I received the following email this morning, 5.7.20, and I’m posting it immediately. The email was sent to Navajo Nation Jonathan Nez, his chief of staff, Paulson Chaco, Council Speaker Seth Damon, among others. I will be emailing Nez & Damon to ask if they have responded to this CALL for HELP. Hopefully Nez is not prancing around in front of cameras for photo ops to show him leading donations of food, etc. while his PEOPLE SUFFER & DIE.

From: Percy Byron Anderson nizhoniboy1@gmail.com
Date: May 7, 2020 at 7:27:55 AM MDT
To: jonathannez@navajo-nsn.gov, paulsonchaco@navajo-nsn.gov, Earl Tulley tohlakai00et@gmail.com, Derrith Watchman-Moore dwmoore@navajoaumtrust2.org, Seth Damon sdamon@navajo-nsn.gov, Sherylene Yazzie sheryleneyazzie@navajo-nsn.gov, Amber Kanazbah Crotty kanazbah@gmail.com
Cc: reginayazzie@navajo-nsn.gov, Jennie Wei jennie.wei@ihs.gov
Subject: Scott Family of Coalmine, NM. EXTREME CRITICAL EMERGENCY SITUATION.

I hope that this email finds all of us in good health, mind, and spirit.
This morning I am asking, even begging, that we do what we can to assist a Family with housing at the earliest opportune moment due to their living situation. Yesterday I spoke with Ms. Regina Yazzie, Department Manager of Family Services, in Window Rock. I informed her that I would be emailing all of you. The family lives over the hill from Vice-President Myron Lizer’s father.

On April 6, 2020, the Family buried their oldest son. While at burial site, after 1 p.m., the family was informed by one of their grandchildren that the father/grandfather had passed on at the hogan they live in at Coalmine. Both father and his son passed on from the pandemic virus. Both were admitted at the Fort Defiance Hospital. The father/grandfather for almost two weeks and released last week. He was still ill from the virus. The son was admitted last week at Fort Defiance. He passed on Sunday night. The mother/grandmother, as well as her youngest son, age 22, were admitted at Fort. Both stayed in the hospital for 4 days and released last week. Both are doing fine now. Dorothy and Bobby were care taking their six grandchildren, ages 3 to 14. Of the family members, besides the father/grandfather and his son, six were tested positive. Another son who tested negative is currently with the family providing strength and comfort to his mother and being a fortress to his family.

The home they live in, a small hogan about 20 feet radius, has no water or electricity service, and dirt flooring. They have been living at the hogan for almost five years after losing their home to fire at Navajo, NM. They have tried unsuccessfully the the last five years to get housing through various entities to no avail. The last opportune moment was when the former Division Director of Community Development made a personal visit to their hogan and did an assessment and took pictures of their situation. Supposedly there is a file on them for housing at the Division. As of yesterday, after the father/grandfather passed on, the family was informed by the sister of the father, who owns the hogan, that they need to move out. Last night they spent the night in their used vehicles at the site they originally lived at in Navajo, NM, remembering their days as a whole family; the good times they had. This morning I write about their dilemma to you all.

For me personally, I have been stepping in trying to assist the family the best I can. I have reached out to non-profits in Gallup and McKinley to assist the family. As of yesterday we were in the process of assisting the family to seek temporary shelter at Howard Johnson in Gallup. The family more likely will need to get retested prior to motel shelter. The family members chose to be together for comfort under the full moon last night. I know they are emotionally and mentally lost at this time searching for answers as to why and hoping for some blessed assistance that can come their way.

The work I started with the COPE team in Gallup and McKinley Mutual Aid group will continue today to get them into a motel shelter. In the meantime, I am asking if you all could start the process, in the most expeditious way, to get the family into a Navajo Housing Authority home unit. They need cleanliness to recover from the virus and to begin to heal from the virus. I, as well as others from the non-profits, can assist the family with completing the necessary paperwork.

I thank you for reading this email and acting on it. I know we are all exhausted. Mentally, physically, and spiritually. But we do what we can to elevate a family one at a time. Blessings to all of us.
*Percy Byron Anderson