Church Rock matriarchs fight age discrimination
Navajo Times | Rima Krisst
Left to right, Nicole Walker, Dolly Pine, Marie Kirlie and Julie Livingston stand together in protest against elder abuse at the 2019 Navajo Nation Council spring session in Window Rock.
CHURCH ROCK, N.M.
Three elders allege they have been discriminated against for their age and say the treatment they have endured for over a year amounts to elder abuse.
Church Rock Community Land Use Planning Committee President Dolly Pine, 80, Vice President Marie Kirlie, 81, and Secretary Julie A. Livingston, 67, believe they were wrongly ousted from their committee by certain employees, officials and members who had their own agenda.
“We have all the evidence, on paper,” said Livingston.
Furthermore, eyewitnesses at the chapter say they have heard the ladies maligned as “old bags” and “ready for the nursing home.”
The ladies are prepared to take legal action if the situation can’t be resolved.
The women feel their work was intentionally aborted so that new members could come in, take over, and take things in other directions.
“They are already changing chapter priorities,” said Livingston.
The three women say their years of service have been grossly undermined and they are deeply hurt.
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