Navajo Nation President-elect Buu Nygren addresses his followers on social media. When he’s sworn into workplace on Jan. 10, 2023, Nygren would be the youngest Navajo Nation president in historical past. Buu Nygren marketing campaign
Navajo Nation President-elect Buu Nygren speaks to his supporters following his election win on Nov. 8 subsequent to his spouse, Arizona state Rep. Jasmine Blackwater Nygren. Buu Nygren marketing campaign
Navajo Nation President-elect Buu Nygren and his spouse, Arizona state Rep. Jasmine Blackwater Nygren, greet supporters following his election victory on Nov. 8. Buu Nygren marketing campaign
The Bears Ears of the Bears Ears Nationwide Monument are pictured from the air on Monday, Could 8, 2017. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
When he’s sworn in as president of the Navajo Nation this January, Buu Nygren’s administration will make historical past on numerous fronts.
His operating mate, Richelle Montoya, would be the tribe’s first feminine vp. Nygren, who was born in Blanding, would be the first Utah-born president because the tribal authorities was restructured in 1991. He may even be the primary Utah-born chief since legendary Chief Manuelito, who died in 1893 after presiding over the tribe throughout the “Lengthy Stroll.”
And at 35 years previous, Nygren would be the youngest president to ever take the helm of the Navajo Nation.
“As I crisscrossed Navajo Nation and went to conferences and met with management, I used to be at all times the youngest individual within the room, whilst a candidate for president,” he instructed the Deseret Information on Wednesday.
Navajo Nation President-elect Buu Nygren speaks to his supporters following his election win on Nov. 8 subsequent to his spouse, Arizona state Rep. Jasmine Blackwater Nygren.
Buu Nygren marketing campaign
‘Considering for the longer term’
With a background in building administration, Nygren hopes to carry a recent perspective to the workplace. He’s a political newcomer who misplaced to his predecessor, present tribal President Jonathan Nez, in a bid to be Joe Shirley Jr.’s vp in 2018.
The son of a Vietnamese father and Navajo mom, Nygren was raised by his mom and grandmother exterior of Blanding and attended Crimson Mesa Excessive Faculty in Arizona. He married Arizona state Rep. Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren and settled in Crimson Mesa, the place the 2 stay with their toddler daughter.
His marketing campaign centered round a promise to work intently with the Navajo Nation council, which is typically thought to yield extra energy than the tribal president’s workplace, and a robust anti-poverty platform, pledging to enhance entry to broadband, electrical energy and operating water.
“Should you grew up the way in which I grew up, with no operating water, no electrical energy, I misplaced my mother to alcoholism, I've family that we misplaced to alcoholism this 12 months — there’s this lack of hope, lack of id and I really feel all this unhappiness round me. And as president, I wish to do what I can to guarantee that our folks have hope, that we’re not at all times going to be like this,” he stated Wednesday in a Zoom interview.
Nygren will take the helm of the biggest tribal nation within the nation at over 17 million acres and greater than 330,000 members, a inhabitants rivaled solely by the Cherokee Nation. But the reservation is house to lower than 170,000 Navajo folks.
Nygren, whose marketing campaign slogan was “Yideeską́ądi Nitsáhákees,” or “Considering for the longer term” in Navajo, says a high precedence is stopping the exodus of Navajo youth who depart the reservation after highschool, and by no means return.
“A number of the most gifted Navajo individuals are exterior of Navajo (Nation),” he stated.
“And yearly we ship our brightest and smartest group of individuals from highschool to go get an schooling and make one thing of themselves, however we don’t have pathways to carry them house and assist help us. ... I’m going to work on attempting to construct these pathways and produce our skilled folks house, then on the identical time assist our those who stay right here with their fundamental requirements.”
Nygren, who spent years within the non-public sector, hopes to steer by instance.
“Coming from a very nice, govt job, and having that observe file, I may have simply simply continued to stay my life and never fear about Navajo, as a result of throughout the Navajo Nation, the wages aren't good,” he stated. “... That’s the place as president, I carry a singular perspective.”
Navajo Nation President-elect Buu Nygren and his spouse, Arizona state Rep. Jasmine Blackwater Nygren, greet supporters following his election victory on Nov. 8.
Buu Nygren marketing campaign
Making life ‘handy’
The “primary” method to make life on the reservation extra interesting to younger folks, Nygren says, is to spend money on requirements like web, operating water and electrical energy.
At the least 30% of Navajo residents lack entry to operating water, and about 14% don’t have electrical energy, in accordance with Navajo Nation reviews. Simply 40% of Navajo households are on-line, in accordance with an NPR report.
“We’ve obtained to make it handy for folks to stay right here. Particularly in the event that they’re so used to dwelling within the metropolis and so they’re attempting to return house, now they should haul water?” he stated.
That’s a well-known sentiment for a lot of Navajo residents, no less than on the Utah and Arizona aspect.
“I believe they'd have stayed if that they had operating water and electrical energy,” stated Fred Castillo, speaking about her siblings and cousins who left their household’s house on the reservation in Dennehotso, about 10 miles from the Utah-Arizona border. “I’m simply hoping that the brand new president thinks about us, and doesn’t overlook about us, particularly out right here within the nation.”
“I hope one thing adjustments, particularly with how we’re going to get extra water,” stated Melcita Stanley, who lives close to Monument Valley. “There’s loads of completely different decisions for the federal government to make. And somebody will begin it, however nobody finishes it with new presidents coming in.”
One of many first steps Nygren hopes to take is create a “one constructing surroundings” for the varied departments and authorities that play a job in bringing utilities to residents.
“That method we will actually determine what the hiccup is — is it us, the Navajo Nation authorities? Or is it the U.S. authorities that’s holding us again?” he stated.
The Bears Ears of the Bears Ears Nationwide Monument are pictured from the air on Monday, Could 8, 2017.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
The Bears Ears debate
The northwest border of the Navajo Nation backs as much as Bears Ears Nationwide Monument, an space of huge cultural significance for tribes within the 4 Corners space and the topic of a present lawsuit from Utah, which alleges President Joe Biden abused the Antiquities Act when he reestablished the monument’s borders after former President Donald Trump diminished them.
Nygren hopes to see a extra everlasting answer, one thing “that stands the take a look at of time,” he stated. However above all else, he thinks the Navajo Nation must be concerned within the planning, and may see the financial advantages from the monument’s designation.
“You bought tourism, you bought all these services, and my No. 1 query is how a lot of that's coming again to tribes?” he requested. “... Out of each greenback that’s going to be generated from these efforts, how a lot goes to folks?”
In the case of Utah’s lawsuit, Nygren isn’t essentially against its deserves. He agrees, like most of Utah’s leaders, that some everlasting protections are wanted. However he stated earlier than he takes a public stance on the swimsuit, he needs to fulfill with either side.
“I’ve heard execs and cons from local people members. So I positively wish to guarantee that, on the finish of the day, if there may be financial advantages to anyone, Navajo ought to have a bit of it,” he stated.