Dear Editor: This past winter, the Pathways to a Safer Sitka Coalition, a group of individuals and community partners dedicated to building a healthy, respectful community, launched the What It Means To Be a Káa (Man) campaign. It spotlighted previous Boys Run I toowú klatseen (BRITK) coaches that are positive male mentors who role-model alternative, more holistic ways of being a man. The BRITK program, meant for 3rd-5th grade boys, teaches participants that being a “strong” man means having strength of spirit (I toowú klatseen) and being a respectful human being. The campaign messages worked to counter the harmful ones that boys are getting about masculinity. It gave them a different narrative about how they can show up in the world as boys, and eventually men.
We want to extend our gratitude to the men who helped create the campaign, the businesses who participated, including Backdoor Café, Fisheye Coffee, Mean Queen, and Beak Restaurant, and their staff who were essential in the dissemination of our messages, and the Sitka Public Library for hosting a display of our campaign materials. Additionally, we want to thank Artchange, Inc., and our storytellers for partnering with us to put on the Sitka Tells Tales event in December that explored the expectations, pressures, and messages that shape how people of all genders experience masculinity. We would also like to give many thanks to the community members who interacted with the campaign. Staff noted at least three hundred instances of patrons engaging with the product messages, whether with them or other customers. We also received a number of responses to the campaign question, “What will you show the next generation it means to be a káa (man)?” Their answers revealed a more expansive understanding of what being a man means:
“Empowering boys to be vulnerable, honest, and stand up for others. I’ve known men so fearful and dismissive of their own emotions and it interferes with their ability to be cared for and genuinely connect with others.”
“Being a man is admitting when you are wrong, being true to your word, and knowing it’s okay to be exactly who you are.”
“It means to be a thoughtful friend, father, husband and partner. To listen and help, to commiserate and to lean on.”
Role models, like the ones who responded above, are vital in shifting the unhealthy narrative around masculinity for boys so that the next generation can grow into healthier and happier men.
We would also like to thank our funders who helped make this happen – the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, the Bloomberg American Health Initiative, and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. Even though this campaign’s dissemination has ended, stay tuned for upcoming events, opportunities, and conversations to take part in. If you are interested in helping to plan efforts such as these, feel free to email sitkapathways@gmail.com or use the contact form at sitkapathways.org/male-allies.
Pathways Coalition
Male Engagement Workgroup:
Shadeed Atif, Phil Burdick,
Amanda Capitummino,
Lee House, Michelle Kavouras
Barbara Quinn, Julia Smith
