Walk planned to remember victims of racial hatred

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

GALLUP — In an effort to shed light on racial violence within border towns, tribal leaders and community members will be marching through the streets of Farmington Saturday morning.

"The walk is primarily to commemorate the people that we've lost due to racial hatred," said Duane "Chili" Yazzie, Shiprock Chapter House president and one of about a dozen organizers of the march. "(It's) to commemorate the injuries and the hurt that our people have suffered as a result of racial intolerance."

With the recent fatal shooting of 21-year old Clint John and the beating of 46-year old William Blackie, Navajo Nation officials and community members began questioning just how prevalent racial hatred still is within border towns.

After several official and unofficial meetings conducted by numerous communities and leaders throughout the Nation, Yazzie said recommendations, as well as what he considers directives from elders, were given to organize an event that would begin to address the issue.

"We've got to do something, we got to show that we are concerned and we will not tolerate this type of abuse of our people," said Yazzie, recalling what many elders said.

The incidents caused a stir within the Navajo Nation tribal council chambers where there was conversation about boycotting border towns, where many Native American families spend a majority of their paychecks.

Yazzie said that family members of victims also wanted something to be done.

"People are of a collective mind that something proactive needs to happen," said Yazzie. "In some cases, we have families speculating (missing) loved ones may have fallen victim to this racial violence."

To Yazzie and other organizers, a march is synonymous to protest, which is what they do not want the event to encompass and why they chose to title the event a walk.

"We do not want protest signs," said Yazzie. "We don't expect that there will be protest signs."

Organizers are estimating that between 500 to 1,500 people will turn out and have been encouraging participants to bring poster-sized pictures of family members who were victims of racial violence to be carried throughout the march. Yazzie said that the family of Clint John will be participating in the event.

While the march is being organized primarily by Native Americans, it is open to anyone who has suffered or suffers from discrimination pertaining to race, culture, class, gender, nationality, or other differences.

Several leaders have confirmed that they will be in attendance at the event including President Joe Shirley, Jr., Navajo Nation presidential candidate Lynda Lovejoy, Navajo Nation Speak of the House Lawrence Morgan, Hopi chairman Ivan Sydney. Organizers have also received tentative confirmation from the Ute Mountain Ute, Southern Ute, and Jicarilla tribe that they will also be present.

Though recent incidents have sparked bad memories of racial tensions from previous years, Yazzie believes that the racial intolerance (in Farmington) is not at the level that it was in the 60s and 70s.

"I feel confident to say that the city's fathers have made some good, deliberate efforts to address the problems and to address the cause of it," said Yazzie, referring to the city of Farmington.

Yazzie believes that education is an integral part of eliminating racial violence in border towns, and that a deliberate program aimed at educating communities of the differences of culture will create a greater understanding between people.

"The element of the community that harbors this type of racial feelings is a very small minority," said Yazzie. "(The organizers) contend that they are probably some of the ... newer arrivals to the area."

"We'd like to think that people who have lived in the Farmington area for many years already have a good awareness of who the Navajo people are."

Organizers said that the march will not only be to address racial violence just in Farmington, but in all border towns. They also are contemplating turning the march into an annual event, and organizing it in different border towns each year, such as Gallup, Flagstaff, Winslow, and Page.

Organizers have been meeting with the city of Farmington for help with route plans and traffic control during the march.

"The city has been very accommodating," said Yazzie. "They are being very attentive to what we feel our needs are in terms of having a successful activity."

The 1.25 mile memorial walk begins at 9 a.m. in Farmington at the intersection of U.S. 64 and Kerney Street, and is expected by organizers to end around noon. There will also be a 6 a.m. memorial run and a motorcycle run from Shiprock to Farmington. For more information, e-mail memorialwalk2006@yahoo.com