SAIL

We’re getting closer to our Gala, and we can’t wait to celebrate our 2026 Advocate of the Year, Fu Bao Hartle () !

If you know Fu Bao, you know that advocacy isn’t just something he does. It’s part of who he is.

Fu Bao has spent years using his voice and his experiences to advocate for people with disabilities and stronger, more inclusive communities. He has met with political leaders and consistently asks them to support Medicaid and people with disabilities. He has taken his advocacy all the way to Washington, D.C., including representing Special Olympics and advocating for increased funding.

But his advocacy doesn’t stop there.

You’ll find Fu Bao at rallies and community events, on the radio and on stage encouraging people to get involved, and in his community volunteering with organizations. He encourages people to follow their passions, whatever their ability, and leads by showing what is possible.

As a self-employed photographer, Fu Bao has also built his own business and continues to champion employment, independence, and the right for people with disabilities to choose the lives they want to live.

And here at SAIL, Fu Bao is more than an advocate. He’s our friend, a wonderful human, and someone who brings a whole lot of joy and fun wherever he goes.

We are so excited to celebrate Fu Bao and recognize the years of passion, action, and advocacy he has shared with his community.

Come celebrate with us at SAIL’s Unmasking Disability Gala Dinner & Auction!
www.sailinc.org/auction (link in our bio)

Saturday, October 17
Centennial Hall
6:00–9:00 PM

Join us for dinner, live music, silent and live auctions, a dessert auction, and an evening celebrating the people who help create more accessible and inclusive communities.

We can’t wait to celebrate Fu Bao and all the work he continues to do!

Meet Janine, a member of the SAIL team and a proud Deaf person.

I’m Janine. I work at SAIL, and I’m proud to be deaf! (*)

Earlier this year I made the hard choice, after decades wearing hearing aids, to undergo surgery for a cochlear implant (CI) in my right ear. When it came time to pick the color for the external processor, the only options were hair colors: brown, blonde, black, white, gray. That made me mad, like the CI is something I should want to hide. I want to display it and celebrate it! I was so excited when I found out about a d/Deaf- owned company called Deafmetal USA l. They make jewelry and sticker skins for CIs and hearing aids. I’m wearing their earring chain in this picture.

The CI is a tool that helps me communicate. My hearing aid is another. I also use captions, lipreading, and am learning ASL. But I wouldn’t change my hearing loss. It makes me who I am. I would, however, change the world—it needs to be more accessible for d/Deaf people! (And all people with disabilities, for that matter.) Awareness is a crucial first step.

(*) Quick note: deaf with a lower case ‘d’ indicates the medical or physical condition of significant hearing loss. Deaf with a capital ‘D’ indicates someone who is culturally Deaf (for example, fluent in sign and part of the Deaf community). I was not raised in the Deaf community, and while I’m learning ASL, I’m not fluent.

Awareness is a first step. Accessibility, inclusion, and listening come next.

This D/deaf Awareness Week, we’re highlighting a local resource for connection, support, and community.

The D/deaf Support Group in Juneau meets every month at Glacier Café in Mendenhall Mall, from 10 AM–NOON.

Whether you have questions, want to share news, connect with others, or simply learn something new, there is room for everyone. Bring your questions, experiences, and curiosity! We will also share resources with group members.

We hope this group can be a place to connect, learn, share, and support one another.

Have questions or want more information? Contact Pam:
Email: [email protected]
Text: 907-314-0732
Voicemail: 907-268-3144
Please leave your phone number in the message, and we'll call you back.

Please share this with someone who might find this group helpful!

Image Description: Graphic with a light blue grid background and the SAIL logo in the upper right. Large text reads “Monthly D/deaf Support Group, Juneau.” The graphic states that the group meets from 10 AM–NOON at Glacier Café in Mendenhall Mall. Contact information is listed: “Text 907-314-0732 or email [email protected].” At the bottom is a photo-style illustration of two people communicating using sign language.

This week is International Week of Deaf People (Sept 21–27), and this Wednesday, Sept 23, is International Day of Sign Languages. 🤟

This year's theme is "Declaring Deaf People's Human Rights." 2026 marks 75 years of the WFD (World Federation of the Deaf) and 20 years since the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted. This year's message is that rights on paper aren't enough. Deaf people need to experience those rights in real life: at school, at work, at the doctor, in public services, and anywhere communication happens.

Sign languages are full, complete languages. Access to them is access to education, healthcare, community, and culture. And Deaf people should be leading the decisions that affect them.

Ways to take part:
-Follow and support Deaf creators, artists, and businesses
-Learn some basic signs, and remember that ASL is a language, not a gesture system
-Look at your own space: do your events, videos, and materials include captions, interpreters, and clear ways to request access?

Image description: Graphic for International Week of Deaf People 2026 from Southeast Alaska Independent Living (SAIL). The 2026 event logo shows two open hands cupped around concentric circles, with a red, yellow, green, blue, and black star arching over "2026." Below the logo, the text reads "International Week of Deaf People." At the bottom, four people sit in a circle and sign to each other; two smile and face the camera. The background is blue with wavy vertical stripes.

We’re excited about the Improving Lives Conference!

Meet Bre Andersen, SAIL’s Juneau Aging & Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Specialist, who will be a featured speaker at the Alaska Mental Health Conference this week!

Bre will be presenting:

Beyond the Referral: Piecing Together Whole-Person Care in Rural Alaska

As a human-centered advocate and trained peer support specialist, Bre brings both professional experience and lived experience to their work supporting people navigating disability, mental health challenges, chronic illness, and the complex systems that can come with them.

Their presentation explores what care can look like in rural Alaska, where geography, infrastructure, cost, and access can create unique barriers to services and connection. Grounded in a whole-person care framework, participants will leave with practical tools like community resource mapping and strengthening local awareness networks

At SAIL, we believe support starts with listening, meeting people where they are, and recognizing the whole person, not just the referral or the service they need.

We’re proud to see Bre sharing their knowledge, experience, and community-centered approach with others across Alaska!

We love seeing the impact of our Summer Work Programs reach beyond building skills and experiences for our participants. Our youth have the opportunity to contribute to their communities, explore new interests, develop workplace skills, and see firsthand how their work can make a difference. And projects like Thunder Mountain Bike Park show what’s possible when our community works together to create more inclusive spaces for everyone.

Trail builders in a tiny Alaska town are using crushed shale for jumps and berms Thunder Mountain Bike Park in Juneau uses locally-sourced crushed shale to build weather-resistant trails that require minimal maintenance in Alaska's wet climate.

SITKA OFFICE ROAD CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

Here is an update about the road improvement project outside of the SAIL Sitka office. Access to our office will continue to be impacted as construction moves into the next phase.

K&E has moved to the 2nd phase of the project.

The neighborhood is currently marked with signs that say “Local Access Only.” If you need to access our office for services, please go past these signs. You can still reach us!

Parking & access options:

If you are able to walk up a few stairs:
Please park in the dentist parking lot at the corner of Lake & Hirst Street.

Need easier access? We’ve got you covered!
• For Loan Closet requests, we are happy to come out to the parking lot and bring your items directly to your vehicle, including walkers, wheelchairs, shower chairs, and more.
• If you need to come into the office, please drive down Kinkead Street and park at the end of the street diagonally. Then walk around the corner and down Lake Street to our ramp.

Having trouble getting to us? Please give us a call! We will come out to help you.

Traffic flow may change as construction moves north of our office, so please be patient and watch for updated signs and directions.

Thank you so much for your flexibility and patience while this work is underway. We also want to thank and K&E Alaska for working with us during this time.

Have questions or need help accessing our office? Give us a call! We’re happy to help.

WE’RE BACK!

After a little hiatus, SAIL’s Auction & Gala Dinner is back, and we are so excited to celebrate with all of you!

SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, October 17, 2026
6:00–9:00 PM
Centennial Hall, Juneau

Join us for UNMASKING DISABILITY: Celebrating Personal Independence!

Get ready for a fun evening featuring:
Live music, Dinner, Silent auction, Live auction, Dessert auction, and more!

Our Auction & Dinner raises funds to help seniors and people with disabilities live independently and build more accessible, inclusive communities across Southeast Alaska. We cannot wait to bring this special evening back and spend the night celebrating the people, organizations, and communities that help make Southeast Alaska more accessible for everyone.

Know an Advocate? Nominate them for Advocate of the Year!

Do you know a person, business, organization, or community member who is making a difference for seniors and people with disabilities?

**SAIL is accepting nominations for our 2026 Advocate of the Year!**

Nominees can be seniors, people with disabilities, community members, volunteers, businesses, government entities, or organizations. *In short, anyone doing good work for Southeast Alaska seniors and people with disabilities is a candidate!*

Honorees will be announced by September 21 and celebrated at SAIL’s Annual Gala on October 17.

Want to support the gala?

You can also help make this event a success by donating an auction item, experience, gift certificate, service, or other unique contribution.

Or make a financial contribution through our website: sailinc.org

Save the date. Get ready to unmask disability. Celebrate personal independence. And come have a great night with us!

See you there!

Our Ketchikan Summer Work Program crew spent the season getting hands on experience, building job skills, and giving back to the community they call home.

None of it happens without incredible partners. Huge thank you to the and the for opening doors, trails, and opportunities for our participants this summer.

To every crew member, we see you, we know you worked really hard, and we're so proud of you.

See you next season!!

What a year!

As another incredible year comes to a close, we're celebrating and thanking Erin and Fiona for their year of service with Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest

Your compassion, creativity, energy, and willingness to jump into every adventure made a lasting impact on our participants, our staff, and our communities.

Thank you for your time, your ideas, and your heart. It was an absolute blast having you with us, and we know you'll continue to do amazing things wherever your journey takes you.

From all of us at SAIL: thank you for a wonderful year!