Diné
It is no secret that the United States of America was founded on stolen land and the atrocities that were inflicted on the indigenous people has cause multigenerational trauma. From 1831 to 1877 around 60,000 Native Americans were forcibly expelled from their ancestral land and relocated to reservations that were established by the U.S government. In 1868 the Navajo Reservation was established and since then it has expanded to include parts of northwestern New Mexico, northeastern Arizona, and southeastern Utah. Today, life on the reservation is difficult and aid is insufficient. About 30% of the homes on the reservation do not have running water, there are high rates of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes among citizens, and the poverty rates of families with children is 46.5%. Despite the challenges the Navajo people, and all indigenous people, are powerful, brave, and resilient.
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The Missing Women and Men of Navajo NationMeskee Yanabah Yatsayte is the leader of an organization that searches for missing persons in the Navajo community. This video highlights a broken system that fails both victims and their families when a disappearance occurs. Families are expected to advocated for themselves and investigate their cases. These disappearances are not covered by most media outlets and they often involve sexual assault. More information about open cases and updates can be found on the Navajo Nations missing persons update page on Facebook.
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We stand for what we believe in, we speak our mind, we stand devoted to our families, we are accustom to life's of hardships & overcome all obstacles, we are beautiful, we are proud, we are women of the Navajo
Corona Virus Impact in Navajo nation
The Navajo Nation has the highest rate of infection per capita in the continental United States of coronavirus and the effects have been devastating. Some of the strictest lockdown measures in the country have been implemented in an effort to protect the people and the already at risk culture. With 57 hour weekend lock downs and police enforced curfews the citizens of Navajo Nation make daily sacrifices to keep themselves safe. Inadequate infrastructure and a lack of indoor plumbing has only exacerbated the crisis. Today one in three Navajo citizens don't have indoor plumbing. As a result citizens must venture out of their homes to stores or wells to collect water which puts themselves and their families at risk. Although they are working harder than ever a lack of funding is making it difficult for healthcare professionals to manage the influx of patients the virus had produced. The United States government promised to provide eight billion dollars in relief to Navajo Nation, but only a small fraction of that was sent and the rest has yet to be received. As of July 17,2020 there are 8,536 confirmed positive cases and 412 confirmed deaths. The devastating effects of this crisis have further revealed the lack of respect that the U.S government gives to the Navajo people. Navajo President Jonathan Nez is doing all that he can, but it is time for the plight of the Navajo to be recognized and for the U.S government to hold itself accountable.
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: AP Photo/Morgan Lee
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Credit: Getty Images
Credit: azcentral.com
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