Lenora (Lynn) Hootch

Lenora (Lynn) Hootch is a tribal member of the Yupik Eskimo Tribe in Emmonak, a village in southwestern Alaska. She has lived in her village most of her life and has been actively involved in her community and tribal government. She has served as an officer and a board member for many organizations in her community, including the Emmonak Tribal Council, Emmonak City Council, Vice Mayor for the Village of Emmonak, member of the Parish Council, which is affiliated with the local church, Advisory School Board member, the Alaska Native Women’s Coalition, a state wide organization committed to eliminating personal and societal violence in the lives of Native women and children, and a former member of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, an organization comprised of Shelter Programs in the State of Alaska. Lynn has worked as the Director for the Yup’ik Women’s Coalition and is responsible for managing a regional tribal coalition to increase awareness of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and/or dating violence, to enhance the response to violence against Native women at the local, state and national level, creating leadership opportunities and providing technical assistance to other tribes to enhance access to essential services to Native women victimized by domestic violence and sexual assault. Lynn is Co-Chair of the NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women dedicated to advocating for tribal sovereignty to increase women’s safety.

Lynn is also a founder of the Emmonak Women’s Shelter, a non-profit organization that started in 1979. The Shelter is an example of a grassroots movement by village members/volunteers who saw a need to provide safety for women, children and vulnerable victims who were victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and other forms of abuse. The program was founded for the purpose of providing emergency shelter and assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Lynn is married and mother of five beautiful children, three boys and two girls; two gorgeous granddaughters who bring life, joy, happiness and love to all.