‘American Diagnosis’: ‘Water Warriors’ Tap Diné Resilience to Increase Access on Navajo Land

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Episode 6: Proper to Drinking water

In 2020, all through the to start with wave of the coronavirus pandemic, Zoel Zohnnie was feeling restless. Growing up on the Navajo Country, he stated, the great importance of caring for spouse and children and neighborhood was instilled at an early age. So Zohnnie desired to uncover a way to assist customers of his tribe. One need to have in particular stood out: h2o.

American Indian and Alaska Indigenous households are 3.7 times as most likely to deficiency comprehensive plumbing as households whose associates do not discover as Indigenous or Black, in accordance to a 2019 mapping report on plumbing poverty in the United States. 

“Climate change and too much water use is exacerbating these struggles,” discussed George McGraw, CEO of DigDeep. “Much of the western United States has been in serious drought for decades. Numerous rivers and wells on or around the Navajo land have dried up. As groundwater recedes, individuals are pressured to find drinking water from unsafe sources.”

To reply that will need, Zohnnie began hauling drinking water to men and women who ended up without having, and he established H2o Warriors United. In this episode, listeners occur alongside for the ride as he ― and his truck ― make a single herculean trek throughout snow-protected roadways in New Mexico.  

Episode 6 is an exploration of the root triggers behind the Navajo Nation’s h2o accessibility challenges and a story about the h2o legal rights that some communities have successfully missing.

Voices from the episode:

  • Dr. Ernestine Chaco, crisis drugs medical professional and attorney Twitter
  • Brianna Johnson, community well being representative with the Naschitti Chapter, Navajo Nation
  • George McGraw, CEO of DigDeep LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter
  • Jeanette Wolfley, assistant professor of regulation at the College of New Mexico — LinkedIn
  • Zoel Zohnnie, founder of Collective Medicine and actor TikTok

Season 4 of “American Diagnosis” is a co-production of KHN and Just Human Productions.

Our Editorial Advisory Board includes Jourdan Bennett-BegayeAlastair Bitsóí, and Bryan Pollard.

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KHN (Kaiser Wellbeing Information) is a nationwide newsroom that generates in-depth journalism about wellbeing troubles. With each other with Plan Analysis and Polling, KHN is one particular of the 3 key operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Loved ones Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit business giving information and facts on wellness troubles to the country.

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