Bering Strait Communities Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Stronger Together is a unique collaboration between the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum in Nome, Alaska, and over forty community members, artists, and poets from across the Bering Strait region, offering a vivid, nuanced look at the lived and shared experiences of Bering Strait communities in the COVID-19 era through a collection of first-person narratives.

The featured artists have created works inspired by the pandemic, from walrus ivory masks and sealskin face coverings to scenes of subsistence activities and informal family portraits, which are beautifully captured in full-color illustrations that enliven the text with vibrant images of local community members, activities, and artwork from those who call this northern expanse of rolling tundra and icy seas home.

This publication appeals to a wide audience, including museum, public arts, and culture program administrators; students and scholars of Indigenous and Alaska Native languages and culture; the Alaska anthropology community; artists and art enthusiasts; and those with a general interest in Alaska, as it offers hopeful and redemptive behind-the-scenes perspectives of how remote Alaskan communities endured the COVID-19 pandemic.

The narratives in Stronger Together provide a unique and invaluable glimpse into the resilience, adaptability, and community spirit of the Bering Strait region, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the human experiences and stories that emerged from this challenging time.

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