Communities push forward as Kennedy spotlights health reform in the Southwest
Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, makes his way into the Hózhó Academy Charter School on Wednesday in Gallup, where he spoke to students and school faculty about eating healthy.
GALLUP
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, concluded a three-day tour through Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico on Wednesday, highlighting a series of state and tribal health initiatives that align with the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again campaign. The visit drew a spectrum of responses – supportive, critical, and cautiously hopeful – from tribal leaders, educators, lawmakers, and residents across the region.
Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero
Mervyn Tilden, an activist against the Trump Administration, holds a feather in one hand and a flag with a hand-written message in the other on Wednesday. Tilden protested Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary’s visit to the Hózhó Academy in Gallup.
Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero
Demonstrators show their disapproval of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary’s visit to Hózhó Academy on Wednesday. The demonstrators stood outside the school gym.
The tour began Monday in Salt Lake City. Kennedy joined Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and state legislators to mark the passage of three new health laws, according to a press release from the secretary’s office. One measure banned fluoride from public drinking water, making Utah the first state to do so. Two other laws focused on limiting unhealthy food options in public schools and tightening restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases, including a ban on soda and candy. Kennedy called the legislative package “a model for the rest of the country,” arguing that such reforms are necessary to reduce chronic illness and promote healthier development for children.
Special to the Times | Donovan Quintero
New Mexico Rep. Martha Garcia, left, and Sen. Shannon Pinto, wait for the arrival of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, at the Hózhó Academy Charter School in Gallup on Wednesday.
To read the full article, please see the April 10, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.
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