The water is closer to Chefornak in Yupik Village near Alaska's western coast.Thawing is taking place in the thick ground that was once solidly frozen. Precariously, the village preschool sits on its blue paint peeling on wooden stilts in spongy marsh, between a stream and a creek. The storms are getting stronger. High tide is when water rises beneath the building. This can sometimes keep out children aged 3-5 years old. The floor has been warped by the shifting ground, making it difficult to close the doors. Mold is a common problem.Eliza Tunuchuk, one the teachers, stated that she loves her building. However, I also want to move.The village has a median income of $11,000 per year and sought federal assistance to build a school on dry ground. This was one of many buildings in Chefornak which needed to be moved. Agency after agency responded with a different answer: "No."Native Americans face severe climate threats, the latest threat in a history of centuries of dislocation and distress. Native tribes face an environmental risk as other communities struggle to adapt to a warming planet. This is due to policies that were first implemented by white settlers, and then the United States government. They are forced onto the least desirable lands in the country.
