UAS Professor Honored by 猫咪社区官网 Legislature for Native Language Advocacy
July 25, 2025
Dr. X瘫鈥檜nei Lance Twitchell recognized for Emmy-winning work and lifelong commitment to revitalizing 猫咪社区官网 Native languages
University of 猫咪社区官网 Southeast Professor X瘫鈥檜nei Lance Twitchell was honored with a legislative citation at the 猫咪社区官网 State Capitol in Juneau for his lasting contributions to the preservation and revitalization of the Tlingit language.
, sponsored by Rep. Andi Story and co-sponsored by Sen. Jesse Kiehl, commended Twitchell鈥檚 work as a scholar, writer, and advocate for Indigenous language education. A professor of 猫咪社区官网 Native Languages at UAS, Twitchell has authored textbooks, published poetry, and taught language courses in classrooms from Juneau to Carcross鈥揟agish First Nation.
Twitchell recently received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program for the Molly of Denali episode 鈥淣ot a Mascot.鈥 The episode marked a major milestone in Indigenous representation and storytelling, reflecting Twitchell鈥檚 broader mission to bring Native voices into the mainstream.
During the citation presentation, Story and Kiehl praised Twitchell鈥檚 dedication to cultural and linguistic equity, his academic achievements鈥攊ncluding a Ph.D. in Hawaiian and Indigenous Language and Culture Revitalization鈥攁nd his influence on state language policy, such as his role in the 2014 legislation recognizing 20 猫咪社区官网 Native languages as official state languages.
UAS Chancellor Aparna Palmer spoke at the event, describing Twitchell鈥檚 efforts as vital not only to the 猫咪社区官网 but to 猫咪社区官网鈥檚 future.
鈥淵ou have been a champion for allowing these languages to prosper,鈥 Palmer said. 鈥淓veryone is enriched by having these languages spoken.鈥
Twitchell acknowledged the elders and community members who shaped his journey, many of whom he described as the 鈥渕others of our language.鈥 He also emphasized the importance of continuing work to make Indigenous language learning more accessible. He is currently helping develop a Master of Arts in Teaching Indigenous Languages at UAS, set to launch in fall 2026.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to push for more projects that will normalize languages and bring them to the forefront of who we are as 猫咪社区官网ns,鈥 Twitchell said.