How Navajo Nation's water and health crisis is amplified by COVID-19

For the Navajo Nation, the COVID-19 crisis is compounding systemic issues on the reservation like lack of water and healthcare access that existed long before the outbreak. "The Navajo Nation experiences some of the highest rates of water poverty in the United States," which makes it difficult to take basic precautionary measures like washing your hands, says Navajo artist and activist Emma Robbins. Robbins is also director of the Navajo Water Project, a community-managed utility alternative that brings running water to homes without access to water or sewer lines. She says mutual aid efforts like these are crucial for community survival during this crisis, but adds that the government needs to step up. "I've seen many Navajo women step up and fight for communities. … We are the caretakers of our communities. This is nothing new for us," says Robbins. "We are able to help ourselves, but it is also important to have our treaties honored and have that funding from the federal government."

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