CNN commentator recognizes Navajo voter impact in the election
Van Jones says grassroots Native organizations were responsible for the victory
Winslow, Ariz. [NAVAJO NATION], November 7, 2020 – Diné Citizens Against Ruining our Environment (Diné C.A.R.E.) was acknowledged by a notable CNN commentator for helping to mobilize grassroots Navajo voters in the 2020 U.S. general election.
“Native Americans, by the way…the Native American community played a tremendous role, the Native Organizers Alliance, Inter-Tribal Council, Diné C.A.R.E., these are groups of people that expect to be treated with respect because they are responsible for the victory…” said Van Jones, CNN Political Commentator during a live broadcast shortly after Biden was projected the winner by all the TV networks.
WHY are we even having a conversation about Texas? Arizona? Florida?
Because there is a reckoning coming. This administration came after minorities & immigrants. And those communities got organized.
Thanks to @LUCHA_AZ @MiFamiliaVota @OurVoiceOurVote @DineCARE1 & many more. pic.twitter.com/84xj2iAqHH
— Van Jones (@VanJones68) November 3, 2020
Diné C.A.R.E. has been among many grassroots Native American organizations who have promoted a “get-out-and-vote” campaign for the 2020 U.S. election on tribal reservations across Northern Arizona.
“Thank you Van Jones for highlighting our work in Arizona,” said Carol Davis, Diné CARE Executive Director. “Even though the Native American vote is that hidden number that makes a difference in critical elections, our vote often goes unrecognized by mainstream media. It takes someone like Van Jones who has a greater awareness of the black and brown movements to highlight our contributions. It is also important to recognize all of our partner organizations who we worked with throughout this election cycle—this work is not done by just two to three organizations, it requires efforts from everyone to make this type of impact.”
Diné C.A.R.E. created a 30-second video that ran on Facebook and targeted digital TV advertisements, 60 second Navajo and English radio spots encouraging voters to vote, ran full page advertisements that informed voters where to go to vote early, social media ads, and created the hashtag slogan #DineVoteMatters.
The organization invested in strategic targeted advertising to the Navajo voter. “We have seen significant increases in voter turnout. In Navajo county alone there was an estimated 63.6 percent of registered voters in Navajo precincts who cast a ballot in this general election—that is a 10.3 increase in voter turnout since the last U.S. Presidential general election four years ago. Those are not unsignificant numbers. We still have questions regarding voting numbers in Apache County, the numbers should be higher than what is being reported by the County,” said Mellor Willie (Navajo), Diné C.A.R.E.’s political consultant from Washington, DC based firm Chee Consulting LLC.
Diné C.A.R.E. is an all Diné-led organization that started in 1988, and is often considered to be the grandmother of Diné-led grassroots organizations on the Navajo Nation.