Crude Conversations

Special Conversation: Meghan Barker on Pebble Mine

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Meghan Barker about the ongoing Pebble Mine controversy. Meghan is the Bristol Bay Organizer at Trout Unlimited, a non-profit dedicated to conserving the habitats of aquatic species and people.

Chatter Marks EP 004 with Aaron Leggett

Aaron Leggett is the president of the Native Village of Eklutna. He is also the Senior Curator or Alaska History and Indigenous Culture at the Anchorage Museum. In both of those responsibilities, he’s been a champion and an educator of the Alaskan identity. He’s found that critical thinking is key to understanding how Alaska’s history can help us navigate the present and the future.
In this conversation, Aaron talks about his responsibilities as the president of Eklutna and how the Museum fits into the larger conversation surrounding Alaska Native equity.
Chatter Marks is a podcast of the Anchorage Museum, and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. Just search "Chatter Marks."

Special Conversation: Jered Mayer on Depression

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with author Jered Mayer about depression. Jered was clinically diagnosed with bipolar depression around 25. More recently, he has made a point of talking openly about living with depression in order to destigmatize it and normalize the importance of mental health.

Chatter Marks EP 003 with Acacia Johnson Part 2

Acacia Johnson is a photographer focused on human relationships to the environment. She spent most of her twenties traveling around Scandinavia and the polar regions, working on ships. Today, she has over 50 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Acacia talks about creating a record of stories, of people and place. About how, through photography, she has the opportunity to start important conversations about polar regions—about the people who live there, climate change and, ultimately, the lessons we can learn from it.
Chatter Marks is now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. Just search "Chatter Marks."

Special Conversation: Kathleen Parker on Sobriety During the Pandemic

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Kathleen Parker about managing addiction during the pandemic. Many in-person meetings have transitioned to virtual meetings, and that has resulted in new challenges and opportunities. Kathleen has been sober for nine years.

Special Conversation: Dan Cannon on the Roadless Rule and the Tongass National Forest

In this special conversation, Cody talks with Dan Cannon, the Tongass Forest Program Manager at the Southeast Alaska Conservation Council. Dan explains how exempting the Tongass National Forest from the Roadless Rule will affect the forest, its inhabitants and the economy in Southeast Alaska. The Roadless Rule is a federal safeguard that restricts logging and road building on roughly 58 million acres of national Forest Service lands. The Tongass accounts for about 17 million acres of that land.

Chatter Marks EP 002 with Acacia Johnson Part 1

In this episode of Chatter Marks, Cody talks with Acacia Johnson, a photographer focused on human relationships to the environment. She spent most of her twenties traveling around Scandinavia and the polar regions, working on ships. Today, she has over 50 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica. 
In part one of this conversation, she talks about subverting the stereotype of what it means to be an explorer. And that means reframing the image of a man conquering landscapes to an image of a symbiotic relationship between people and the landscapes they live on.
Follow and subscribe to Chatter Marks on Spotify, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts. Coming to Stitcher and Apple Podcasts soon! 

Special Conversation: Micah Booze on Fighting Wildland Fires in Alaska

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with wildland firefighter Micah Booze, better known as Booze. Booze has been a firefighter for over 15 years, five of which have been spent in Alaska. Fighting wildland fires in Alaska, he says, involves more than just putting water on the hot stuff. It involves strategic thinking.

Chatter Marks EP 001 with Sebastian Garber

Introducing Chatter Marks, a podcast of the Anchorage Museum, hosted by Cody Liska. Chatter Marks is dedicated to exploring Alaska’s identity through the creative and critical thinking of ideas—past, present and future. 
In this episode, Cody talks with Sebastian Garber, the Senior Designer at the Anchorage Museum. Sebastian has been a graphic designer for about 12 years now, and in that time he’s worked for large companies, small firms and a magazine. He says that the most important things he’s learned in those 12 years is being able to adapt to changing trends in design and communication, and the importance of a strong team. 
Sebastian is currently working on designing a typeface that includes Alaska Native languages. It will be a typeface stripped of geographic references and that will encompass all the necessary diacritics. Diacritics are accent marks that indicate pronunciation. And when finished it will become the official font of the Anchorage Museum.

Special Conversation: Josh Branstetter on Racism at Anchorage Christian Schools

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Joshua Albeza Branstetter about the controversy currently surrounding Anchorage Christian Schools (ACS). At the time of this recording, 180 alumni had shared their experiences of racism at ACS. Joshua is one of those alumni. 
Follow Anchorage Christian Schools alumni speaking out against the historical racism at ACS on Instagram @a.christian.school.