District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler’s update for Jan. 29 — Registration is OPEN for the Colorado Plateau Economic Development Symposium

WINDOW ROCK – Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer congratulate Honorable Seth Damon on being selected by his colleagues to serve as the Speaker of the 24th Navajo Nation Council. With 14 supporting votes, Honorable Damon was selected to serve a two-year term as the Speaker on the opening day of the 2019 Winter Council Session.

“On behalf of the Nez-Lizer Administration, congratulations to Speaker Seth Damon and his family. We look forward to building a positive relationship with Speaker Damon and the entire 24th Navajo Nation Council,” said President Nez. “Working together, we will continue to strengthen governance and leadership to serve the Navajo people.”

Speaker Damon is from is Bááháálí, N.M., and is Bit’ahnii and born for Naaneesht’ézhi Táchii’nii. His maternal grandfather is Áshįįhíí and his paternal grandfather is Tsénahabiłnii. During his first term, he served as the chair of the Budget and Finance Committee.

President Nez noted that the Nez-Lizer Administration recently shared its priorities with Speaker Damon and members of the Council and look forward to advocating together to benefit the Navajo Nation.

“Unity is the key to address all the challenges and barriers. Our issues and concerns are very challenging, but helping each other can make every day a little better than the day before. Together, we can move toward positive change,” said Vice President Lizer.

President Nez and Vice President Lizer also extended their appreciation to the other nominees who sought the Speaker position on Monday, which included Council Delegates Jamie Henio, Edmund Yazzie, and Amber Kanazbah Crotty.

“We thank all of the Council members who offered their leadership and we commend you for serving our Nation,” added President Nez.

Speaker Damon was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice JoAnne B. Jayne following the votes of the Navajo Nation Council.

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Following the enactment of the continuing resolution, staff at Grand Canyon National Park will resume regular operations this week, including opening visitor centers, offering ranger programs, opening permit offices, and collecting fees at entrance stations. Please visit http://www.nps.gov/grca for updated information about the park. Visitors should know that not all park functions, such as ranger programs, will be available immediately.

With assistance from the State of Arizona and Grand Canyon Conservancy who made donations, Grand Canyon National Park remained open during the partial government shutdown and the National Park Service was able to continue to provide limited visitor services. Visitor services provided by park concessionaires and partners also remained open.

“Grand Canyon National Park appreciates the partnerships we have with Governor Ducey, the State of Arizona, Arizona State Parks and Trails, Grand Canyon Conservancy, and the northern Arizona community. The protection of Grand Canyon’s natural and cultural resources is our shared responsibility and a commitment to every American, every visitor, every day,” said Deputy Superintendent Lisa Carrico.

A significant driver in the national economy, the National Park Service returns more than $10 for every $1 invested and it factors in the local economy as well. In 2017, more than 6,250,000 visitors to Grand Canyon National Park spent $666,912,800 in communities near the park. That spending supported 9,423 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $938,010,800.

“We also need to extend our gratitude to our in-park business partners and neighbors in the town of Tusayan for providing support to our employees and community. We are a compassionate, connected community and together we showed our strength during the shutdown,” said Incident Commander Matt Vandzura.

Grand Canyon National Park’s employees are ready to return to work and look forward to continue to serve the American people and welcome visitors to their national parks.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees who care
for America’s 417 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve
local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.

Window Rock, Ariz. – The Department for Self Reliance is thrilled to learn that their efforts align with the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President’s inaugural speeches.

On Tuesday, January 15, 2019, Navajo Nation President, Jonathan Nez, and Vice President, Myron Lizer took their oath of office at the 2019 Navajo Nation Inauguration at the Bee Holdzil Fighting Scouts Events Center in Fort Defiance, Arizona.

During President Nez’s inaugural address, he included several statements that align with the DSR’s  service delivery model and core values. He stated, “In the face of this adversity (referring to the Treaty of 1868), our people turned to our teachings and our prayers. Their strength, resiliency, and teachings are the reason we are here today.”

These teachings that President Nez referred to are the foundation of the Department for Self Reliance which is based on the Navajo values and teachings of living life in harmony and balance or, Hozho K’eh Iina. These Navajo values and teachings have been passed down from generation to generation, having helped the Navajo people endure and overcome adversity. Using these values and teachings, the DSR takes on the challenge of turning the curve from the cycle of dependence, by promoting responsibility, decision-making, and self-reliance to the DSR Customer and their family.

President Nez further stated, “If we want change in our communities and throughout our nation, change has to start from within ourselves as individuals, but some of our people need help doing that.”
This statement clearly supports the DSR’s message of T’áá hwó ájíťéego, which is a powerful teaching that promotes living life with a purpose, making conscious decisions, exercising personal discipline and taking responsibility for one’s life. The DSR believes that by promoting T’áá hwó ájít’eego, personal values, self-respect, perseverance, courage, and potential are strengthened.

President Nez continued to say, “We can have a strong economy where everyone has a job and is doing well financially, but if we don’t address the underlying problems that are affecting our people, our families, and within our homes, then those material things won’t mean much in terms of improving the quality of life for our people.”

The DSR could not agree more. Every day, DSR Customers encounter barriers that hinder them from improving their quality of life. The barriers are the need for adult remedial education, resources to address their drug and alcohol addictions, support with domestic issues, and the need for childcare and transportation within their communities.

The DSR supports and encourages each DSR Customer to pursue a standard of living to support their family. Through the application of quality case management, monitoring, and follow-through, each family may define a career plan to obtain employment.

Vice President Lizer centered his address around entrepreneurship approaches for job creation and workforce solutions stating, “I want to help our Diné entrepreneurs who are working hard to create economic opportunities through their own ingenuity, creativity, and dedication.”

The DSR is driven by developing new innovative ideas for workforce development and is heartened to hear that Vice President Lizer can identify with that passion. In fact, the DSR has its own support service section that is dedicated to workforce development and is steadily flourishing and expanding.

The DSR Education and Career Services specializes in recruiting DSR Customers, both adults, and youth, to obtain subsidized employment and gain work experience. The largest subsidized adult employer in partnership with the DSR is Bashas’. Bashas’ is currently providing valuable work experience for DSR Customers for six months at several of their grocer locations throughout the Navajo Nation.

Adult DSR Customers have the opportunity for vocational training. Since 2016, the DSR has placed several of their adult Customers in Emergency Medical Technician, Certified Nurses Assistant, Web Developer, Trucking Commercial Driver’s License, and Heavy Equipment Operator certification programs, where the majority of them are now successfully employed and no longer need the DSR’s services.

First Lady Phefelia Herbert-Nez and Second Lady Dottie Lizer, both emphasized the importance of family when they spoke. The First Lady passionately encouraged Navajo families to show love and compassion for one another to strengthen their family values. Her words support the DSR’s organizational goals three and four, “to promote and strengthen responsible parenting” and “to strengthen healthy family relationships.” The DSR field offices provide training and events at their local offices to promote responsible parenting and healthy family relationships.

Second Lady Dottie Lizer stated, “The issue of domestic violence and violence against women needs to be addressed. By taking a stand, the victims, survivors, their children, families, friends, and communities can heal and our Diné society would have the capability to break the cycle” which supports the DSR’s goal one, “to facilitate the successful nurturing of children in their own homes by promoting healthy home environments and strengthening family values.”

The DSR agrees with Second Lady Lizer, there is a need for more services to address domestic violence and violence against women. By promoting healthy home environments, the DSR is educating and informing Customers to prevent the violence and abuse that damages communities and families.

The DSR looks forward to working with the new administration in the areas of strengthening family values, strengthening responsible parenting, strengthening healthy family relationships, and implementing workforce solutions using the Diné concept of T’áá hwó ájíťéego, self-reliance.

For more information about DSR benefits log on to www.nnpsr.navajo-nsn.gov, email info@nntanf.org, call (866) 347-2403, or visit any one of our eight locations: Farmington, NM; Crownpoint, NM; Gallup, NM; Window Rock, AZ; Greasewood, AZ, Tuba City, AZ, Kayenta, AZ; and Chinle, AZ.

Coconino County District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler’s Office

46 Maple Street
PO BOX 948
Tuba City, AZ 86045
P: 928-283-4518 | F: 928-283-6366 | www.coconino.az.gov

Hours:
Monday – Thursday | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Closed Fridays & Holidays

Questions or comments? Email us at mmorales@coconino.az.gov or call us at 928-283-4518.

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