Alaska’s largest city deserves the name recognition given to other cities – you can help

When you meet someone and you ask them where they’re from, if they’re from a city such as Chicago, they’ll usually say Chicago – Seldom have I met someone from Chicago that said they’re from Illinois and the same applies to other US cities, some of which aren’t much larger than Anchorage – So why do we always tell people we’re from Alaska?

Much to our chagrin, when we introduce ourselves as someone from Alaska we’re greeted with absurd questions about our unique lifestyle, the absence of modern conveniences, our dog mushing abilities, eternal darkness and whether or not we have toilets basically, an amalgamated misconception of a region that is one-third the size of the entire US – to simply say you’re from Alaska is almost like someone telling you they’re from the United States.

From the old-growth forests of Southeast to the windswept plains of the Northwest, Alaska is a big, diverse place and to generalize it does a disservice to the many unique communities here as well as robs Anchorage of the distinction it deserves as Alaska’s one true city, a place with all the conveniences of any modern city (including toilets) and so much more. Anchorage has its own identity, independent of Alaska or anything “Alaskan”.

Anchorage is one of the most diverse cities in the US, our citizens hail from all over the world. Anchorage has a symphony, an opera, a world-class museum and we aspire to be considered among the great cities of the U.S. but we need recognition and you can help.

When you’re on vacation or traveling for business and you’re asked where you’re from, tell them you’re from Anchorage, they should have heard of us by now and If they haven’t, recommend they visit someday.

Image courtesy of Thomas Hawk via Flickr Creative Commons