Alaskans Take a Stand is a critical race theory-aligned left-of-center advocacy organization based in Anchorage, Alaska. The organization’s 501(c)(4) affiliate is Stand Up Alaska. ¹

Background

Alaskans Take a Stand was founded in August 2020 as a charitable advocacy organization by left-of-center activists based in East Anchorage, Alaska, including Meda DeWitt and Erin Jackson-Hill, respectively the organization’s founding board president and executive director. Both Jackson-Hill and DeWitt had been involved in efforts to recall Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), and as of 2026 were also part of the leadership of Stand Up Alaska, the organization’s lobbying and electoral advocacy affiliate. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Activities

Alaskans Take a Stand maintains a variety of left-of-center advocacy campaigns, including “Peace Officers,” “House Everyone,” Racial Equality,” and “Indigenous Sovereignty.” “Peace Officers” is a campaign to replace, to an extent, traditional public law enforcement officers and methods with officers and methods that do not involve the use of force. “House Everyone” is a campaign to support economic and welfare-spending policies that make housing more affordable. “Racial Equality” is a critical race theory-aligned campaign conducted in partnership with organizations including the Alaska Black Caucus, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Hmong Organization, Pacific Community of Alaska, Black Lives Matter Alaska, and the Juneteenth Anchorage Committee. It is predicated on claims of “systemic racism” it seeks to eradicate through local advocacy events and support for aligned organizations such as the Alaska Native Heritage Center and Umoja Coworking Space. “Indigenous Sovereignty” is an advocacy campaign to promote claims of the sovereignty of various indigenous Alaskan groups and support the recognition and protection of their traditional languages and religious sites. ⁶

Additionally, Alaskans Take a Stand operates Alaska Civics Academy, an educational program involving workshops, internships, and community forums targeted at young voters in Alaska, which have included discussions of Democratic Party-led federal legislative proposals, such as the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, a federal policing bill that passed the House but did not pass the Senate, and the For the People Act of 2021, a Democratic-backed federal elections bill that failed to pass the Senate. ⁶

Stand Up Alaska

Stand Up Alaska, Alaskans Take a Stand’s 501(c)(4) affiliate organization, was founded in 2020 in and shares staff with the organization. For instance, as of 2026 both organizations had the same board president, executive director, and operations consultant, respectively, Meda DeWitt, Erin Jackson-Hill, and Joshua Black.  ^{1 7 8 3 2}           

Funding

Alaskans Take a Stand has received grant funding from the Center for Popular Democracy, Ben and Jerry’s Foundation, and the Alaska Community Foundation’s Social Justice Fund. ^{9 10 11}

Leadership

As of 2026, Erin Jackson-Hill was serving as the president and executive director of Alaskans Take a Stand as well as the president of its 501(c)(4) affiliate, Stand Up Alaska. At that time, she was also serving as a board member of Alaskans for Fair Courts, a steering committee member of Alaska Women’s Ascend, and a planning committee member of Juneteenth Anchorage. Previously, she was the events manager of Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, statewide coordinator of a campaign to recall Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), and an employee with the State of Alaska-Child Support Division, Doyon Limited, and JJ Powers Public Relations. ^{1 7 8}

As of 2026, Meda DeWitt (also known as “Boss EagleSpirit Woman”) was the board president of Alaskans Take a Stand, as the board president of its 501(c)(4) affiliate Stand Up Alaska, and working as an instructor at the University of Alaska. In February 2026, she announced that she was running as a non-partisan in Alaska’s gubernatorial election. In 2021, she chaired a campaign to recall Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy (R), which circulated a petition to that end, but ultimately failed to collect the required number of signatures. ^{12 8 7}

As of 2026, Joshua Black was the operations consultant of Alaskans Take a Stand as well as the operations consultant of its 501(c)(4) affiliate, Stand Up Alaska, and was employed as an Amazon warehouse employee in San Francisco. Previously, he was the assistant director of Aspiration, a left-of-center investment institution that claims not to invest in conventional energy producers. ^{1 7}

As of 2026, Kelly Jackson was serving as the public relations director of Alaskans Take a Stand as well as a customer service staffer at the Tudor Road Bingo Center in Anchorage, Alaska. ⁷

As of 2026, Jennifer Williams was serving as the program director of Alaskans Take a Stand as well as a panel member of Unionize Alaska’s Caregivers. ⁷

1. “Our Team.” Stand Up Alaska. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://standupalaska.org/meet-the-team.
2. “Stand Up Alaska Inc.” ProPublica. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851656757.
3. Stand Up Alaska Inc. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990), 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/851656757/202523079349303687/full.
4. Ruskin, Liz. “Meda DeWitt, traditional healer, announces run for governor.” Alaska Public Media. February 17, 2026. Accessed March 23, 2026.
5. “Alaskans Take a Stand.” ProPublica. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/842269385.
6. “Current Issues and Campaigns.” Alaskans Take a Stand. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://aktakeastand.org/issues-and-campaigns.
7. “Meet the Team.” Alaskans Take a Stand. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://aktakeastand.org/meet-the-team.
8. Alaskans Take a Stand. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990), 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/842269385/202503079349304010/full.
9. “Grant Recipients.” Alaska Community Foundation. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://alaskacf.org/grant-recipients/#efaq-anchorage-schools-foundation-project-grant-awards.
10. “2024 National Grassroots Organizing Grant Recipients.” Ben and Jerry’s Foundation. 2024. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://benandjerrysfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2024-National-Grassroots-Grant-Recipients-List.pdf.
11. Center for Popular Democracy. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax. (Form 990), 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/453813436/202303179349307965/IRS990ScheduleI.
12. Ruskin, Liz. “Meda DeWitt, traditional healer, announces run for governor.” Alaska Public Media. February 17, 2026. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/2026-02-17/meda-dewitt-traditional-healer-announces-run-for-governor.