National Organization for Women elects Native citizen as vice president

Wednesday, July 5, 2017  

The National Organization for Women has elected new leadership and a tribal citizen is one of them.

Gilda Yazzie, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, was elected vice president during the organization's annual conference on Saturday. She will serve with Toni Van Pelt, the new president.

“We are eager to continue the fight to dismantle interconnected systems of oppression–including racial injustice, LGBTQIA discrimination, and economic inequality,” Yazzie said in a press release. “Challenging times lie ahead for feminists, but we will lead the grassroots movement to fight back!”

Yazzie has served on NOW's board since the early 2000s, according to the press release. She grew up on the Navajo Nation with 11 siblings.

Among other issues, Van Pelt and Yazzie are promising to address violence against women and racism as the new leaders of the organization. Both will be based in Washington, D.C., during their four-year terms.