Care 66: Miss Navajo Nation spends evening with homeless

ABOVE: Miss Navajo Nation signs an autograph for Alrit Halote at Care 66 on Wednesday evening. Miss Navajo Nation offered words of hope and encouragement to residents at the mens facility. BELOW: Alrit Halote and Don Peterson share a laugh while eating dinner at Care 66 on Wednesday afternoon. The group was waiting for the arrival of Miss Navajo Nation to deliver a motivational speech. [photos by Brian Leddy / Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff writer

GALLUP — On the surface, it wouldn’t seem likely that the reigning Miss Navajo would have much in common with a group of formerly homeless men living at CARE 66.

But on Wednesday evening, the two they found common ground.

Jonathea Tso, Miss Navajo Nation 2007-2008, paid a visit to Gallup’s facility for homeless men after being invited to share dinner and talk with the residents. Tso missed the dinner — she was running late after an earlier event in Farmington that launched her image on posters and billboards in New Mexico’s anti-DWI advertising campaign — but she made up for her tardy appearance by spending more than an hour talking with nine of the residents.

The conversation, which ranged from encouraging remarks to emotional comments about the affect of alcohol abuse, began with unexpected humor. Tso broke the ice by introducing the middle-aged woman who accompanied her on the visit and issued a warning to the men. “She’s my chaperone,” Tso joked, “so don’t try anything.”

Tso briefly introduced herself and then invited each resident to introduce himself and talk about his life. The residents — Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo — ranged from young men not much past their teens to older men who are grandfathers. Some have struggled with physical disabilities and some have struggled with addictions.

Tso, 26, shared how she lived with her grandmother in Cove, Ariz., from fourth grade through high school. As a child, she made her own Miss Navajo “crown” out of baling wire after a school visit from a Navajo queen. Tso spent several summers in New England attending a math and science academy for minority students, an experience which led to her earning an undergraduate degree at New Hamphire’s ivy league

Dartmouth College. Since her return to the Navajo Nation, Tso has been taking Navajo cultural studies classes at Diné College.

Although Tso said she is a quiet person “in real life,” attending Dartmouth and being Miss Navajo has forced her to become more outgoing. But she’s learned that if a person can find their passion, she said, they won’t find the subject difficult to talk about. Tso said her personal interests include education, Navajo language and culture, environmental issues, and promoting community service.

Tso said she has also learned that hard work and sacrifice are necessary to pursue one’s passions. “There comes a time in your life when you realize no one’s going to do it for you, so you have to do it for yourself,” she said.

Living with her grandmother as a child and helping care for her in recent years also taught Tso about the hard work involved in traditional Navajo life. Pulling out a bundle of stir sticks, Tso said, “Poverty, laziness is afraid of this.”

In response to one resident’s comments about the affects of alcohol and drug abuse in his life, Tso shared some personal experiences she has had in dealing with a family member who has struggled with alcohol abuse. “One of the most important parts of the Navajo life is prayer,” she said, explaining that Navajo people have traditionally prayed for things like their corn to grow and for the rain to fall. “If you have that prayer, you have that ability to change your life,” she added.

Before taking photographs with the men and signing posters and cards for them, Tso concluded with an encouraging remark. “Keep doing what you’re doing,” she said. “Keep going forward.”