Wallace Ungwiluk received the 2026 Roger Lang Youth Leadership Award at the 60th annual Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) Convention.
The award honors young men who demonstrate leadership potential and a commitment to their communities. Surrounded by friends and family on stage, Ungwiluk shared lessons learned through a life that has taken him from his home of Gambell on St. Lawrence Island to Oregon — and back.
“It's not going to be easy to go and achieve your dreams or go and chase your dreams. But, like I said, it's going to be hard to stay home and struggle to find a job where there's very little opportunity,” Ungwiluk said.
Ungwiluk was born in Nome and raised in Gambell. He said he was the first man from his community to play college basketball, and encouraged all youth to reach for their dreams, even if they’ll become the first to achieve them.
In Gambell, Ungwiluk was a key contributor to the John Apangalook School basketball team. He graduated in 2017 and went on to play collegiate basketball at Multnomah University in Portland, OR.
After graduating, Ungwiluk returned to Gambell and now coaches the high school basketball team. Bering Straits Native Corporation Board Chair, Robert Evans, said Ungwiluk sets a “perfect example” for his team.
“We remember when you played basketball, and now that we watch you coach basketball, you are, young people who are great examples of what sportsmanship, hard work, and dedication looks like,” Evans said.
Ungwiluk shares his experiences living a subsistence lifestyle on various social media platforms, including his YouTube channel that has nearly 100,000 subscribers.
