tundra meets the sea, is Dillingham, Alaska. That’s where Charlene Evalt was born and raised. But now, she’s breaking new ground— stepping back into academia after a ten-year hiatus. It’s unfamiliar territory, but so far she’s navigating the new terrain with a perfect 4.0 GPA. That’s great work, especially for a first generation college student.

The Return of the Astute Learner

For Charlene, the path to the University of Alaska Fairbanks was not a straight line from high school. "Honestly, the last time I was a student, I was 18, you know, a senior in high school," she reflects. After a decade away from the classroom, returning as a non-traditional student brought a newfound level of focus.

Working full-time at a public school while pursuing her degree has given her a unique perspective on the "urgency" of education. While some younger peers might struggle with deadlines, Charlene approaches her studies with discipline. "I got work in the morning, I need to get some rest. I'm not a student who waits until the last minute on the due date to get my homework done,” she says.

Writing Across Contexts: Finding a New Vocabulary

Charlene initially took Professor Kathy Kysar’s WRTG F111X: Exploring Food Sovereignty to fulfill a general education requirement, but she didn't expect the coursework to mirror her own life so closely. "I didn't go into this class expecting to walk away with what I did," she admits.

While she was familiar with the concepts of "subsistence" and "food security," the course’s focus on "food sovereignty" provided a new vocabulary for practices she had engaged in her whole life. She found particular inspiration in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s The Serviceberry, which discusses the "gift economy"—a concept Charlene sees in Dillingham every day.

"I sell food... but, you know, I have people who come and help me out and, you know, they plow my driveway, I’ll make them some maple bars," Charlene explains. "It’s just like how we live our life here and it, it was really nice to take a class that didn't feel so textbook.”

Navigating the First-Generation Path

Being a first-generation student brings hurdles that go beyond the syllabus. Charlene describes the experience as "different," noting the lack of a "source close to home to ask for help… like, what do I do if I can't find a scholarship?" While her family is proud, they lack the institutional experience to guide her through the bureaucratic maze of university life.

Instead, Charlene has her own village, seeking advice from colleagues and friends. This support, combined with the encouragement of her professor helped her overcome the initial intimidation of a university writing requirement. "You're not alone," she tells other students. "It's okay to feel intimidated.”

A Vision for the Future: Science and Representation

Charlene’s academic pursuit has a clear destination: she is working toward a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education with the goal of becoming a science teacher. Her commitment is absolute—she even opted to relearn math from the ground up to ensure she truly understands the material she will one day teach.

She believes it is vital for UAF to offer courses like WRTG F111X that center Alaska Native perspectives. To Charlene, these courses are a tool for decolonizing education. "Education is very colonized, and this is one way where you can make it an equal ground where people like me... we're still learning and we're still connecting," she says. Through the study of food sovereignty, Charlene bridged familial and community connections and academic achievement. She remains right on course for a bright, inspiring future.

A Word from the Instructor

“Charlene’s writing was consistently insightful, grounded, and deeply connected to place. Because the course asked students to engage directly with their own communities and lived experiences, she was able to bring the realities of Dillingham into every assignment in meaningful ways. Her work demonstrated a strong ability to connect academic concepts like food sovereignty and reciprocity to the relationships, traditions, and everyday practices that sustain life in Bristol Bay.” - Professor Kathy Kysar

Support and Funding

Drumbeats Alaska Consortium funded Charlene's tuition for this course. Drumbeats remains an education-focused initiative, helping both traditional and non-traditional students find their footing in higher education. This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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