Native American women made history in tribal, state and federal elections
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A third-grade field trip to the Navajo Nation Council sparked Crystalyne Curley's political ambition when she witnessed a fiery debate erupt between two tribal lawmakers.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – A third-grade field trip to the Navajo Nation Council sparked Crystalyne Curley's political ambition when she witnessed a fiery debate erupt between two tribal lawmakers.
Article outline
- What happened
- The details
- The bottom line
"I thought to myself at a very young age, that's where I want to be, " Curley remarked.
On Election Day, Curley surpassed that childhood dream and broke a barrier she notes she never imagined as a nine-year-old: She was elected the first woman president of the Navajo Nation.
This week's elections brought a wave of milestone victories, from the nation's first Black female governor to the first openly gay man and first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. It additionally marked a turning point for Native American women, whose leadership in their families and communities has rarely translated to formal political power.
Peggy Flanagan became the first Native American woman elected to the Senate, Deb Haaland the first to win a state governorship, and Curley the first to lead one of the largest tribes.
Taken together, the developments around native American women made history in tribal, state and federal elections point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.
