NNHRC appoints three new commissioners

By Krista Allen and Nicholas House
Navajo Times

TSÉGHÁHOODZÁNÍ

The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission announced three new commissioners on Oct. 15: Wendy Greyeyes, Henry Fowler, and Roscoe Herrera.

Greyeyes, originally from Tódinéeshzhee’, is Tódích’íi’nii and born for Tódích’íi’nii. Her maternal grandfather is Tł’ízíłání, and her paternal grandfather is Tó’áhani. She is the daughter of Delores Greyeyes, of Tódinéeshzhee’, the Navajo Department of Corrections director.

Wendy Greyeyes will represent the education at-large sector. The NNHRC selected her as its chairperson.

“I’m really happy to be working for the Navajo people,” said Greyeyes, an associate professor of Native American studies at the University of New Mexico. She earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Chicago.

“I’m really excited to put my education––all of my work, organizational work, all the grassroots organizing, all to work for the Navajo people in terms of fighting for our Navajo Nation human rights,” she added.

Fowler, originally from Béégashii Tó, is Tódích’íi’nii and born for Naasht’ézhí Tábąąhá. His maternal grandfather is Tł’ízíłání, and his paternal grandfather is Yé’ii Dine’é Táchii’nii. He resides in Tó Dzís’á. He is the son of the late Sally Fowler of Tó Nehelį́į́h.

Fowler will represent the education sector. The NNHRC selected him as its vice chairperson.

“We’re happy we’re appointed,” Fowler said in Navajo. “The Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission oversees the Navajo people.

“I advocate for the Navajo elders, Navajo youth, or equal justice and opportunities to succeed in life,” he said. Fowler earned an educational doctorate from Fielding University.

Roscoe Herrera, from Tséhootsooí, is Tł’ógí and born for Tódích’íi’nii. His maternal grandfather is Kinłichíi’nii, and his paternal grandfather is Ta’neeszahnii. He is the Apache County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy. Herrera will represent the law enforcement sector.

“I’m happy … to be sworn in––just taking my oath of office with the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission,” Herrera said. “It’s something I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners.

“We have a big task ahead of us,” he added. “We’re all focused on the goals of ensuring that we protect our Diné people’s rights. It’ll be a lot of work, but I look forward to it. We want to do what we can to address some of the issues they (Diné) may be experiencing.”

The new commissioners attended their first meeting after taking the oath. They heard a report on the San Juan County Utah Settlement Agreement and a report on voting rights issues in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico.

Taking the oath

Navajo Nation Supreme Court Associate Justice Eleanor Shirley, who is Táchii’nii and born for Mą’ii Deeshgiizhnii, administered the oath to the commissioners during a low-key, swearing-in ceremony at the Karigan Professional Office Complex in Ts’íhootso.

“There are a number of people here in attendance,” Shirley told the attendees. “They are gonna be witnesses to your oath. You’re making a solemn oath and a promise that you’re gonna uphold whatever task, whatever that is gonna be given to you as a commissioner, and addressing those different issues, whether it be policy issues … whatever it may be that is tasked.”

A NNHRC commissioner serves a four-year term. There are two vacant seats on the NNHRC.

Greyeyes, Fowler, and Herrera became commissioners the day after Indigenous Peoples Day. Greyeyes’s mother, Delores, was in attendance. Fowler’s wife, Perphelia Fowler, the former Division of Human Resources executive director under the Nez Administration, was also in attendance.

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