Mutual Aid Network of Anchorage Seizes Momentum
Mutual Aid Network of Anchorage (MANA) ended the month of May with their monthly meetup, the Really, Really Free Market taking place at the Seed Lab downtown. Anchorageites gathered on a Saturday to swap clothes, books, and share their expertise in community. Rae Young and Rowan Hastanand, owners of R&R Salon on Abbott, were providing free haircuts at last month’s Really, Really Free Market. Some members of the community joined efforts to fix bikes and mend clothes, while others arrived to drop off or pick up donated items.
Famously, an Alaskan attitude is one of mutual support and collaboration. It’s a culture where a car can get stuck in the snow, and Alaskans line up to pull the car out together, no matter the hour or the weather conditions. This sentiment persists despite our insistence on upholding independence and self-sufficiency. As our communities fatigue from isolating online habits, we’re seeing momentum in our desire to reconnect. MANA’s website reminds us mutual aid is not new, but inherited wisdom from our black and indigenous communities whose survival depended on resource sharing. The uptick in popularity arrives while our communities face perpetual instability and hostility in socioeconomics and a polarizing political climate. Erin Baldwin Day began the Mutual Aid Network of Anchorage during the height of COVID in 2020. In moments of uncertainty, MANA’s crowdfunding efforts pulled individuals from debilitating debt and potential eviction. Since then, the Mutual Aid Network of Anchorage has prevented 78 evictions and redistributed over $17,000 in direct food relief. Where public assistance can support communities, there’s always someone whose needs may not be met yet. This is where mutual aid steps in as a safety net, one where our collective resilience can save lives and build the foundation for lasting change. Erin Baldwin Day, a longtime community organizer, policy advocate, and pastor, was recently elected to join Assemblyman Felix Rivera in representing midtown after April’s Municipal Election. Interest in MANA has grown exponentially since January’s presidential inauguration. In all of 2024, MANA had 52 mutual aid requests. Now, halfway through 2025, MANA has received 132 mutual aid requests, and counting. Since November’s presidential election, MANA increased their volunteer organizer base from 1 to 10, with weekly meetings and a public Slack channel of 126 members to build the movement. “Hundreds more people have reached out in the past 6 months,” Alaina, a community organizer at MANA shares with us, “Every time we get together at these monthly meetups, it’s so energizing to see our community connect around the cause of mutual aid. People want to build a network of neighbors and community support because a lot of these (existing) support systems are wobbling or failing entirely, but we have each other.” Alaskans can connect via the online form at wearemana.org where the same application is used to volunteer or benefit from MANA’s support. An organizer contacts applicants via call or text to connect them with the assistance needed or offer next steps. Their website accepts recurring or one-time donations, which will further expand the organization’s reach in the community. Find them on Facebook or Instagram to join their monthly meetups and find support from fellow Alaskans. From childcare to snow removal, to navigating social services, or a simple ride to a medical appointment, there is a neighbor in need and various ways to relieve one another right now. |