“Skoden vote!”
Anyone who’s driven around Window Rock and surrounding communities has seen these signs popping up more frequently as of late. The 2024 Presidential Election is just days away, on Nov. 5. Republican Candidate Donald Trump and Democrat Candidate Kamala Harris are making their final critical pushes in the waning days, as are their running mates.
Vice President candidate Tim Walz traveled to Arizona on Oct. 26 to speak at a rally in Phoenix, but he made a stop closer to home for the Sun first: the Navajo Nation.
MARCHING FORWARD
Walz arrived after 1 pm at the Gallup Municipal Airport for a brief press event with city officials. Then, the candidate’s motorcade traveled toward Window Rock for a rally in the Navajo Nation capital.
Before Walz took the stage, the enthusiastic crowd heard numerous speakers share their support for the Harris-Walz campaign. These speakers spoke about the significance of this election and why they were there to support the Democratic candidates.
The event carried a sullen air at times due to the passing of Navajo Code Talker John Kinsel Sr., which happened just days prior on Oct. 19. But his death resonated with the discussion of respect for the nation’s veterans and Indigenous peoples from multiple speakers, including Congressional Candidate and former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez.
“I speak today to honor our warriors and our Code Talkers,” Nez said in his address to the crowd. Our veterans and their families, we thank you for your service. […] Today, we honor their sacrifices by actively participating in the democratic processes.”
Nez told the crowd that they possess a powerful tool: their vote.
“As Native Americans, our voices have long been marginalized, but now is the time for us to reclaim our power and make our presence felt,” he said. “Voting is not just a right; it is a responsibility we carry forward in [our veterans’] memory.”
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland followed Nez and spoke about the Democratic Party’s slogan for this election: “We’re Not Going Back.”
“On Nov. 5, we have the power to decide between a new way forward for America or the same old tired playbook of a former president,” Haaland said. “[We can choose] between our Vice President Kamala Harris and Minn. Gov. Tim Walz, both laser-focused on the future, or Donald Trump, who wants to drag us back to the past,” she said.
Haaland emphasized the Democrat candidates’ middle-class backgrounds as a point that many people in the crowd in Window Rock could understand.
“I will fight for Kamala Harris because she understands that story too. She has always fought for the middle class, for families like mine, and families like yours, because she knows what it means to be middle class. Throughout her career in public service, her only client ever has been the people,” Haaland said.
BUILDING SUPPORTIVE RELATIONS
Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren spoke about the significance of Diné history, culture, and tribal sovereignty when he took the stage. He stated that the Navajo Nation will support candidates who will support them back by preserving these important foundations.
“As Navajos, we have survived the Long Walk of the 1860s, our veterans turned the tide in World Wars,” Nygren said. “Navajos have lived through forced relocation. We continue to speak our Navajo language, and we are still here. We cherish and practice our culture, we continue to instill our ancient teachings in our children. We hold the rainbow of our sovereignty in the highest regard.”
Nygren also mentioned the official apology given by U.S. President Joe Biden to Native American tribes for the tragic history of Indigenous boarding schools as well as Walz’s commitment towards Indigenous tribes within his state.
“President Joe Biden’s apology to Native nations is an important step toward healing, toward being heard, toward our pains being acknowledge, and toward the first Americans being prioritized, “Nygren said. “... Governor Walz was the first governor to visit all 11 nations in Minnesota. In 2021, [he] signed a bill codifying government-to-government relations with tribal consultation into law.”
Next to speak was Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who also highlighted the support from the Democratic candidates in the past and the future.
“Governor Walz could be anywhere in the country,” Kelly said. “But he’s here in Window Rock, because he and Kamala Harris care about you. They care about this community, and they care about the unique challenges that you all face. They care about earning your vote so they can partner with you to solve these challenges.”
One of the points that multiple speakers brought up was the reported playbook that Trump plans to use if he is elected, called Project 2025. Kelly also mentioned the former president’s disparaging quotes about veterans, which spurred numerous reactions from the crowd.
“His Project 2025 will threaten tribal and public lands and roll back environmental protections,” Kelly said. “How do we keep that from happening? It’s all about who works harder.”
Kelly wrapped up his statement by encouraging people to vote.
“The first order of business, make a plan to vote! Once you got it figured out, I want you to help your friends and family members to vote as well,” he said. “At this point, this is the entire election. The difference could be here on the Navajo Nation.”
WALZ TAKES THE STAGE
Once the music blared to signal the arrival of Walz, the crowd’s enthusiasm reached its peak. He began his speech by voicing his appreciation to the Navajo Nation for welcoming him on their land.
“I understand it is a privilege to be standing here on Navajo land and I am grateful that you would see fit to bring me here and I try and ask and earn your vote,” Walz said.
Just as all the preceding speakers voiced their support for Walz, he returned their support by urging the crowd to vote for Nez for Congress. He then thanked Nygren, Haaland, and Kelly for their accomplishments, and all the Navajo veterans in attendance and throughout history for their service to their country.
“You could be anywhere, you could be doing anything else, but you chose to come here because you understand that democracy matters,” Walz said. “Your love of the Navajo Nation and of the United States is strong, and your presence here is proof of that. We’re here because we’re not taking any vote for granted.”
The governor’s methods for this election are simple: they’re running like everything’s on the line because everything is on the line. He spoke about coming to the Navajo Nation to earn the Navajo vote because this visit shows how committed they are to serving the nation.
“I’m proud to be on this ticket with Kamala Harris because it’s pretty simple,” he said. “She has had one client, one focus her entire career: the people. When people came to ask her for help, she simply said ‘How can I help?’”
The crowd was receptive to Walz’s message about supporting and working with tribal nations in Minnesota and the rest of the country. Frequent cheers and enthusiastic whoops punctuated nearly his entire speech.
“I’ve been fortunate to work closely with our 11 sovereign tribal communities,” Walz said. “We run as a ticket in Minnesota. My partner in this work, Lt. Governor Peggy Flangan, is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe. She will become this nation’s first ever Native woman governor of a state when we win this race,” Walz said. “... Kamala and I recognize that a new way forward is not just what Indian Country needs, but the rest of the country needs.”
Walz then listed several key issues that Native nations face with higher disparity: the rate at which women go missing or are killed, the challenges with raising a newborn child, and healthcare, including the price of insulin.
He also reiterated that the one reason that millions of Americans still have access to healthcare following the attempted repeal of the Affordable Care Act by Trump was because former Arizona Sen. John McCain did not support the motion.
Other dismissive acts by the former president were also brought up.
“Time and time again, Donald Trump had to do what was right for Indian Country, and he chose the opposite,” Walz said. “He had a chance to show you [he cared]. Instead, he excluded tribal businesses from receiving pandemic emergency relief. He tried to remove most of Bears Ears National Monument. He made it harder for tribes to reclaim ancestral lands, and he even tried to derecognize tribes.”
WHEN WE VOTE…
As Walz’s time wound down in Window Rock, he spent his last words urging the crowd to make sure that they vote and get their family and other community members to vote as well.
“If everyone one of us here goes and gets our family and gets them out to vote, we can tell them [the election] matters,” Walz said. “It matters who’s in the White House. It matters who cares about sovereignty. It matters who cares about our children.”
Then, to close out his speech, Walz shared the words often stated by Harris, except with one word switched to fit the tone on Election Day.
“When we vote, we win. Let’s go win this thing!”
Multiple speakers urged the crowd to visit https://iwillvote.com/ to determine their nearest polling location and other important details ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
By Cody Begaye
Contributing Editor
