Democracy is Indigenous and we will vote to save our democracy
White Mountain Apache matriarch meets Sen. Mark Kelly at GOTV event in Whiteriver, AZ. (Oct. 2022) by Lydia Dosela
“In the long run, I think we are on our way back at the same time the rest of American society is going down. Almost any book you read today on the social movements analyzes the total disintegration of American society. So I look for American Indians to be the winners in the long run. We must recognize it is a long-distance run, and we’ve got to keep at it.” - Vine Deloria, Jr. (1972)
We are power
To say Indigenous communities are resilient is an understatement. We are power. We are from these lands, from this earth, with a 10,000 year history. We have overcome so much in the past 530 years that was meant to eliminate, terminate, and take away from us. We are older than the United States and we'll be here long after. We are power. We matter and our voices matter. Our vote matters.
In those five centuries, it’s the United States that can’t get it right. Horrible policies have defined eras of governing: Genocide, Conquest, Removal, Reservation Era, Boarding schools and assimilation, Stolen lands, and treaty termination, and yet, finally, after demands from Native activists in politics, the policy of sovereignty and self-determination. That last policy came about because our voices were heard.
Excerpt from The New Yorker
Lydia Dosela’s, White Mountain Apache Tribe, interview in the New Yorker Magazine (Nov. 2022)
With each era we had fighters, dissenters, intellects, politicians, activists, and storytellers who were all critical. They are our grandmothers, grandfathers, and generations of family who came before and didn’t let up because they were fighting for us. For our power and voice. With each decade, each century, they carried on. Now it’s our turn, this is our time, our era, to beat back white supremacy, racism, and hate. It’s our time to stand up for what is right and to fight for our sovereignty and democracy.
As former President Obama said in Arizona, “tuning out is not an option. Moping, and sulking is not an option, the way to make this economy fairer is if we, all of us, together, fight for it. The only way to preserve our democracy is if we together nurture and invest in it. That starts with electing people who know you, who see you, who care about you, who know what you are going through…”
We keep building & Investing
In 2018, for the first time two Native American women (Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland) were elected to Congress.
In 2019, Minnesota elected the first Native American women (Peggy Flanagan) as Lt. Governor
In 2020, Indigenous communities in Arizona had record-breaking turnout and elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and send Mark Kelly to the United States Senate
In 2022, the first Alaska Native (Mary Peltola) was elected to Congress
Across the country, time and again, people could see our votes and we are going to build on whatever happens Tuesday. We have work yet to do.
They may not have known it was us or could not even appropriately identify us. One media outlet in 2020 called us ‘something else’. Today another media outlet called us ‘Indigenous creatures’. Some reporters will even continue to fall back into harmful poverty porn narratives and we’ll continue to prove them wrong and make our voices heard. We’ll overcome barriers, beat back misinformation, and prove them wrong. This starts with our vote.
GOTV rally in Whiteriver, AZ.
We survived the hundreds of years of detrimental U.S. federal policies, four years of the Trump administration, another global pandemic, and we are still here.
In the final hours before the votes are counted we will be talking with elders and young people. We’ll remind them of their power and help them make sure their vote counts.
The Arizona GOP can try to eliminate the Native vote, or reduce the Native votes, but we will keep showing up to fight voter suppression.
We have incredible organizers on our team that have been working since our last election in 2020 to inform communities about redistricting, register voters, assist community members with mutual aid, and lead grassroots organizing efforts on and off tribal lands. This form of year round investment is critical and is why we started the Northeast Arizona Native Democrats. We know the barriers and gaps and we're here to do what we can to help our communities overcome them.
Native youth Kbah meets Kris Mayes, candidate for AZ Attorney General at tribal parade.
Now that the election is here … a couple of reminders about where we have been.
Native youth Kbah meets Kris Mayes, candidate for AZ Attorney General at tribal parade.
Between the 2018 primary and the 2022 primary, Democrats in Navajo and Apache County had a 9% turnout increase, thanks to the work of our team and others. Often, we are the only team on the ground engaging voters and showing them how their vote matters.
For us, it goes back to the people, our team and the community. Every time we have a team call and something amazing happens, like Lydia Dosela recruits over 50 people, or that Casey Lee drove an hour to drop off signs and pick up supplies, Deydrek Scott knocked 100 doors, or Jenny Eis and her team of phone bankers made over 2,478 dials and of those canvassed, 95% said they already voted. — These little miracles and positive moments that happen, this is what keeps us fueled, hopeful, and motivated.
Sherilyn, Missa, and Leila ready to canvass.
“Everyone on our team brings with them whatever skills and talents they used before politics. And we put all those skills and talents together to really increase voter turnout. In 2020, we did this by three to five percentage points more than other communities across the state. I think that’s because we’re year-round, because we’re talking to women to get their families together. Because our team knows their communities.” - Missa Foy, Chair and Field Director, Navajo County Democrats - Northeast Arizona Native Democrats
We have to do it again.
Lorraine displays the postcard she received from our volunteers.
It’s really important to have local organizers to build high quality relationships and to organize year round.
This is the moment to make a difference so that we can turn out every possible voter. Thank you for helping us in our important mission. Let’s win this! Get out and vote!
Invest in us today! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/navajoconativeorganizing
Support our Family Vote Matriarchs
Checks may also be mailed to: Navajo County Democrats PO Box 144, Lakeside, AZ 85929
Ahéhee/Thank you
Jaynie Parrish, Navajo Nation
Executive Director, Navajo County Democrats - Northeast Arizona Native Democrats
