National geographic society / an indigenous take on the covid crisis on the navajo nation

When we were first granted the permission to work on this project, what I didn't know was that my own father would join the overwhelming population of people / Native people who would die from COVID-19. When I reflect on this project today, I am filled with both the burden of my own loss and the sense of purpose that Len Necefer and I shared while documenting the effects of COVID-19 on The Navajo Nation.

Despite broad coverage in popular media, Indigenous led journalism remains a crucial element in granting Native communities the resources to build their own social solutions, and tell their own stories.

This story documents the cause and effect of US Government policy and the deeper roots of health and inequality as it relates to Native People, and how this contributed to the impact of COVID-19 on Native communities. Tahdii Koo Honiidlo is a Navajo phrase that translates to “ We are still here, despite all that has happened.”

This project was funded by the National Geographic Society's COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Journalists. The fund supports storytellers around the world who wish to safely cover Covid19 within their local communities. Explore more of these projects at natgeo.org/fundmap