Traveling to a Land of Majestic Boulders: Service Trip to Navajo Reservation

This past winter break, I had the honor of participating in a student-led service trip which broadened my worldview unimaginably. I can’t say I am a totally changed person inside and out, but what I do know is that this experience has awoken the sleeping activist and humanitarian giant within me to question, analyze,  and reverse injustices in the local and global community to the best of my ability.

We were about 40 students who participated in this trip with an organization called Project Pueblo. The organization was founded by some students who did not understand why their fellow classmates spent thousands of dollars on travel expenses to volunteering in Africa or Asia, bypassing the fact that the United States itself has pockets of extreme poverty that can be eradicated. Of course, these countries don’t compare when it comes to overall economic well-being, but human suffering is human suffering no matter the country in which one is located. (Despite this disagreement in service philosophy, all those who seek to serve others with the right intention should be respected.) Project Pueblo works locally at a Navajo Native American Reservation located near Tuba City, Arizona.

Native Americans still remember the centuries’ worth of U.S. government policies which forced them to leave their homes and revoke their culture. Until today, harsh policies still dictate the day-to-day lives of many Native Americans. The reservation near Tuba City in particular is home to some of the finest natural resources in the country. One such resource, uranium, was mined heavily until it began to sink into the groundwater. Thus, today, many Navajo face the choice of drinking contaminated water which may cause cancer and other diseases, paying for expensive bottled water, or otherwise dying of thirst. As if this lack of basic needs was not enough, in 1966 the U.S. government also enacted an unjust policy known as the Bennett Freeze which dictated that no tribe could ever build upon the land nor could Navajo Indians make any improvements to their current homes. This policy was implemented because of a supposed land dispute between the Hopi and Navajo, which most scholars and Navajo say was invented. They believe this strategy resonates with the “divide and conquer” mentality many powerful governments utilize to pursue their own interests. This left many of the Navajo in unsafe living conditions, exacerbating their poverty, on top of their  limited access to water.  Thankfully, President Obama lifted the Bennett Freeze in 2009, so now people may begin reconstruction and community building.

After all these years of harsh policies which continue until today (e.g. Remember when Native American children were forced into boarding schools, stripped of their language and traditions?), it is not surprising that many individuals leave the reservation in search of better jobs and living conditions. People have faced enough historical trauma; no individual or community deserves such treatment. Just imagine living in a place that didn’t allow you or your family to grow — rather, imagine if the opposite were true in that the physical environment actually brought you down in morale and well-being? That’s how parts of the reservation can be…without clean water or electricity.

During our trip, however, we met some of the most resilient individuals imaginable. Despite their depressing living conditions, they maintained hope and a reverence for their traditions. Several of the local Navajo men and women embodied the philosophy: ‘Enough is enough.’ They banded together to create “Forgotten People,” a grassroots non-profit organization that advocates for the human rights of the Navajo people. This group hosted us and led us during our trip every step of the way, which was humbling and empowering. They expressed to us their sentiment that not only had the U.S. government forgotten their basic rights but also that their local government, the Navajo Nation, engaged in much corrupt behavior. One example of this internal corruption stood out when President Obama repealed the Bennett Freeze. The President also offered aid so the Navajo could build their homes. The Navajo Nation, however, redirected these funds to build a casino! This clearly angered many of the locals. These actions solidified their collective will to stand up against injustice, whomever the perpetrator.

I was personally motivated to attend this service trip after writing a paper for a Public Policy class on the topic of uranium contamination in Navajo water. I interviewed the founder of the organization, a Cal alumnus named Sean Wycliffe, and he encouraged me to attend a service trip if time permitted. I knew it was something I wanted to participate in during my undergraduate years and, Alhamdulillah, I finally had the chance.  On January 1st, we drove from California to Arizona with a relaxed state of mind, an anticipating heart, and nervous activist veins. Around 20 of us went to Tuba City, AZ and local areas to volunteer for a week and around 20 stayed in Black Mesa, AZ. The trip was nothing short of amazing and something I recommend to every single individual who has a chance. Really, it epitomized to me how going out of one’s comfort zone can truly bring the best out of one’s character. It strengthened my belief in the unquestionable unity of humanity.

To learn more about Project Pueblo or to volunteer, please see: www.projectpueblo.org
There is a service trip coming up during Spring Break (March 25-March 31) so sign up if you’re interested!

In the next post of this series, I will share my reflections on this trip as a Muslimah, a woman, and as a human being.

To be continued

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