The Navajo experienced one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in America. High rates of diabetes, obesity, poor infrastructure on the reserve and remote living without electricity combined with a lack of rapid response from the tribal council caused this. Individual Navajo responded by fundraising and delivering aid. Many Navajo also embraced traditional medicine used during the 1918 Influenza epidemic - First Image: FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester weeps during a cleansing ceremony she performs every day. She runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme. Shannonlynn also works with Kilani Mutual Aid, where she deals with vulnerable homeless issues in Flagstaff, providing meals, information on Covid-19, washing stations, toilets and food.

•

TUBA CITY, ARIZONA: Michael Begay is the director of the Valley Ridge Mortuary in Tuba City on the Navajo Reservation. He Is also the funeral director. Michael says that death toll for the last 4 months is over 370, of which at least 60% are Covid related. The normal death total for the entire year is just over 200. He is seen standing in the Covid-19 section of the Tuba City cemetery, a number of his friends are already buried here. Michael adds that many of the Navajo suffer from conditions such as diabetes which makes them that much more vulnerable. He is fearful that the hard winter will bring more suffering to his people

•

KAYENTA, ARIZONA: A Navajo family with two Covid-19 cases is seen through their window. Helena Smith and her eldest son Jace are positive and are isolating at this time. Her partner Johnny Nez and their youngest son son are negative but they all live in the house together. They are drinking a traditional Navajo medicine for immunity passed on from Jones Benally, a legendary local medicine man who’s grandmother passed on the medicine they used in the 1918 Influenza pandemic.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin, which is Navajo for “hope” They are seen doing an Instagram fundraiser for Covid-19 in their backyard. Jones is close to 90 so the family is socially isolating at this time. The band has played in many fundraisers for Covid victims and continues to be a mouthpiece for the Navajo nation. Jones and Jeneda regularly collect and prepare traditional medicine for Covid patients, utilizing techniques that derived from the ways the Navajo survived the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Jeneda and Clayson are both teaching their children the traditional life of the Navajo and ensuring their traditions are passed on.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin, which is Navajo for “hope”. Jones and Jeneda regularly collect and prepare traditional medicine for Covid patients, utilizing techniques that derived from the ways the Navajo survived the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Jeneda and Clayson are both teaching their children the traditional life of the Navajo and ensuring their traditions are passed on.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin, which is Navajo for “hope”. Jones and Jeneda regularly collect and prepare traditional medicine for Covid patients, utilizing techniques that derived from the ways the Navajo survived the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Jeneda and Clayson are both teaching their children the traditional life of the Navajo and ensuring their traditions are passed on.

•

CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunteers from Charter houses, the organization has serviced over 5000 families across the reservation and is the largest of its kind. They prioritize the elderly and the most vulnerable, utilizing people all over the reservation to delivers food to vulnerable families and has built a relationship with Airserve to get food to remote and difficult to access areas. The teams on the ground deliver food with strict safety protocols and in the last 4 months no member has contracted Covid-19.

•

KAYENTA, ARIZONA: Clayson Benally uses traditional Navajo medicine to dress a dog-bite wound on Johnny Nez, a local IT engineer. Clayson is using the membrane from inside an egg as dressing. He is wearing PPE because Johnny’s family is isolating as his wife and eldest son are Covid Positive. Johnny lives in the house with them. Clayson Benally also delivered a traditional Navajo medicine for immunity to Johnny Nez’s family. This is medicine passed on from Jones Benally, a legendary medicine man who’s grandmother passed on the medicine the Navajo used in the 1918 Influenza pandemic. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images for the Gates Foundation.)

•

CAMERON, ARIZONA: A structure close to the highway with images from local artist Chip Thomas depicting mask awareness in the time of Covid-19 on the Navajo reservation.

•

NAVAJO NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA: Wayne Wilson and his son Shelvin bring water and food to very vulnerable people without transport all over the Navajo reservation. Many parts of the reservation don’t have access to water where they live so Wayne tries to service the most vulnerable families in those areas. He created a small Gofundme page and secured the service of a donor vehicle and water tank. He also donates water barrels and food if needed. So far he has helped over 100 families and drives an average of 400 miles every time he does a delivery.

•

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

•

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

•

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

•

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

•

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Dyatihi Benally,13, and her mother Jeneda watch a Zoom session in which the Navajo language is taught to a small group. There is very little online learning available on the Navajo Nation at this time. Even the most prosperous schools do not yet offer this service most of America now takes for granted. Many areas of the reservation do not have running water or electricity and most of the families do not have computers.

•

CAMERON, ARIZONA: Michelle Webster and her husband usually survive through odd jobs, she sews and cleans and he fixes cars and does carpentry. Covid-19 has ended those opportunities and Michelle now attempts to scrape some money together by making masks. They have 6 children, one of whom is a daughter with a compromised immune system. As a result they are extra careful not to contract the virus and bring it home to her.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme. Shannonlynn also works with Kilani Mutual Aid, where she deals with vulnerable homeless issues in Flagstaff, providing meals, information on Covid-19, washing stations, toilets and food. Every day Shannonlynn does a cleansing ceremony close to Sacred Mountain on the outskirts of Flagstaff.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme. Shannonlynn also works with Kilani Mutual Aid, where she deals with vulnerable homeless issues in Flagstaff, providing meals, information on Covid-19, washing stations, toilets and food. Every day Shannonlynn does a cleansing ceremony close to Sacred Mountain on the outskirts of Flagstaff.

•

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Homeless Navajo are amongst the most vulnerable to Covid-19, living in close proximity to each other, sharing alcohol and drugs. They are also often not educated on the necessary precautions and have more pre-existing conditions to contend with as a result of their lifestyle.

•

TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme.

•

TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme.

•

TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme.

•

CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunteers from Charter houses, the organization has serviced over 5000 families across the reservation and is the largest of its kind. They prioritize the elderly and the most vulnerable, utilizing people all over the reservation to delivers food to vulnerable families and has built a relationship with Airserve to get food to remote and difficult to access areas. The teams on the ground deliver food with strict safety protocols and in the last 4 months no member has contracted Covid-19.

•

CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunteers from Charter houses, the organization has serviced over 5000 families across the reservation and is the largest of its kind. They prioritize the elderly and the most vulnerable, utilizing people all over the reservation to delivers food to vulnerable families and has built a relationship with Airserve to get food to remote and difficult to access areas. The teams on the ground deliver food with strict safety protocols and in the last 4 months no member has contracted Covid-19.

•
The Navajo experienced one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in America. High rates of diabetes, obesity, poor infrastructure on the reserve and remote living without electricity combined with a lack of rapid response from the tribal council caused t
TUBA CITY, ARIZONA: Michael Begay is the director of the Valley Ridge Mortuary in Tuba City on the Navajo Reservation. He Is also the funeral director. Michael says that death toll for the last 4 months is over 370, of which at least 60% are Covid r
KAYENTA, ARIZONA: A Navajo family with two Covid-19 cases is seen through their window. Helena Smith and her eldest son Jace are positive and are isolating at this time. Her partner Johnny Nez and their youngest son son are negative but they all liv
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin,
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin,
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin,
CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunt
KAYENTA, ARIZONA: Clayson Benally uses traditional Navajo medicine to dress a dog-bite wound on Johnny Nez, a local IT engineer. Clayson is using the membrane from inside an egg as dressing. He is wearing PPE because Johnny’s family is isolating as
CAMERON, ARIZONA: A structure close to the highway with images from local artist Chip Thomas depicting mask awareness in the time of Covid-19 on the Navajo reservation.
NAVAJO NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA: Wayne Wilson and his son Shelvin bring water and food to very vulnerable people without transport all over the Navajo reservation. Many parts of the reservation don’t have access to water where they live so Wayne tries
Navajocovid_011.jpg
GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made peop
GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made peop
GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made peop
GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made peop
GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made peop
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Dyatihi Benally,13, and her mother Jeneda watch a Zoom session in which the Navajo language is taught to a small group. There is very little online learning available on the Navajo Nation at this time. Even the most prosperous sc
CAMERON, ARIZONA: Michelle Webster and her husband usually survive through odd jobs, she sews and cleans and he fixes cars and does carpentry. Covid-19 has ended those opportunities and Michelle now attempts to scrape some money together by making m
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo a
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo a
FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Homeless Navajo are amongst the most vulnerable to Covid-19, living in close proximity to each other, sharing alcohol and drugs. They are also often not educated on the necessary precautions and have more pre-existing conditions
TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Nav
TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Nav
TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Nav
CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunt
CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunt

The Navajo experienced one of the highest rates of Covid-19 in America. High rates of diabetes, obesity, poor infrastructure on the reserve and remote living without electricity combined with a lack of rapid response from the tribal council caused this. Individual Navajo responded by fundraising and delivering aid. Many Navajo also embraced traditional medicine used during the 1918 Influenza epidemic - First Image: FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester weeps during a cleansing ceremony she performs every day. She runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme. Shannonlynn also works with Kilani Mutual Aid, where she deals with vulnerable homeless issues in Flagstaff, providing meals, information on Covid-19, washing stations, toilets and food.

TUBA CITY, ARIZONA: Michael Begay is the director of the Valley Ridge Mortuary in Tuba City on the Navajo Reservation. He Is also the funeral director. Michael says that death toll for the last 4 months is over 370, of which at least 60% are Covid related. The normal death total for the entire year is just over 200. He is seen standing in the Covid-19 section of the Tuba City cemetery, a number of his friends are already buried here. Michael adds that many of the Navajo suffer from conditions such as diabetes which makes them that much more vulnerable. He is fearful that the hard winter will bring more suffering to his people

KAYENTA, ARIZONA: A Navajo family with two Covid-19 cases is seen through their window. Helena Smith and her eldest son Jace are positive and are isolating at this time. Her partner Johnny Nez and their youngest son son are negative but they all live in the house together. They are drinking a traditional Navajo medicine for immunity passed on from Jones Benally, a legendary local medicine man who’s grandmother passed on the medicine they used in the 1918 Influenza pandemic.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin, which is Navajo for “hope” They are seen doing an Instagram fundraiser for Covid-19 in their backyard. Jones is close to 90 so the family is socially isolating at this time. The band has played in many fundraisers for Covid victims and continues to be a mouthpiece for the Navajo nation. Jones and Jeneda regularly collect and prepare traditional medicine for Covid patients, utilizing techniques that derived from the ways the Navajo survived the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Jeneda and Clayson are both teaching their children the traditional life of the Navajo and ensuring their traditions are passed on.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin, which is Navajo for “hope”. Jones and Jeneda regularly collect and prepare traditional medicine for Covid patients, utilizing techniques that derived from the ways the Navajo survived the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Jeneda and Clayson are both teaching their children the traditional life of the Navajo and ensuring their traditions are passed on.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: The Benally family is well known on the Navajo reservation. The patriarch Jones Benally is a legendary medicine man, his daughter Jeneda and his son Clayson are also practitioners. They have a music band together called Sihasin, which is Navajo for “hope”. Jones and Jeneda regularly collect and prepare traditional medicine for Covid patients, utilizing techniques that derived from the ways the Navajo survived the 1918 Influenza pandemic. Jeneda and Clayson are both teaching their children the traditional life of the Navajo and ensuring their traditions are passed on.

CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunteers from Charter houses, the organization has serviced over 5000 families across the reservation and is the largest of its kind. They prioritize the elderly and the most vulnerable, utilizing people all over the reservation to delivers food to vulnerable families and has built a relationship with Airserve to get food to remote and difficult to access areas. The teams on the ground deliver food with strict safety protocols and in the last 4 months no member has contracted Covid-19.

KAYENTA, ARIZONA: Clayson Benally uses traditional Navajo medicine to dress a dog-bite wound on Johnny Nez, a local IT engineer. Clayson is using the membrane from inside an egg as dressing. He is wearing PPE because Johnny’s family is isolating as his wife and eldest son are Covid Positive. Johnny lives in the house with them. Clayson Benally also delivered a traditional Navajo medicine for immunity to Johnny Nez’s family. This is medicine passed on from Jones Benally, a legendary medicine man who’s grandmother passed on the medicine the Navajo used in the 1918 Influenza pandemic. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images for the Gates Foundation.)

CAMERON, ARIZONA: A structure close to the highway with images from local artist Chip Thomas depicting mask awareness in the time of Covid-19 on the Navajo reservation.

NAVAJO NATIONAL PARK, ARIZONA: Wayne Wilson and his son Shelvin bring water and food to very vulnerable people without transport all over the Navajo reservation. Many parts of the reservation don’t have access to water where they live so Wayne tries to service the most vulnerable families in those areas. He created a small Gofundme page and secured the service of a donor vehicle and water tank. He also donates water barrels and food if needed. So far he has helped over 100 families and drives an average of 400 miles every time he does a delivery.

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

GRAY MOUNTAIN, ARIZONA: Gray Mountain Horse Rescue is an organization that attempts to safeguard wild horses across the Navajo Nation during this time of Covid-19 and beyond. These horses are a strong symbol for the Navajo but Covid-19 has made people more desperate. Large numbers of these horses have been illegally captured and sold to Mexican slaughterhouses for $100 each. Larger numbers of these horses are also dying from the severe water shortage in the region. Recently, over 200 horses were found dead in one small area when a water hole dried up. Paul and Glenda Lincoln and Courtney and Tuff Preston bring water to these horses and take care of sick or hurt animals. On this day, they rescued a young foal rejected by its mother and chased from the herd by the stallion. They will raise the foal safely and find it a new home. To the people of Gray Mountain rescue, there is no Navajo without these wild horses.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Dyatihi Benally,13, and her mother Jeneda watch a Zoom session in which the Navajo language is taught to a small group. There is very little online learning available on the Navajo Nation at this time. Even the most prosperous schools do not yet offer this service most of America now takes for granted. Many areas of the reservation do not have running water or electricity and most of the families do not have computers.

CAMERON, ARIZONA: Michelle Webster and her husband usually survive through odd jobs, she sews and cleans and he fixes cars and does carpentry. Covid-19 has ended those opportunities and Michelle now attempts to scrape some money together by making masks. They have 6 children, one of whom is a daughter with a compromised immune system. As a result they are extra careful not to contract the virus and bring it home to her.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme. Shannonlynn also works with Kilani Mutual Aid, where she deals with vulnerable homeless issues in Flagstaff, providing meals, information on Covid-19, washing stations, toilets and food. Every day Shannonlynn does a cleansing ceremony close to Sacred Mountain on the outskirts of Flagstaff.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme. Shannonlynn also works with Kilani Mutual Aid, where she deals with vulnerable homeless issues in Flagstaff, providing meals, information on Covid-19, washing stations, toilets and food. Every day Shannonlynn does a cleansing ceremony close to Sacred Mountain on the outskirts of Flagstaff.

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA: Homeless Navajo are amongst the most vulnerable to Covid-19, living in close proximity to each other, sharing alcohol and drugs. They are also often not educated on the necessary precautions and have more pre-existing conditions to contend with as a result of their lifestyle.

TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme.

TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme.

TUBA CITY AREA, ARIZONA: Shannonlynn Chester runs Dine’ Healers relief, an aid group that brings food, medicine and traditional medicine to over 40 traditional medicine healers across the Navajo Nation. These people are the wisdom keepers of the Navajo and Shannonlynn grew up in this tradition. She sees her job as safeguarding the legacy of her people. Most are elderly and vulnerable and many live in areas without running water or electricity. Many do not have transport. Shannon uses her own car to make these deliveries and works 7 days a week on this cause. She fundraises through Gofundme.

CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunteers from Charter houses, the organization has serviced over 5000 families across the reservation and is the largest of its kind. They prioritize the elderly and the most vulnerable, utilizing people all over the reservation to delivers food to vulnerable families and has built a relationship with Airserve to get food to remote and difficult to access areas. The teams on the ground deliver food with strict safety protocols and in the last 4 months no member has contracted Covid-19.

CHINDLE, ARIZONA: Tishawna Spencer, 26 and Kieren Begay, 25, have been working with relief organization Navajo Hopi Solidarity for 4 months. This organization was formed by former attorney general of the Navajo Nation, Ethel Branch. Utilizing volunteers from Charter houses, the organization has serviced over 5000 families across the reservation and is the largest of its kind. They prioritize the elderly and the most vulnerable, utilizing people all over the reservation to delivers food to vulnerable families and has built a relationship with Airserve to get food to remote and difficult to access areas. The teams on the ground deliver food with strict safety protocols and in the last 4 months no member has contracted Covid-19.

show thumbnails
caption