Christa Lee is Diné (Navajo). She grew up and lives on the Navajo Nation reservation. She is red running into the water clan (Táchii’nii) and born for the honey combed rock people clan (Tsénjíkiní). Her maternal grandparent is bitter water clan (Tódich’nii’ii) and her paternal grandparent is water’s edge clan (Tábááhí). Christa is passionate about reclaiming traditional birth practices and plant medicine. She hopes to learn more about traditional Chinese medicine and its influence on healing through wholeness and connection. She values knowledge sharing, family, self-care, and self-love. She aspires to bring high quality care and increase access to alternative forms of healing to help decrease health concerns affecting the Indigenous communities. 
 
“See one, teach one. You are your brother’s and sister’s keeper.”
— Quote from the documentary Dope is Death

My name is Kaene Antonio. I live in Window Rock, AZ in the Navajo Nation. I was born in the nearby town of Fort Defiance, AZ, but I’ve lived most of my life in Window Rock. In Navajo kinship, we are from our Mother’s home, so I am from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I have 4 clans to identify myself; I am Shawnee Deer Clan (Bį́į́h Dine’é nishłį́) and born for the Edge Water clan (TóBąąhí bah shishchíín), my maternal grandfather is Cherokee and European descent (Naałání dah shicheii), my paternal grandfather is the Bitter Water clan (Tó Dich’íí’níí dah shinálí). My passion is on sustainable living with inspiration from the knowledge and stories of my ancestors and from my own experiences. My hope is to increase awareness of how our ancestors’ knowledge can grow through us to be applied in today’s diverse world.

My name is Keisha Peaches. I live and grew up on the Navajo Nation. I am Coyote Pass clan (Mą'íídeeshgíízhíníí). Born for Near the Water clan (Tó'áhani). My maternal grandfather is Red Running Into the Water (Táchii'nii). My paternal grandfather is Many Goats clan (Tł'izílání). My passion is caring for our elders as caregivers and teaching it to the next generation. I hope to learn more about traditional Chinese medicine to help heal my community. To continue to learn my traditional values and to share it with the youth.

My name is Nizhoni Singer. I live and grew up in Fort Defiance, AZ. What drew me into this program was seeing a different way of helping people, especially seeing something like this on the Navajo Nation. It was something new and it peaked my interest. When I found this program and got a treatment I was curious about how Chinese medicine worked, so I decided to join. Now as I'm learning all these new things, I feel like I'm slowly finding out my path.

My name is Esther. I am Diné/Pueblo. I believe we are Qi - energy. Sometimes we can out of balance physically, emotionally. Sometimes we may have overcome life’s hardships. But don’t realize our body is holding on to the trauma of it. Sometimes the standard medical practice just doesn’t fit. 
These tools help us to come back into balance & harmony. It’s a step towards healing.

Eirena is a 2023 NHP intern from Gallup, NM.