Navajo Nation elects first woman president
Voters turned out Tuesday to support women candidates in races around the country. And that included the Navajo Nation. Crystalyne Curley will be the first women to serve as the nation's president. She thanked supporters at a celebration in Fort Defiance, AZ.
"This victory belongs to all of us, we are a family," she said to supporters before leading a chant of, "Together we rise!"
The race was tight with Curley and her running mate Christopher Deschene receiving about 51 percent of the vote. Curley restated her campaign message of unity.
"We cannot be afraid to love one another," she said. "We cannot be afraid to unify. We cannot be afraid to make our voices heard."
Curley is currently serving her second term as speaker of the Navajo Nation Council.
Tribal colleges receive a funding boost
Two months after noting a drop in financial support, the American Indian College Fund has received a $70 million contribution from major a US philanthropist. Public News Service's Roz Brown reports.
Historic firsts in elections around the country
Democrats made history on Tuesday, flipping seats long held by Republicans around the nation. Beyond the blue tsunami, there were also a lot of historic firsts that happened Tuesday.
New Mexico's next governor Deb Haaland will become the first Native woman in the nation to serve as a state governor. Neighboring Texas elected the state's first ever Latina governor, Gina Hinojosa, while Keisha Lance Bottoms will serve in Georgia as the nation's first ever Black woman governor. She's one of five Black governors who will serve next year, the most ever at one time.13 of the nation's governors will be women, setting another record. The Navajo Nation elected it’s first woman president.
The U.S. Senate will see its first Muslim senator, first openly gay man and first Indigenous woman.
Program helps veterans, incarcerated people and furry friends in need.
Paws & Stripes has over 16 years of experience serving Veteran and military families. From their Veteran Service Dog program to their ongoing individual therapy options they offer no cost services to Veterans, military service members, and their loved ones.
New Mexico rates second in the Nation for deaths by suicide and 40% of our Veterans don’t have access to Veterans Administration care programs.
Paws and Stripes gives 83 cents of every dollar to Veterans care programs. They also train dogs to become service dogs for veterans using incarcerated people to teach them basic life skills and socialization. 90% of the dogs they train come from shelters and this weekend Santa Fe Animal Shelter Staff and Volunteers will learn how they can partner for the future.
