Krissia Tuzroyluk

Krissia is Iñupiaq from the Native Village of Point Hope, Alaska. Growing up, she loved living on the coast and seeing the ocean. One summer day, she went to the beach with her cousins and they stuck their feet in the water. They sat there enjoying the cool breeze as their feet were in the crisp water. The ocean was a deep blue, glimmering in the sun. They knew they weren’t supposed to be there alone, and one of their grandmother’s friends saw them and brought them home. She can remember so many experiences of loving her homeland and being outside to enjoy everything about it. She never realized how sensitive her hometown was to climate change until she realized that her people had to move to a new town site due to climate change. They were forced inland due to coastal erosion. 

Krissia and her community have lost many things to coastal erosion, including artifacts, homes and cultural sites. As the Alaskan coast continues to erode, she doesn’t feel like anyone is doing anything about it. This is the harsh truth for several Alaska Native villages. Climate change is destroying many homelands, and with it comes the loss of culture and community. Protecting Alaska Native villages and cultures against the loss of our ways of life motivates Krissia to become involved in climate justice. No one should be forced to move away from their homelands – ever.

During her time as a 2025 Brave Heart Fellow, Krissia plans to develop a curriculum with workshops on climate change, coastal erosion and environmental stewardship.