native american covid19 info & relief links

Go 2 Native Authors and Bookstores info from Luisa Cruz Smith

Native American COVID19 Info--relief links after paragraph

The Navajo Nation and other reservations/tribal communities have been acutely affected by the coronavirus, making Native American and Alaska Native people some of the most vulnerable in America because of compounding factors on reservations. In addition to being more susceptible to extreme or fatal disease because of the prevalence of underlying health conditions in Native communities (such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc.) and the higher density of Elders (who often hold important community knowledge), they face many of the other issues that communities of color have faced while attempting to prevent the spread of coronavirus or access treatment. Many communities of color have been unable to effectively quarantine or protect these Elders and susceptible family members due to multigenerational households and close living quarters. On the reservation, there are other barriers to preventative measures, such as lack of running water, and there is distrust between the community and healthcare workers because of the fraught history between Native peoples and the medical system. Their hospitals are understaffed and have fewer resources than hospitals in highly populated and whiter areas. For example, on Pine Ridge, the hospital had 24 coronavirus test kits, 6 ventilators, and 4 beds set aside for quarantine. The Pine Ridge Hospital serves a community of more than 30,000 people.

As reservations try to respond to the threat and prevent further spread, it faces other challenges--lack of resources due to unemployment and immobility, lack of PPE, and the apathy of the public. As the reservation attempts to protect the members of the tribe, a lockdown and curfew has been instituted, closing down businesses on weekends and putting many people out of jobs.

There are some organizations trying to respond to the suffering in Indian Country by raising money to donate to the reservation as a whole, but there are also organizations targeting more specific needs, such as food and masks. If you are able, these organizations and funds would really appreciate your support so that they are able to continue serving the community.

all this info is also summarized in my zine! feel free to print & fold to read & distribute

printable pdf link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k_RE1DuneilOFye5_hTj57_fhoj05cUG/view?usp=sharing

folding guide:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ptfCcdNVsy_4-8BXZhH2NgEPaPGEqEki7QeWsAJOEx8/edit?usp=sharing

feel free to email me @ marisacruzbranco@gmail.com if you would like sources for this info or have questions!

if you cannot use credit card/gofundme sites/etc and would prefer to venmo, feel free to venmo me @MarisaBranco--just label with the organization you would like the money to go to and a phone # if you would like me to send a screenshot of the receipt!

Tribally Specific GoFundMe/Relief Fund Links:

White Mountain Apache Tribe COVID19 Relief Fund

https://gf.me/u/x8vq22

Hopi COVID19 Relief Fund

https://ca.gofundme.com/f/hopi-relief

Navajo Nation Funds

https://www.gofundme.com/f/official-navajo-nation-covid19-relief-fund

https://securepayment.link/navajonsn/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/clean-water-for-navajo

Pueblo Relief Fund

https://pueblorelieffund.org/

Laguna Pueblo