A Navajo Education

I have a small but unique connection to the Navajo. My sister-in-law Louise is a Navajo, married to the LTR's older brother.

Louise's older sister, a teacher in the Navajo Nation in Arizona, was in town this week for the National Indian Educator's Association legislative conference. She got in touch with the LTR (who she had only met once, at his niece's high school graduation) and he invited her over for dinner. Which happened last night.

Along the way to dinner Louise's sister Marie invited another teacher friend and her principal. All three teach at a K-7 school in the middle of the Res. While here they met with staff of their Congressional delegation and met with Rep. Patrick Kennedy.

I was impressed by their passion and dedication to education. I've been involved professionally in bringing "real people" to Washington to do what they were doing but have never known anyone personally who did it -- nor have ever known anyone who did it because of their passion and not because it was more or less expected by their boss.

Their visit gave me renewed hope in our education system. If there are people like those three in our schools, there is hope.

There was also an interesting subtext given that these three were entering an openly gay household. The LTR was nervous about this and consulted his brother and sister-in-law before extending the invitation, making sure that there wouldn't be a problem because we are gay.

There wasn't.

Since last night, I've googled "gay Navajo" and have come across evidence of a nascent but visible GLBT Navajo community, and a complicated portrait of traditional Navajo (and Native American) views of homosexuality vs. acculturated views. Like this one. It's an interesting story.

The best thing about last was the invitation Marie extended to Dave to visit her on the reservation. And she made a point to turn to me and say, "you too, Scott."

After all, we're family.