Forgotten Voices: Where Do Native Americans Stand in the Diversity and Inclusion Debate?

On a family trip through Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, we crossed Native American territory multiple times. The picture shows me at Monument Valley, a Navajo Tribal Park located on the Navajo Nation reservation in northeastern Arizona, along the Utah-Arizona state line. This breathtaking landscape is sacred to the Navajo people, who call it Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii ("Valley of the Rocks"). Monument Valley lies within the vast 16-million-acre Navajo Nation reservation- the largest reservation in the United States.

Traveling through several other reservations, it became strikingly clear how remote many Native American communities are. This geographic isolation contributes to significant socio-economic challenges, as reflected in various studies. Native Americans face some of the highest early school dropout rates- unsurprising when students often have to travel over an hour each way to attend school. Limited job opportunities result in high unemployment rates, while restricted access to fresh food and healthcare leads to elevated health risks such as diabetes and other chronic conditions.

💡 These realities made me reflect: In the ongoing (yet suppressed) discussions about diversity and inclusion- often centered on race, gender, and immigration- where do Native Americans stand? How visible are their struggles in this broader conversation?