By MaryJo Blackwood, American Red Cross of Colorado and Wyoming Public Affairs
The American Red Cross has a very long history of providing assistance in times of disaster, both for personal and larger catastrophes. The recent addition of a new office in Durango gives us a better opportunity to reach out to an underserved population, our Native American neighbors. Two tribal nations call the Durango area their home: To the east is the Southern Ute tribe, based around the town of Ignacio. To the west sprawls the Ute Mountain Ute tribal nation, centered around Towaoc.
Durango Office Dedication
Durango had an office until it was closed in 2015. During its prior life, the Durango office underserved this population. Staff and volunteers based there now hope that will change with the opening of a smaller officer that has employee workspace, meeting and training rooms. It will also provide an area for deployment of disaster action teams for single-family disasters.
Eric Myers, Executive Director of Red Cross of Western Colorado says they have already seen some activity with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. Disaster action teams (DAT) have responded to several home fires on Ute Mountain Ute land, including one soon after the dedication of the new Durango office. They hope to include tribal members in next year’s Sound the Alarm program for installing home smoke alarms. “We are also happy to open the facility to increase access to the community and to further more community partnerships.”
Although representatives from the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes were unable to be present as speakers, Tom Stephenson, Ute Mountain Ute/Towaoc Fire Chief was able to attend. Sean Killoy, disaster program manager for American Red Cross Western Colorado Chapter, Southwest territory, delivered an acknowledgment of the Native American lands the Red Cross uses to further our mission:
We acknowledge that the land that Durango is situated on is the current and ancestral home of the Nuuchiu or Ute people who were forcibly removed by the US Government. According to Nuuchiu oral history, they have no migration story and their people have been here since time immemorial.
We also acknowledge that this land is connected to the communal and ceremonial spaces of the Jicarilla Abache (Apache) Pueblos of New Mexico, Hopi Sinom (Hopi) and Dine (Navajo) nations.
It is important to acknowledge this setting because the narratives of the lands in this region have long been told from dominant perspectives, without full recognition of the original land stewards who continue to inhabit and connect with this land.
Let this acknowledgment serve as a reminder of our ongoing efforts to recognize, honor, reconcile, and partner with the Ute Mountain Ute, Southern Ute, and Dine people, as well as other tribal neighbors whose lands and water we benefit from today.
Killoy says the land acknowledgment is part of many ceremonies that take place in the area, but it is only part of being a better neighbor to Native American residents. Red Cross hopes to increase our connections to tribal populations by being sensitive to their culture and finding ways to mesh the goals of the communities with those of the Red Cross.
The Ute nations have already shown their willingness to be of help to the non-indigenous community. When Montezuma County was running its COVID vaccine centers, the Ute Mountain Ute had extra supplies and immunized other county residents. When the Southern Ute tribe was over-supplied with diaper wipes by FEMA, they reached out and the Red Cross was able to assist in sharing the excess with local organizations who ensured they went to neighbors in need.
Killoy is enthusiastic about the potential for forging greater bonds with the Ute nations, but says it is a slow process. “We do a lot of listening about what they need and let them know we are here to help in any way we can.” He says it’s also important when we have wildfires that impact Ute territory that volunteers coming in from other areas be briefed on how to be sensitive to tribal needs. There are years of distrust to overcome, but the future looks promising.