Last week, I traveled to Washington, DC with Protect Our Winters and the Alaska Wilderness League to advocate for permanent protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. At the heart of the trip was a simple but powerful act: delivering a petition with over 6,000 signatures calling for the protection of one of the most important places left on Earth—and the last intact ecosystem on the planet.
Over a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill, we had the opportunity to meet with—or sit down alongside teams from—Senator Martin Heinrich, Senator John Fetterman, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Dan Sullivan, Senator Chuck Schumer, Representative Nick Begich, Representative Gabe Vasquez, Representative Jared Huffman, and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. The conversations were thoughtful, candid, and, importantly, constructive.
Not everyone we met with agrees with our position on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and that was expected. Still, being able to show up in person, deliver the petition hand to hand, and speak directly about the Refuge mattered. Even in rooms where there was clear disagreement, we were able to open lines of communication and find some common ground around the issues surrounding the Arctic. That alone felt meaningful in a time when so much feels polarized.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is not an abstract idea to me. It is one of the most important places left on Earth—the last intact ecosystem on the planet—ecologically irreplaceable, culturally sacred to the Gwich’in people, and vital to the future of wildlife like the Porcupine caribou herd. Being able to speak from firsthand experience, supported by thousands of people who took the time to add their names to the petition, gave those conversations real weight.
After a full day of meetings, we gathered at Arc’teryx for an evening event where I shared a slideshow focused on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The space was packed, the energy was strong, and the questions from the audience were thoughtful and engaged. I was especially grateful to see Representative Gabe Vasquez and Representative Sean Casten attend, stay for the entire show, and take time afterward to continue the conversation with me.
It was especially meaningful to see so many people come to the slideshow and engage deeply around the Refuge. The work I’ve done in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has become some of the most meaningful of my life, and sharing those stories in a room full of curious, thoughtful people reinforced why this place matters so much. Much of that work has been done in collaboration with Informed Experiences and Protect Our Winters, and I’m deeply grateful for the trust, partnership, and shared commitment that have made those projects possible.
One of the highlights of the evening was being introduced by Tommy Caldwell—a friend, a climbing legend, and someone whose voice carries real credibility in conversations about public lands and conservation. Not to mention, representative Gabe Vasquez and Sean Casten also introducing me. That moment meant a lot.
Trips like this aren’t easy. Advocacy rarely is. But showing up, again and again, feels necessary—especially when thinking about the world we’re leaving for our kids. This trip was a reminder that progress doesn’t always come from winning every argument. Sometimes it starts with presence, persistence, and the willingness to sit across the table, even when it’s uncomfortable.
I’m deeply grateful to Protect Our Winters, the Alaska Wilderness League, Informed Experiences, everyone who signed the petition, and everyone who continues to show up to protect wild places like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—forever.
