Alaska Native Leader Awarded 2026 Goldman Prize
Alannah Acaq Hurley was recognized for articulating one of the most effective environmental resistances in the U.S., combining science and ancestral knowledge to protect the largest wild salmon ecosystem in the world.Indigenous leadership in Alaska gained visibility with the recognition of Alannah Acaq Hurley as the winner of the 2026 Goldman Prize, for her fight and activism in the defense of the territories and ecosystems of the Bristol Bay region.
Hurley, a representative of the Yup’ik indigenous people in Alaska, was honored for spearheading one of the most significant environmental campaigns in recent years. It is the opposition to the Pebble Mine mining project. As executive director of the United Tribes of Bristol Bay (UTBB), she managed to give voice to at least 15 local tribes, indigenous communities, and environmental groups in a coalition that led to a historic veto by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. in 2023. This ruling prevented the construction of what would have been the largest open pit mine in North America, intended for the extraction of copper and gold, and protected an ecosystem of more than 25 million acres. The area is home to the largest population of wild salmon in the world, critical to both biodiversity and the cultural and economic livelihoods of indigenous communities. At 40 years old, Hurley has built her activism from the deep connection to her territory. Born in Saguyap, in Bristol Bay, she grew up under the traditional teachings of her community, which consider land and water as inseparable elements of cultural identity. In addition, during her youth she participated in local initiatives to stop the advance of the mining project, bringing information to communities and strengthening community organization. Her work is part of a global trend in which grassroots leadership, especially indigenous leadership, is decisive in the protection of ecosystems. Hurley’s work shows how the combination of ancestral knowledge, political advocacy and social mobilization can redefine the course of projects with high environmental impact. |