Written by UNITY 25 Under 25 Awardee Owen L. Oliver  – This story was written on the traditional and contemporary lands, waters, and food systems of the Tlingit, Tsimshian, and Haida peoples. Let their relationships guide your experiences as guests in Southeast Alaska and remember to not forget their legacies while back home.

Can you think of a place that has transformed your learning and experiences into a way of knowing? Can you trace a new way of knowing back to a place? Think of a place that you’ve spent many hours, if not days, both thinking deeply and thinking about nothing. Do you have places in your life that allow that? If you have a place in mind, think about how you’ve grown with it. Do you come back to it each year? Or, just when you can? Or, do you wish you had a place like this? When thinking about these questions, it boils down to asking yourself if you have a relationship with a place.