Ramah Chapter
I grew up in the Ramah Navajo community in western New Mexico. Many people don’t realize there are three Navajo bands outside of the main Navajo Nation reservation, Ramah Navajo, Alamo Navajo, and To’hajiilee. We’re still Navajo, but our communities have their own history and identity.
Looking back, I know I had a different experience than a lot of kids growing up in my community. Both of my parents valued education and earned their master’s degrees, so I was raised in a home where learning was important. We weren’t rich, and I remember when I was little we didn’t have things like running water or electricity, but my parents worked hard and made sure we had what we needed. It wasn’t until I came back home and worked in the community that I truly realized how many families were facing challenges that I had never experienced myself.
I was raised in a traditional Navajo home by parents, grandparents, and relatives who taught me our way of life. Some of my best memories are of herding sheep, shearing sheep, chopping wood, and taking part in ceremonies. Those experiences taught me responsibility, respect, and the importance of family. Like many people, I’ve drifted away from those teachings at different times in my life, but they’ve always brought me back. Those values continue to guide me today.
After high school, I attended SIPI in Albuquerque and earned my associate degree before transferring to Haskell Indian Nations University. Football gave me the opportunity to continue my education, and I eventually earned my bachelor’s degree in American Indian Studies. College wasn’t easy. I had barely graduated from high school and quickly realized how much I needed to catch up academically. I had to take developmental classes and work harder than I ever had before. Looking back, that experience taught me that success isn’t about where you start. It’s about whether you’re willing to keep moving forward.
After college, I returned home and worked at the wellness center in Pine Hill. That’s when I began seeing my community from a different perspective. I wasn’t just someone who grew up there anymore, I was someone trying to help.
One of the biggest challenges I saw was the lack of opportunity. Jobs are limited, and the nearest towns with employment are about an hour away. For many families, transportation, childcare, and even gas money become barriers before they ever have a chance to build a better future. When those challenges continue for generations, it’s easy to understand why people can feel stuck.
Working with young people changed the way I looked at things. I spent a lot of time encouraging students to think about life after high school. I told them they didn’t have to follow just one path. College is one option, but so are skilled trades, healthcare, or any career that gives them the opportunity to build the life they want.
Sometimes the hardest part wasn’t helping them find opportunities. It was helping them believe those opportunities were possible.
Many students were afraid to leave home. Others believed they couldn’t afford college or that they weren’t capable of succeeding. I understood those fears because I had my own struggles in school. I always tried to remind them that where you begin doesn’t have to determine where you end up.
I also realized that supporting youth means supporting families. Many children I met were being raised by grandparents, older siblings, or a single parent. Parents often worked long hours or struggled just to provide the basics. During the summer, we tried to create activities that gave kids a safe place to spend their time. Sometimes they simply needed somewhere they could have fun, eat a meal, and feel like someone cared about them.
Over the years, I’ve also seen how mental health continues to affect our communities. Too many people avoid asking for help because they’re afraid of being judged. On the reservation, everyone knows everyone. People worry about what others might say if they walk into a clinic or ask for counseling. That stigma keeps many people from getting the support they need.
I always encouraged people to take care of themselves, whether it was managing diabetes, checking their blood sugar, or talking to someone when life became overwhelming. Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s one of the strongest things a person can do.
Today’s generation faces challenges that my generation didn’t. Social media constantly shows young people lives that seem perfect, making it easy to compare themselves to people they’ve never met. I think that creates a different kind of pressure than we experienced growing up. More than ever, young people need positive role models who remind them that their value isn’t measured by what they own or what they see online.
Being raised in a traditional Navajo home gave me a strong sense of who I am. My grandparents taught me our way of life through everyday experiences, and those lessons have stayed with me. Over the years, I’ve seen disagreements between people who follow the traditional way and those who attend different churches. Sometimes those differences create division within the community and even within families. I don’t believe it has to be that way. I respect everyone’s beliefs, and I hope we can continue finding ways to support one another while making sure our traditional teachings are passed on to the next generation.
Today, my daughter carries both parts of her family’s traditions. Watching her continue her education and begin graduate school has been one of the proudest moments of my life. It reminds me that every generation has the chance to go a little farther than the one before.
Although I now live in Albuquerque, Ramah Navajo will always be home. I left because I wanted greater opportunities, but I never left behind the lessons my family and community gave me. Everything I learned from my grandparents, from my parents, from football, from college, and from serving my own people continues to shape the person I am today.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that change doesn’t happen all at once. It starts with giving people hope, creating opportunities, and reminding our young people that they are capable of building a future they can be proud of without ever forgetting where they come from.
R.H., Ramah Chapter, July 23, 2026