((PKG)) COVID AND THE NAVAJO NATION
((Banner: COVID and the Navajo Nation))
((Reporter/Producer: Arturo Martínez))
((Camera: Sahar Khadjenoury, Pete Sands))
((Map: Navajo Nation (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New
Mexico) ))
((Main characters: 2 females; 1 male))
((NATS))
((Banner: As regions across the US begin cautious
reopening, the Navajo Nation remains under tight restrictions
to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The largest Native American reservation in the United States
has the country’s highest COVID-19 infection rate in the
country.
Private and public relief programs have been getting basic
supplies to people in need.))
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
My name is Pete Sands and I'm the program director and
organizer of the Utah Navajo COVID Relief Program. We
work under the Utah Navajo Health System. The main
purpose of our Relief Program is to deliver goods and home
supplies, home food. So we try our best to help those that
are either quarantined or self-isolating themselves.
The virus has devastated the Navajo Nation due to factors
like lack of health infrastructure, lack of health resources,
lack of running water to people's homes and lack of
electricity. And there is a lot of tourism, there is a lot of
people. You know, it is a hub because people have to go
through our reservation to get to these major areas.
Our positive cases are rising right now. And you know the
Utah portion of Navajo Nation is a hotspot as they
designated. But we are doing our best here to help people
during these trying times.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
We drive a lot of miles, that's for sure. Some people live way
out in the middle of nowhere, miles from any store, miles
from the nearest town. This is like off-off the grid. We grew
up here and yet we find places we've never been before.
((NATS))
((Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Thanks.
((Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
We don't have electric or water yet. So this one has electric
in. Gets really hot.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
We meet a lot of beautiful people and we see a lot of nice,
beautiful places as well.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
We are unloading some donations that came from the
Rotary Club here in northern Utah and they got five vehicles
full of stuff. So, it's quite challenging but we are almost
halfway done.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
A lot of the people that are helping combat this virus are
corporations, private donors. And the biggest part of this is
to have a strong team because without a team, no one can
do it by themselves. And the volunteers we have, I mean,
we service all these communities because so many people
want to help out. The great team that I have with project
program coordinator, Sahar, my good friend, Sahar, she
really helped me out.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
We don't always have produce. We do today. It came, like,
last minute, like, wow, surprise, like, let's go, get it out.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Every person that comes through our line is either a familiar
face or a potential family member.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
If you guys need anything else, just message.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
We make deliveries for elders, 65 and over, families in need,
and those who have tested positive here within the Utah
Navajo community. This has kind of changed everything for
me because I thought that this spring that I would be helping
youth learn the awesome world of filmmaking and I am now
lifting, hoisting 50-pound bags of beans.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Imagine a state the size of West Virginia with only 11
grocery stores. That's basically painting the picture of what
we are experiencing here in the Navajo Nation. I believe as
a Navajo Nation, whole count, they're looking at over 4000
cases. That has now surpassed, per capita, the number of
cases from both New York City or New Jersey.
The Navajo Nation had received $600 million from the
Federal Government. However, that has not been spent.
It’s still in the planning phases. So this is not necessarily
cash readily available to purchase supplies.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
That's the last delivery. This is a woman that she hasn't had
food for several days and she doesn't have transportation.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
So happy to find you.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Oh, yeah. I'm here by myself.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Oh, just you?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Yeah. I have a daughter that passed away what, two or
three days ago. Our funeral was over there. So I'm here by
myself. My grandson, I don't know, I think he is in Cortez
with his girlfriend.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Did you bury her over here at this yard?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Yeah. She's buried over there.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Oh, no. From COVID?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Huh?
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Was she sick?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
No.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
No.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
There was nothing wrong with her at all. I don't know what
happened to her.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
I'm sorry.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Yeah.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
And Spam and potatoes.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
I'm glad you came by. It makes me happy to see somebody
come over and talk to me because I'm here by myself.
Nobody to talk to.
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
Some dog food.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Thank you. They don't have any.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
They were hungry.
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
You know, you just, you see somebody in trouble and you
go. You don't think about it. You just react. And that's what
happened. That’s how it started for me. And it's affected me
deeply because you see people hurt and you see people
hungry or people asking for help and you see people who
are sick with the virus and you know, it affects you. It moves
you. I've never really thought I would have ever put
something like this together because when you think of
helping another person, you just think of like helping your
neighbor. You know you never think helping a nation, part of
it. What really helped is that I had a team behind me. It
changed my life because everything that I got into was music
or film and it drastically changed my career path. And I think
it's like a life lesson of some sort. You think you know who
you are but you know, life will smack you inside your head
out of nowhere and you’ll be like, "No, you don't."
((NATS))
((Banner: The number of COVID-19 infections surpassed
5500 in early June))
((NATS))
((Banner: COVID and the Navajo Nation))
((Reporter/Producer: Arturo Martínez))
((Camera: Sahar Khadjenoury, Pete Sands))
((Map: Navajo Nation (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New
Mexico) ))
((Main characters: 2 females; 1 male))
((NATS))
((Banner: As regions across the US begin cautious
reopening, the Navajo Nation remains under tight restrictions
to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The largest Native American reservation in the United States
has the country’s highest COVID-19 infection rate in the
country.
Private and public relief programs have been getting basic
supplies to people in need.))
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
My name is Pete Sands and I'm the program director and
organizer of the Utah Navajo COVID Relief Program. We
work under the Utah Navajo Health System. The main
purpose of our Relief Program is to deliver goods and home
supplies, home food. So we try our best to help those that
are either quarantined or self-isolating themselves.
The virus has devastated the Navajo Nation due to factors
like lack of health infrastructure, lack of health resources,
lack of running water to people's homes and lack of
electricity. And there is a lot of tourism, there is a lot of
people. You know, it is a hub because people have to go
through our reservation to get to these major areas.
Our positive cases are rising right now. And you know the
Utah portion of Navajo Nation is a hotspot as they
designated. But we are doing our best here to help people
during these trying times.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
We drive a lot of miles, that's for sure. Some people live way
out in the middle of nowhere, miles from any store, miles
from the nearest town. This is like off-off the grid. We grew
up here and yet we find places we've never been before.
((NATS))
((Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Thanks.
((Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
We don't have electric or water yet. So this one has electric
in. Gets really hot.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
We meet a lot of beautiful people and we see a lot of nice,
beautiful places as well.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
We are unloading some donations that came from the
Rotary Club here in northern Utah and they got five vehicles
full of stuff. So, it's quite challenging but we are almost
halfway done.
((NATS))
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
A lot of the people that are helping combat this virus are
corporations, private donors. And the biggest part of this is
to have a strong team because without a team, no one can
do it by themselves. And the volunteers we have, I mean,
we service all these communities because so many people
want to help out. The great team that I have with project
program coordinator, Sahar, my good friend, Sahar, she
really helped me out.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
We don't always have produce. We do today. It came, like,
last minute, like, wow, surprise, like, let's go, get it out.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Every person that comes through our line is either a familiar
face or a potential family member.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
If you guys need anything else, just message.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
We make deliveries for elders, 65 and over, families in need,
and those who have tested positive here within the Utah
Navajo community. This has kind of changed everything for
me because I thought that this spring that I would be helping
youth learn the awesome world of filmmaking and I am now
lifting, hoisting 50-pound bags of beans.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Imagine a state the size of West Virginia with only 11
grocery stores. That's basically painting the picture of what
we are experiencing here in the Navajo Nation. I believe as
a Navajo Nation, whole count, they're looking at over 4000
cases. That has now surpassed, per capita, the number of
cases from both New York City or New Jersey.
The Navajo Nation had received $600 million from the
Federal Government. However, that has not been spent.
It’s still in the planning phases. So this is not necessarily
cash readily available to purchase supplies.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
That's the last delivery. This is a woman that she hasn't had
food for several days and she doesn't have transportation.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
So happy to find you.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Oh, yeah. I'm here by myself.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Oh, just you?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Yeah. I have a daughter that passed away what, two or
three days ago. Our funeral was over there. So I'm here by
myself. My grandson, I don't know, I think he is in Cortez
with his girlfriend.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Did you bury her over here at this yard?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Yeah. She's buried over there.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Oh, no. From COVID?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Huh?
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
Was she sick?
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
No.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
No.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
There was nothing wrong with her at all. I don't know what
happened to her.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
I'm sorry.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Yeah.
((NATS))
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
And Spam and potatoes.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
I'm glad you came by. It makes me happy to see somebody
come over and talk to me because I'm here by myself.
Nobody to talk to.
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
Some dog food.
((Juanita Begay, Utah Navajo Nation Resident))
Thank you. They don't have any.
((Sahar Khadjenoury, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief
Program; Filmmaker))
They were hungry.
((Pete Sands, Utah Navajo COVID-19 Relief Program))
You know, you just, you see somebody in trouble and you
go. You don't think about it. You just react. And that's what
happened. That’s how it started for me. And it's affected me
deeply because you see people hurt and you see people
hungry or people asking for help and you see people who
are sick with the virus and you know, it affects you. It moves
you. I've never really thought I would have ever put
something like this together because when you think of
helping another person, you just think of like helping your
neighbor. You know you never think helping a nation, part of
it. What really helped is that I had a team behind me. It
changed my life because everything that I got into was music
or film and it drastically changed my career path. And I think
it's like a life lesson of some sort. You think you know who
you are but you know, life will smack you inside your head
out of nowhere and you’ll be like, "No, you don't."
((NATS))
((Banner: The number of COVID-19 infections surpassed
5500 in early June))
((NATS))
