BLAST Alaska (a.k.a. A-BLASKA!) students will travel to Anchorage to conduct legal research benefitting underserved and overburdened communities in Alaska. The trip also builds relationships between Berkeley Law and community organizations and exposes Berkeley Law students to types of work and communities they would otherwise not have access to in a classroom setting.
We will partner with The Alaska Center to address important legal needs in several areas, such as energy and environmental justice. We will specifically support the Center’s main programmatic areas, “Climate & Clean Energy” and “Salmon & Clean Water,” through legal research and analysis.
We will also work alongside First Alaskans Institute researching legal issues related to indigenous sovereignty and environmental and natural resource issues in support of Alaska Native Tribes and communities. In the past, students have worked on duties to consult with tribes, as well as researching hunting, fishing, and aboriginal rights.
Time Commitment: Students should expect one hour-long meeting/training per month in the Fall and Spring semester, with the potential for additional trainings in the Spring. Students will dedicate 40 hours to work on the trip over spring break.
For more information, please contact the student leaders at alaskablast@berkeley.edu.