The United States has historically oppressed many minority groups. But this has not stopped these individuals from making history. Recently, another major accomplishment has occurred. Jonathan Nez, former president of the Navajo Nation, is running as a Democrat for a congressional seat in Arizona. This is a monumental moment; his victory would make him the first Native American to serve in the House of Representatives.
Nez’s upbringing sets him apart from other candidates. In an interview done by the Arizona central, Nez stated grew up in a low-income household with no electricity or running water. The struggles that he faced at an early age sensitized him to the daily struggles of poverty stricken citizens of the U.S., motivating him to create change. Nez believes that he can change situations like these as an Arizona Representative.
As the president of the Navajo Nation, Nez was able to elevate his nation’s status within the state of Arizona. In an interview by Sandia News, Nez says that he worked through the pandemic, fighting many issues that his community was facing such as limiting the spread of covid and helping fund financially impacted communities. A lot of the representatives in the Navajo Nation government were not putting in work, but because of Nez’s effort, they were able to help the Navajo Nation become one of the largest federally recognized tribes in the US. Nez’s plan was to continue his presidency, but he lost in the re-election. Still motivated to create change, he decided to run as a representative for the state of Arizona. The other two candidates who are running against Nez are Lindsay Bowe (Democrat) and David Bies (Libertarian).
This is a huge breakthrough in American history that not many people know about. Hopefully, a Native American serving in the House of Arizona will bring more attention and focus to the government so more voices can be heard in the US government.
With Nez running for the House in Arizona, new perspectives and ideas can be offered in the US government, creating a more diverse government. Not only is this a breakthrough for the Navajo Nation, but this is a massive breakthrough for the US as a whole.