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The state of Arizona is struggling to gain control of record-breaking increases of coronavirus infections that threaten to overwhelm health care systems. The surge comes after state officials relaxed measures designed to help prevent the spread of the virus. Tribes within the state, many of whom struggled to gain control of infections within their own borders, are expanding or enacting new measures to try to keep their citizens healthy.
Guests:
Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood (White Mountain Apache Tribe) – Chairwoman of the White Mountain Apache Tribe
Christina Andrews (Hia-Ced O’odham and a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation) – chairwoman of the Hia-Ced O’odham Nation
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez (Diné) – Navajo Nation president
Break 1 music: We Are Going To Dance Well (song) Greyeyes/Martin Sisters/Todi Neesh Zhee (artist) Epiphany – Diné Nishłi (album)
Break 2 music: Yuve Yuve Yu (song) The Hu (artist) Yuve Yuve Yu (Single)
Red Lake Nation has been on complete lockdown and border control since the start of Governor Walz’s executive order mandating stay at home. The Nation is so far successful in keeping COVID out and only one case has been reported. The Tribe displays its sovereign right to govern daily with a cooperative spirit with outside entities, state and federal, to protect its citizens from an untimely death due to COVID. They are once again carrying the torch in leadership in Minnesota. In addition, RL is not receiving unending criticism for their heroic efforts and neither are they experiencing overwhelming internal turmoil from members; who do receive frequent effective updates from the Chairman via the Red Lake Nation news as well as others working on the front lines. I think our tribal communities such as RL and the Arizona ones that are reaching far and protecting citizens without speculating, causing fear and spreading bad news with the mainstream political fighters are not only a sign of our sovereign strength and what we call “resilience” but of our innate abilities to handle hard times, even the hardest, when upon us. This pandemic would be consistent with one of the hardest times.