Letters | Nation failing Diné-owned businesses

By Navajo Times | Apr 3, 2025 | Letters |

Nation failing Diné-owned businesses

Editor,
In February 2023, I, Alexander Chambers, a Navajo citizen and experienced restaurant owner and operator in Farmington, N.M., reached out to the Office of the President and Vice President of the Navajo Nation, the Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development, the Shiprock RBDO, and the Navajo Nation Shopping Center with a proposal to invest in and build a new restaurant in Shiprock, N.M., on the Navajo Nation.

This would have been my second location as a successful restaurateur. However, I received no support or response from these entities, including local Shiprock leadership.

Yet the Navajo Nation has invested and prioritized non-Navajo businesses to start a restaurant in Shiprock.

The Navajo Nation has consistently failed Navajo entrepreneurs and business owners, both on and off the Nation, by prioritizing special interest, non-Navajo businesses to operate on Navajo land while completely ignoring legitimate Navajo-owned businesses like mine and others.

It’s a catastrophic failure of government and leadership from the current administration in working with Navajo businesses to foster economic development for our people.

We need new leadership across the board in both the Office of the President and Vice President of the Navajo Nation and the Council. These current so-called leaders don’t understand the simple process of business, and their inability to support Navajo entrepreneurs is stifling our economic growth. We need change.

Alexander Chambers
Farmington, N.M.

Erasing Carson name

Editor,
I am a resident of Taos County, N.M., and have recently been appointed to a Town of Taos committee to look (once again) into the renaming of Kit Carson Memorial Park, which sits in the middle of town.

I read with interest two articles published in the Navajo Times by Donovan Quintero. The first is from October 15, 2021, entitled “Delegate to request getting rid of Kit Carson’s name.” The second is a December 12, 2024, article entitled “Council reiterates opposition to Kit Carson
Monuments in New Mexico.”

Our local Taos News chided the town for essentially wasting resources on enaming the park when there are so many pressing issues afoot (February 27, 2025). I responded with a “My Turn” on March 6, 2025. One of the things stated in the editorial was that “Short of any Native group giving a definitive answer to that question, renaming it remains a performative act by those unaffected by Carson’s misdeed and for local politicos seeking to burnish their reputations.” I responded in my My Turn, and noted that the Taos News had failed to do good research, and cited the two articles from the Navajo Times.

This is something you should be aware of, and perhaps someone from the Navajo Times, or even the Council, could write a My Turn to the Taos News in support of the effort to erase the name of KC from the park, at least. There is still the road, the forest, and the electric coop, but this would be a beginning.

I am not a complete newcomer to this issue, although I am far from an expert. I used to work for legal services in New Mexico, and through those connections got to know the DNA program on the Navajo Nation, and elsewhere. I knew Peterson Zah. And I served on the Board of DNA from 1996-2006. Time I considered well spent.

If you have any questions or concerns, or thoughts, please call or email me, and it would be really helpful to see a response from you or the Navajo Nation, if appropriate.

Peggy J. Nelson
San Cristobal, N.M.

The game remembered

Editor,
We always want certain things to go on forever, sometimes. But sadly, they don’t. Immortality doesn’t exist. I haven’t seen it myself. I am 70. In this writing, I will only use first names unless needed.

This morning was very emotional for me as Greg Gumbel wasn’t there to start the NCAA Tournament on CBS. Greg passed from cancer just after Christmas the past year.

I ran competitively (‘75 to ‘80 until an auto accident), played competitive basketball from 1967 to 1996. From 1975 to 1980, we were invited to many reservations to play in tournaments. Our sponsors were Bill, Dillard and Holiday Inn. Our coaches were Joe and Arnold. Seven in all. Donald, Denny, Fred, Wilford and myself. What was unique was that we all played for the same high school.

Our school would not let three of us play in the conference and state championships in 1973 (long story). We called ourselves The Wahoos (after Wahoo McDaniels). We stopped playing together in 1978 (after the NIAA Nationals in Albuquerque, N.M.). We were National NIAA champions in 1977 (San Jose, Calif.). We just couldn’t get everyone together as college, marriage and work were more important. While playing together, I don’t ever remember losing more than five games in at least 21 Bigtime Indian Country basketball tournaments (against some of the best Native ball players that played college). Oklahoma, New Mexico, California, Oregon, Washington, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado and other neighbor states. After, ‘79 I usually played with Alvin, Phoenix Firebirds and Lake Powell (35 over/40 over). Stopped running (track and distance) and playing basketball in ‘96 to recurring injuries.

Just to name a few players in that time: Don, Ron, Roy, Sonny, Narcisse, Willard, Ray, Alvin (all played college). I may be biased (we had a family championship game at Coconino HS once sponsored by NACA and Steve Darden), but I still think Willard was the best overall player to ever play Native ball to this day.
Watching him play against New Mexico’s best college ball players in Shiprock, N.M., in the Four Corners Tournament of Champions (B&R –Tommy Roberts, Stretch Howard and Speedy Gibson) was something to behold in the championship game with his brother Ray. We took third against Northern Electric (former Anglo Utah college players) losing only to B&R Sporting Goods.

Alvin Clark and I enjoyed those 3-point challenges at the best tournaments (24’9”). Justin Yazzie of Shiprock sure put together the best teams for that time in ‘79 (memory fades with time). Many thanks to: Ray Dickson, Justin Yazzie and Big John for putting some of the best tournaments together out this way in Page, TC, Shiprock and the White Mountains; the college Native Clubs in Flagstaff, Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Cedar City for hosting the best tournaments in Arizona, Utah and New Mexico National Indian Activities Association for their hard work from Vancouver to Still Water to Duluth and the Dakotas. We were always gracious to our hosts and proud to be your tournament champions.

Last, thank you to Holiday Inn for displaying our championship trophies for over 25 years. Today, I reserve myself to my backyard and close by to a lot of work with building, auto repair and livestock, having retired in 2020 (worked as an educator for over 41 years at small high schools. That’s where the need was). In the end, we will all past. These stories (I only shared this with Darwin Mitchell, a very good basketball player as well from Window Rock) will go with me as well. Plus, the 29 jumpers, and game ending free-throws.

Jim Phillips
Shonto, Ariz.

Thank you, Gilbert

Editor,

My name is Casey Brose. A name given to me by my white mother. Upon registering my DNA with 23 and me. I have found some of my Navajo ancestry. I am just about 1/2 Navajo Indian. But adopted as I was, they never let me know who my real dad was. I am almost 72 now.

This is not the reason of my letter though. Upon driving through Arizona and New Mexico, my BMW was in need of repairs. I had taken it to shops in California for repairs.

They put tires and brakes all new. But along my trip, I could tell there was a problem they failed to repair. Each time I applied the brakes, it would jerk and shutter.
When I stayed in Grants, New Mexico. A quaint desert town. Looking for a mechanic that would try to fix my car, I was referred to Victory Lane Tires (509 W. HWY 66).

The proprietor “Gilbert” was very professional. He put my car on the rack. He and his employee looked my car over. Gilbert said he could fix it. It would cost me around $50 plus parts that would be ordered from the auto parts store “overnight.” Well, I was at his store bright and early the next day.

Gilbert and his employee changed the suspension parts, and I was on my way by 10:30 a.m.

Thank you, Gilbert. I had a safe trip. I owe it to Gilbert and your good community. I recommend them for tires/brakes and service.

Casey Brose
Palm Desert, Calif.

Concern for IHS amid HHS cuts

Editor and Sen. Gallego,
I am Shawn Begay of Peoria, Arizona. As I am hearing of upcoming cuts to HHS, I am worried about how this will affect IHS. That has caused me to send in a form to Senator Ruben Gallego in response to news stories saying how he will put holds on VA nominees in response to Trump’s workforce cuts. I am sending the message I sent to Senator Gallego’s official website voicing my concern. If possible, I would like to see this posted in the Navajo Times. If so, you have my permission to repost.
From KTAR: “Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego puts hold on VA nominees to oppose Trump’s workforce cuts”

Senator Gallego,

I hear that you are planning to hold up VA nominees in protest of cuts to HHS that could impact the quality of healthcare. Please also consider how these same cuts will have a devastating effect on Indian Health Service (IHS).

Healthcare resources in Indian Country are already scarce, and further staffing cuts will only worsen access to care – especially in really remote locations where options are extremely limited.

As someone who goes to Phoenix Indian Medical Center, just a mile east of the Carl T. Hayden Veterans’ Administration Medical Center, I am deeply concerned about what these layoffs will mean for patient care. The consequences of these cuts will be felt by some of the most vulnerable communities, and I urge you to make this a part of the discussion.

Thank you for your time and attention to this critical issue.

Shawn Begay
Peoria, Ariz.