Hobbs talks tribal commitments in historic speech to Navajo Nation Council

Katie Hobbs made historical past on Monday,
changing into the primary sitting Arizona governor to handle the Navajo Nation
Council, congratulating the council on its 100 years as a governing
physique and discussing her workplace’s dedication to Arizona’s tribal nations.

Navajo Nation Council Speaker
Crystalyne Curley welcomed Hobbs on the primary day of the council’s
summer season session to acknowledge the historic a centesimal anniversary. 

“On this historic day, Governor Katie
Hobbs honored the Council by attending the summer season session and interesting
with our leaders on points that affect the lives of our individuals,” Curley
stated, including that Hobbs’ go to provides tribal leaders hope for future
partnerships and assist on important points for the Navajo Nation.

Hobbs, herself a former state
legislator, stated she has visited with Navajo tribal leaders individually
however has by no means gotten to handle the Navajo Nation Council in Window
Rock earlier than. As a part of her speech, she reiterated her dedication to
tribal nations throughout Arizona and highlighted the work her workplace has
completed since January.

“I’ve made it a precedence to have interaction
with Indigenous communities as a result of, for too lengthy, you might have been left
with out a seat on the desk,” Hobbs stated, and the one option to construct an
Arizona for everybody is by “creating significant partnerships with the
First Peoples of this land, and dealing collectively on the problems that
matter to tribes and Arizona as an entire.”

Hobbs stated that her workplace has
related with Indigenous communities throughout Arizona as a result of she tripled
the workers within the governor’s tribal relations workplace and developed a
Northern Arizona assist crew to serve constituents, tribes, and native
companies. 

“We’re able to roll up our sleeves
and accomplice with you to sort out the powerful challenges we’re going through
collectively,” Hobbs stated. “That begins with working to proper a improper that
has deeply affected tribes and tribal households throughout the state.”

Throughout the session, Navajo Nation
Council delegates mentioned public security, first responder substations,
cross-commissioning of Arizona cops, college security, water
rights in Arizona, emergency response help for pure disasters,
remediation of deserted uranium mines, broadband enlargement for
schooling and voting rights.

“We’d like the state to return to the
desk to accomplice with the Navajo Nation to assist assist initiatives that
will enhance communities,” Curley stated. “Right now, Governor Hobbs advised us
that she’ll proceed to work immediately with the Navajo Nation and different
tribal nations to deliver progress to the problems we introduced.”

Hobbs highlighted her administration’s work to close down fraudulent rehabilitation properties concentrating on Indigenous individuals.

“We’re dedicated to rooting out these unhealthy actors and defending indigenous individuals from this disaster,” Hobbs stated. In Might, Hobbs introduced the closure of 1,000 fraudulent rehabilitation properties and partnered with the Navajo Nation to offer extra sources and collaboration by Operation Rainbow Bridge.

Hobbs additionally spoke in regards to the Lacking
and Murdered Indigenous Folks disaster, which has gone unaddressed and
ignored for years, inaction that spurred her crew to seek the advice of with
Indigenous neighborhood leaders to ascertain a Lacking and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Activity Power as a approach to make sure that motion is taken.

One other key problem Hobbs addressed was defending pure sources all through Arizona, together with water entry.

“Nobody is aware of the significance of this
valuable useful resource higher than the First Peoples of this land,” Hobbs
stated. “I imagine in accountable water administration for our state.”

Hobbs stated that’s the reason she created
the Water Coverage Council, which incorporates tribal voices on the desk to
assist develop coverage options for the state.

“I acknowledge that Indigenous peoples are stewards of our pure sources,” she added. 

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Casey
Allen Johnson requested Hobbs how she meant to assist the tribes on the
water rights adjudication with Arizona.

“Water is life, and we’d like water on the Navajo Nation,” Johnson stated. 

Johnson shared with Hobbs how a
household dwelling within the Coal Mine space on the Navajo Nation is capped at
500 gallons per week, which incorporates water for residence and private use and
tending to their livestock. 

“That may be a household of seven, they usually
can solely flush their rest room twice a day,” Johnson stated. “We actually want
assist with water infrastructure. We’d like assist with our rights to our
water.”

On common, Arizona residents who don’t reside on tribal land use about 146 gallons per day, in line with the Arizona Division of Water Sources. That equals 1,022 gallons per week.

Hobbs stated she is dedicated to re-engaging with the Navajo Nation on their water rights and the continuing settlement dialogue. 

“I do know that they’ve been stalled
for a while,” Hobbs stated, including that she’s dedicated to partaking from
the state degree with the Navajo Nation.

Navajo Nation Council Delegate Shawna
Ann Claw requested how the Governor’s Workplace plans to assist veteran’s
packages and the way they will help guarantee sources are deployed to
communities experiencing pure disasters.

Hobbs stated that her workplace makes an
effort to incorporate tribal voices at each degree of presidency, this
consists of the Arizona Veterans Affairs Division.

Hobbs stated she understands that
Indigenous individuals serve at a better charge than some other inhabitants,
which is why Arizona desires to guarantee that the providers Indigenous
veterans are entitled to are granted. 

“We’re engaged on enhancing the tribal liaison positions at each state company to guarantee that’s taking place,” Hobbs stated. 

When it comes to pure disasters, Hobbs
stated that the state will have the ability to present assist the place they’re in a position
to and the Navajo Nation ought to attain out when wanted.