Kitty Sopow has lived in Sitka since 2012. She has worked at Sitka Tribe of Alaska and is currently earning her Master’s Degree in Anthropology and Human Rights. (Photo courtesy of Sopow)
The roster of Sitkans running for the local Assembly has grown from six to seven. Kitty Sopow submitted her name Thursday (09-07-17) as a write-in candidate.
Sopow moved to Sitka in 2012 as an AmeriCorps Volunteer, placed at Sitka Tribe of Alaska. After a year of service, she worked briefly at the Sitka Sentinel before taking a grant-funded position within the tribe’s Resource Protection Department.
Now, Sopow is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Anthropology and GIS, with an interest in the invisible forces that shape people’s lives – from regulations to government-to-government communication. Her academic study merged a growing interest in serving on the Assembly, where – if elected – she hopes to put her studies into real-life practice.
“Being able to analyze different issues, I could actually be a part of the conversation. That’s a social activist’s dream,” she said.
Sopow says she was also encouraged by friends and family to run for the Assembly, but missed the August 4th deadline to file while doing fieldwork this summer.
As a write-in candidate, Sopow’s name will not be on the ballot during the October 3rd election. The names listed will be Sheila Finkenbinder, Sonya Smith, Jaime Ackley, Steven Eisenbeisz, Benjamin Miyasato, and Richard Wein. They are all running for three open seats on the Assembly.
