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BEARS, BOATS, AND BUSINESS DREAMS | Native Entrepreneur Brings Tlingit Traditions to Tourism with Spruce Root's Help

Alaska Native John Hillman spent years working away from his hometown of Hoonah, a remote Tlingit community in Alaska's Alexander Archipelago. When cruise ships began bringing tourists to his community in 2019, he saw his chance to return home. With support from Native CDFI Spruce Root, he and his wife launched Wilderness Island Tours, the area's only Indigenous-owned tour operator, sharing their culture and love of the local wilderness with visitors.

Difference Makers explores how Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs) are expanding economic opportunity across Indian…

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