FORUM Storytelling Fellowship

 
Apply to the FORUM Storytelling Fellowship

Applications for the Spring 2025 cohort are now open through December 18! 

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

The FORUM Storytelling Fellowship convenes new and emerging writers to share stories that need to be told about Alaska. Each Fellowship cohort lasts for ~6 months and consists of up to 6 participants. Fellows will be paid $3,000 for completion of the Fellowship. 

Fellows will:

  1. During the first four months of the Fellowship, create and edit one new piece of work monthly, to be published in print and on the FORUM digital platform. Fellows will gain writing experience and build their skills in submitting pitches and working with an editor and publisher. A set of themes will guide monthly stories, but fellows will be encouraged to experiment creatively with new ideas and storytelling formats. Upon completing the Fellowship, each writer will have at least four published stories they can use to further their literary careers.

  2. In the final two months of the Fellowship, work with AKHF staff to guide the layout, design, and other elements of the printed FORUM Magazine. Our intention is that fellows will co-design the publication, which may include: determining the order of pieces in the magazine, shaping the editorial note, suggesting artists to create illustrations for the magazine, etc. 

  3. Connect with other Alaskan writers through 3-hour virtual cohort gatherings once per month (for a total of five gatherings, as we do not intend to meet during the final month). A typical gathering will include community building, a skill-building workshop with a guest storyteller, and time for pitching and getting feedback on stories from the cohort. In the final two months of the cohort, gatherings will shift toward production of the printed magazine, as described in item #2 above. 


Estimated MONTHLY commitment:

  • Attending one 3-hour virtual gathering for the first five months. The final month will involve communication by email, but we don’t intend to meet. Pending funding, we may be able to be able to cover travel for Fellows to meet in person in Anchorage for the first and/or final gathering. Sessions will be held on the first Saturday of the month from 9am-12pm. The dates for the Spring 2025 cohort are February 1, March 1, April 5, May 3, and June 21.

    We hope that Fellows will be able to attend all the gatherings, but know that things come up and will work with Fellows to accommodate scheduling conflicts. Please note that attendance at the February gathering is mandatory. Fellows are required to attend at least 3 out of 4 of the following sessions. Before applying, please ensure you would be able to meet this requirement. If not, we encourage you to apply to a future Fellowship cohort. 

  • Administrative time (checking program-related emails, etc); 

  • During Months 1-4: 

    • Writing and editing one story/essay/article that is at least 500 words (four total throughout the fellowship). Final stories are due by the first Friday of each month; and 

    • Providing at least two images to go with each story/essay/article. 

  • During Months 5-6: 

    • Working with AKHF staff to guide the layout, design, and other elements of the printed FORUM Magazine (see above for more information). 


Fellows will be paid $3,000 for completion of the Fellowship. 


We’re looking for storytellers who:

  • Want to build their skills and portfolios as writers. In the future, we hope to expand to other mediums, but the current focus of the fellowship is on written storytelling for publication in print and digital platforms; 

  • Have between 0-5 years of experience in professional writing (this means producing published work that you were paid for); 

  • Are willing to attend AKHF events in their communities; and 

  • The cohort of selected storytellers will ideally represent a range of communities throughout Alaska, racial and cultural identities, gender identities, and abilities.

APPLICANT INFORMATION

How to apply

Applications are through Google Forms. Click here to submit an application.


Important dates

  • November 25, 2024: Fellowship application opens

  • December 18, 2024: Fellowship application closes.

  • Early January 2025: Applicants notified; initiation paperwork.

  • Mid-January 2025: Fellowship pre-work begins. 

  • February 1, 2025, 9a-12p: Zoom gathering 

  • March 1, 2025, 9a-12p: Zoom gathering

  • April 5,  2025, 9a-12p: Zoom gathering

  • May 3, 2025, 9a-12p: Zoom gathering

  • June 21, 2025, 9a-12p: Zoom gathering (date to be announced soon) 

  • July: No gathering; continued magazine production via email.  


Eligibility

Fellows should:

  • Be able to commit to attending the February 1, 2025 gathering, as well as at least 3 of the 4 following gatherings (see schedule above);

  • Have 0-5 years of experience in professional storytelling (e.g. paid publishing work)

  • Be at least 18 years of age;

  • Currently reside in Alaska; and

  • Not be a current board or staff member. 


Selection Criteria

We aim to assemble a cohort of storytellers from a range of communities, backgrounds, and identities. We also seek to create a cohort that brings diverse perspectives and experiences to the program. Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Application narrative: the narrative demonstrates intentionality and thoughtfulness.

  • Fellowship fit: based on the narrative, the applicant will benefit professionally from the Fellowship, and will also contribute their own experiences, skills, and interests to the cohort.

  • The cohort of selected storytellers will ideally represent a range of communities, racial and cultural identities, gender identities, and abilities.

Although not a requirement, we give priority to applicants who are a current or past participant of an Alaska Humanities Forum program (this is defined broadly – if you have participated in any programming run by the Alaska Humanities Forum, that counts). We have included this priority to ensure fellows are familiar with the Forum and understand the scope of our work, mission, and vision. 
 

Meet the current fellows! 

Emily Brockman

Emily Maurveluviiluq Brockman

My name is Emily Maurveluviiluq Brockman. I was born in Dillingham and raised there until my father moved the family to Seward. Both places are home. My mother's parents hale from Togiak and Aleknagik. Moving to the road system and and balancing high expectations inspired my love and pursuit of teaching. I’m a 9-12th grade certified English teacher. I've worked at the Alaska Humanities Forum on a variety of post-secondary readiness and cross-cultural programs for Alaska Native youth and educators, and now manage the Bristol Bay Teaching and Learning Collaborative (BBTLC) at the Bristol Bay Foundation. As a former Foundation scholarship recipient, I feel like coming to BBF brought me full circle (the Deputy Executive Director threatened to pull my old essays). I love binge reading with a stiff latte and being on the ocean. My partner and I live in Anchorage with our two pets.
Shaelene Grace Moler

Shaelene Grace Moler

Shaelene Grace Moler (she/her) grew up in Ḵéex̱’ Ḵwaan, the community of Kake. Her Tlingit name is Sgweín and she is of the Tsaagweidí, the split-finned killer whale clan, from the yak’s lits’eix̱i hít, the house that once anchored the village. She now lives in Haines working for Spruce Root as the Sustainable Southeast Partnership Communications Catalyst. Shaelene graduated from the University of Alaska Southeast with dual bachelor of arts degrees in English and environmental studies emphasizing in creative writing. She grew up hunting, fishing, and harvesting on her ancestral lands and is a lifelong storyteller through her experiences in writing, editing and photography throughout various publications statewide. Prior to becoming the Communications Catalyst, she worked for Spruce Root as a First Alaskans Magazine Writing Fellow, Sustainable Southeast Partnership storytelling and engagement intern, and as an editor on the regional literary and arts journal Tidal Echoes.
Robin McKnight

Robin McKnight

Robin was born and raised in the forests and fjords of coastal Alaska. She received her Environmental Studies and Geography undergraduate degree at Florida State University. Robin spent two years in the Westfjords of Iceland, attending grad school for Coastal and Marine Management before returning to Alaska. She currently works in education and outreach. She is a lover of romance novels, Diet Coke, and road trips.
April Tan'gerpak Hostetter

April Tan'gerpak Hostetter

My name is April Tan’gerpak Hostetter. I am from Igiugig and Kokhanok, two small villages in Southwestern Alaska. I am Yup’ik. I am a US Navy veteran, serving six years as a language analyst. After living outside Alaska for several years, I was inspired by my sisters to return home. I choose to live in Igiugig, my home-village nestled at the mouth of the Kvichak river where it meets Lake Iliamna. I work within the community on initiatives such as climate change planning, coordinating language activities in Igiugig and Bristol Bay, and managing social media to ensure our presence reflects our values and mission. I have a deep love for my people and a passion to tell our stories, from our perspectives. My favorite food is blackberry akutaq, an Alaska Native ice cream dish made with local berries. I am passionate about Indigenous Data Sovereignty, Tribal Sovereignty, and Land Back. I consider myself a budding writer and “tundraroots” activist and am excited to begin a new journey exploring both paths!
Ilegvak

Ilegvak

Ilegvak is Peter Williams Yup’ik and preferred name. He is a culture bearer, artist, designer, filmmaker, writer, activist and educator originally from his family’s village of Akiak, Alaska. His hand-sewn visual art repurposes skin from self-harvested traditional foods, bridging worlds of Indigenous art and subsistence. He has completed artist residencies at Santa Fe Art Institute and the Institute of American Indian Arts. Ilegvak has guest lectured and/or taught skin sewing at Yale University, Stanford University, UCLA, Portland Art Museum, and Alaska State Museum. His art has been shown at museums and galleries across North America. His presentations at New York Fashion Week and Fashion Week Brooklyn in 2015 and 2016 led to profiles in The Guardian and The New York Times. He produced the documentary Harvest: Quyurciq, and an accompanying curriculum for the film. Ilegvak became a Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow (2020) and received an NDN Collective Radical Imagination Grant (2021), a Forge Project Fellowship, and a United States Artists Fellowship (2022). Inuit Art Foundation Fellowship for Alaska Native art writers (2023). He has contributed to First Alaskans Magazine and Inuit Art Quratly, covering various topics, including art, politics, Native rights, environmental justice, climate change and Indigenous knowledge.
Desiree Hagan

Desiree Hagen

Desiree Hagen is a reporter and artist based in Qikiqtaġruk (Kotzebue). She is the News Director for KOTZ radio station and to her knowledge is the only reporter currently living and working above the Arctic Circle. In her spare time, she enjoys riding her fat bike, subsistence activities, and gardening.
 
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