WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — It certainly made for interesting headlines. The My Name Is Beauty: A Body Empowerment Summit and Official Sixth Annual Rez Condom Tour Launch — a daylong informational event that took place last month at the Window Rock Center of Diné College was a success, organizers said.
Not only did people have the chance to take in information on female empowerment, holistic health and domestic violence, but folks got the opportunity to learn even bigger things from Diné College administrators Matthew Skeets and Ken Nata’ani.
Skeets is a professional writing tutor at the Window Rock Center. Nata’ani is a Tsaile-based alumni officer. Skeets was a main organizer of the event and is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of New Mexico with a master’s degree in creative writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. Nata’ani is a U.S. Navy veteran and informed folks about the revived alumni affairs department at the College.
A published poet, Skeets said there were informational booths set up at the event. He said the booths showcased the Tsehootsoi Medical Center, Diné College Alumni Relations, Hozho Life, K’e Infoshop, the Diné College HIV Prevention Program, Northern Arizona University Recruitment and Miss Navajo Nation.
“I think the event went great,” Skeets said. “It was a great way to bring organizations together.”
Skeets, who started the Rez Condom Tour in 2012, said the Window Rock Center has been celebrating Diné College’s 50th anniversary with health events like the Rez Condom Tour.
The 50th Anniversary at Diné College
The College was started in 1968 as the first tribally-controlled institution of higher learning. Nata’ani is charged with getting the word out to alumni about 50th anniversary alumni activities and beefing up the alumni database.
Window Rock’s 50th anniversary celebration is Sept. 14. There are individual 50th celebrations at each of Diné College’s six campuses.
Nata’ani said he handed out written information and fielded questions on all sorts of things pertaining to Diné College.
“I was able to talk to people who were and were not connected to the College,” Nata’ani said. “It was a very good way to get information and recognition out about Diné College.”
The Rez Condom Tour is a grass roots organization that promotes healthy sexual expression for Navajo youth. The tour raises awareness about the importance of sexual education and increases access to contraceptives for Navajo youth.
Donovan Yazzie, 19, of Window Rock, said he was picking up a friend from a class. He said he thought there were a lot of interesting people at the event.
CONTACT US
Marie R. Etsitty Nez
Vice President of External Affairs
marienez@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6985
George Joe, M.A. M.Ed, Director Of Marketing and Communications
grjoe@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6695
Bernie Dotson, Public Relations Officer
bdotson@dinecollege.edu
928-724-6697
