by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
Lynda Lovejoy, a Navajo Nation presidential candidate, came to UNM on Monday to address students' concerns about Navajo health care, scholarship funding and
sovereignty.
About 100 people attended the forum hosted by Native-American Studies in the SUB.
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In August, Lovejoy, a former state representative, became the first woman to make it past the Navajo Nation's primary elections and be elected as a candidate for the general election on Nov. 7.
Lovejoy and her running mate, Walter Phelps, answered questions developed by students in Thomas Bird Bear's tribal government class at UNM.
Bird Bear moderated the forum.
Student Melvatha Chee said she was glad the class put on the forum.
"It's good to have young students of voting age involved in the process," she said.
Chee said she came to see how Lovejoy stands on the issues presented at the forum.
Phelps said sovereignty is an important issue for the Navajo Nation.
There are two pillars for exercising sovereignty - negotiating with the federal government and building relationships with politicians, he said.
Phelps said health care is a large concern, and the Navajo Nation needs to act independently of Indian Health Services.
"It all goes back again to local control," he said.
Phelps said veterans shouldn't have to travel to get medical
treatment.
"One of the initiatives we want to work on is health care for veterans on the reservation," he said.
Lovejoy also talked about how Navajo artisans need to take a modern approach to selling their art and jewelry.
"One of the things we really need to do is enhance Internet trade," she said.
Lovejoy said artisans should use eBay if they can, but the Navajo Nation needs to find a way to support artisans who do not have Internet access.
She said it should open a store as a tourist attraction in a place like Las Vegas.
"We would do really well in moving our jewelry," she said.
Bird Bear asked Lovejoy what she will do as president to get more money for higher education.
She said the funds for the Navajo Nation scholarship are waning, and she will work to find additional
funding.
Lovejoy said adjusting the tax structure to allocate funds for higher education and charging a toll for commercial trucks that travel through the reservation are ways to raise money for college.
It is important that students have resources other than the Navajo Nation scholarship, she said.
"We certainly don't want our Navajo Nation scholarship funds to be the first source," she said.
Lovejoy said she will ensure businesses on Navajo land give money to fund scholarships.
Incumbent Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. did not attend the event. He will speak on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the SUB Ballroom C.
