As the bulk of the crowd packed the park, dozens of rallygoers lined Fifth and Sixth avenues waving signs and receiving supportive honks from passing cars.

Hundreds have been evacuated in military helicopters and planes to Bethel and Anchorage. Now, state officials are assessing what it’ll take to rebuild villages hit hard by the storm.

Alaska Federation of Natives delegates passed 42 resolutions on Saturday, including a call for more federal help for Western Alaska and protections for subsistence practices.

Begich spent much of his 14-minute speech touting what he believes to be economic benefits that Alaska Native communities will reap from the budget reconciliation bill.