Fearing an outbreak of COVID-19, Diné College conducted its first ever virtual graduation ceremony that saw more than 50 students receive associate’s and bachelor’s degrees and certificates. The roughly 90-minute ceremony featured Dr. Jill Jim, executive director of the Navajo Nation Department of Health and a recent appointee to President-Elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board, as commencement speaker.
Sage Bond, a Diné College alumnus and popular Navajo folk musician, sang the national anthem. James Tutt, dean of Diné College’s School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, emceed the event, which was recorded by the Navajo Nation Office of TV and Film. “Congratulations to the graduates,” Dr. Jim said. The ceremony was viewed via Zoom or Facebook. “You have to take this opportunity to pursue something and come back to the Navajo Nation.”
Pandemic, Trump and racism drove voter turnout in some tribal communities
tucson.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tucson.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Pandemic, Trump and racism drive voter turnout in some tribal communities
tucsonsentinel.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tucsonsentinel.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
PHOENIX – Enthusiasm across Arizona was higher this election than in the 2016 presidential contest, and final results show the contrast was even more stark in Indian Country, where voters said they were especially motivated because of the COVID-19 pandemic and issues of race.
A census
analysis
of 2018 data found American Indians were at least 4.4% of eligible voters in Arizona, or more than 220,000 people. Considering the neck-and-neck battle in Arizona’s presidential election this year – decided by a mere
10,457
votes – they had the power to swing the outcome.
“Knowing the thin margins in the last couple of elections, this was a year that we knew that a vote really mattered, and we took it seriously,” said Kevin Allis, the former chief executive officer of the National Congress of American Indians. “(Native voters) likely played a very key role in close races in Arizona.”
Credit Courtesy
Tribal officials are developing a plan to distribute the drugs on the reservation when they become available. About 150 members of the Navajo Nation volunteered for the vaccine trials. Until a safe vaccine is widely available, we have to continue to fight this virus together and the best way to do that is by staying home as much as possible. The safest place during this pandemic is at home here on the Navajo Nation, stay local, stay safe,” said Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
The tribe reported nearly 200 new known cases of coronavirus and five more deaths Wednesday as a virus surge has impacted the Navajo Nation in recent weeks. More than 18,000 people have tested positive for COVID on the reservation and almost 700 have died since the pandemic began.