There are 3 areas where COVID seems to be thriving the most. New York, New Jersey, and the Navajo Nation.
Navajo Nation has more per-capita COVID-19 infections than any place outside of New York and New Jersey. The Navajo Nation encompasses 27,000 square miles of land with a population of 350,000.
30% of the members do not have running water and are struggling with resources to combat the pandemic. Along with water shortages, the Nation lacks infrastructure, good internet connection, and things that regular citizens in North America take for granted.
The COVID-19 is hitting the young and old alike.
In April the former Miss Western Navajo Nation, Valentina Blackhorse passed away from COVID at just 28 years of age after taking care of her boyfriend who also tested positive.
People have come together to help out the family of Valentina with the funeral costs with a GoFund Me page set up. Here people can help out the family with a donation they see fit.
The numbers continue to rise and many are wondering how they can help out.
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The world is starting to hear about the Navajo Nation and how they need our help. The history of the relationship between the settlers and the first peoples of this land is not a great one but we can move forward doing better things for our Native American relatives.
They are in need of supplies, food, water, and the much needed resources needed to flattened the curve of COVID.
Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation, told CNN that the tribe finally received its relief funds on Wednesday, and he credited celebrities who used their voice to help.
The Navajo Nation has had 2,559 positive cases of Covid-19 and 79 deaths from the disease, Nez told CNN. The tribe has also extended its state of emergency declaration and closed government offices until May 17.
“We don’t have enough hospital beds for individuals to recover, so we’ve had to send people home where the virus is spread,” said Nez.
Celebrities like Mark Ruffalo, Ellen Degeneres, Jason Momoa, and Sean Penn among the few celebrities who are bringing light and attention to the Navajo Nation.
Mark Ruffalo who plays Hulk in the Marvel Universe along with , Paul Rudd and Taika Waititi help efforts to educate the youth of the Navajo Nation.
Their mandate is to help the youth rise up and help protect the Elder’s, language, medicine ways, and cultures during this time of the pandemic.
Ellen Degeneres has teamed up with her wife Portia to donate face shields through Portia’s company that uses 3D technology to print face shields.
It would be similar to this video below showing how making the face shields is like squeezing a tube of toothpaste out and that is essentially how the 3D technology works.
Jason Momoa who is known for his role in The Game of Thrones series as well as playing Aquaman in the DC movies, has helped with donating 20,000 cans of his Mananula Pure Water.
It’s a small company that Jason has and as he stated:
“My water company is still small but I’m doing what I can to help those that need it the most,”
With many places entering into phase 1 of reopening economies, it’s hard to say if this is the right move to do right now?
Right now they need help with staffing, supplies, food, and water.
With your help we can all come together and save this nation and flatten the curve of COVID.
So far the Go Fund Me Page has raised just over $400,000 with a goal of reaching $1,000,000. Here you can help out with some of your money to go towards supplies and staff for the Navajo Nation.
The Navajo Nations has faced many hardships like many other Native American tribes.
They have experienced disease from the coming of settlers, relocation from tribal lands, imprisonment, starvation, lack of resources, and broken Treaty promises from the US Government.
In 1864 the Navajo was forced to give up their land and taken on a long journey to be imprisoned and many died during the walk and also died in the camp they get sent to.
About 1/3rd died while imprisonment. Hitler studied how US was killing off the Native Americans and used it for his evil doings.
Treaties were then signed 4 years after imprisonment and began a long journey back to their own reservation now called the Navajo Reservation.
In exchange to lay down their arms and live peacefully, the US government promised help in terms of health care, education, food, and care for the people.
Many of the promises were never fulfilled.
Here is a Tribe That Won’t Be Shaken
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