A new six-part NOVA series called Legacy of the Land features short films produced by Indigenous filmmakers focused on climate issues and solutions in Native communities across the country. On this episode of Alaska Insight, Producer Madilyn Rose speaks with with Kanesia McGlashan-Price and Anna Hoover, two Alaska Native filmmakers involved with the series about the community stories their videos tell. Related: Tides of Tradition | Legacy of the Land | NOVA | PBS This Week’s Headlines: Anchorage Assembly pushes state and city leaders to address high rate of pedestrians killed by drivers Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office investigated, as fallout over judge’s misconduct continues For the first time, America has an Arctic ambassador, and he’s Alaskan Dr. Janet Shen has been a pediatrician in Anchorage for almost 30 years and she said she has seen more people worried about vaccinating their kids lately. “We often hear that, why should we vaccinate against these diseases?” she said. “And is it really necessary to get vaccines?” But she said this recent statewide epidemic of whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bit of a wake-up call. As of last week, 286 Alaskans had reported testing positive for the highly-contagious disease so far this year. Whooping cough has led to 16 hospitalizations in the state and one infant death. Nationwide, the number of cases has more than quadrupled since last year and experts have attributed the surge to a dip in vaccination rates. “I think this is a good reminder that if the vaccination rate drops, these diseases can rear their ugly heads again,” Shen said. Alaska generally has low vaccination rates and it has one of the lowest rates in the country when it comes to vaccination against whooping cough in children. Vaccination rates aren’t the only factor in the current epidemic, […]