Culturally rooted

Jerene Yazzie was born in Shiprock, and she was raised on the reservation in Sheep Springs.

She is of the Navajo tribe and said her first clan is Kinyaa'aanii and she is born for Hashk'aahadzohi.

Her first two clans come from her mother and father. Navajo children are "born to" their mother's clan and "born for" their father's clan.

Yazzie enrolled at Eastern New Mexico University in the fall of 2015. She is a sophomore, majoring in biology with an emphasis in pre-medicine.

Yazzie has been involved with her culture growing up. She said working for Native American Affairs at ENMU keeps her attached to her indigenous roots.

She was Miss Native ENMU for 2015-16.

"I am very proud to have spread my culture around campus," she said.

She enjoys working for Multicultural Affairs because it gives her the opportunity to be involved with other cultures.

What do you like about your job?

I love working for Multicultural Affairs because I have the opportunity of gaining office skills as well as a family with different ethnicities. I am fortunate to plan events and host events, especially for Native American Heritage Month.

My job allows me to keep my home close, through events, questions from people and educating others of certain traditions in my culture.

Tell us a story about your childhood:

When I was young, I was not very shy. I was the typical "rez" child. I played in the dirt and chased cattle.

My favorite times were holidays, especially the summertime holidays because that was when my cousins would all get together and we would go to the ponds nearby and swim, play in the mud and ride bikes around. We would pack lunch and eat for a break while in the mountains.

I am very blessed to have lived this lifestyle because I know where my roots are and I do not take things for granted.

When you were a kid, what did you think you'd be doing as an adult?

As a kid, I was always wondering how I was going to handle bills, college, working and family. It was a major idea for me because I grew up with limited resources and my family always struggled.

It has always been my goal to make things better for them.

What's your favorite song at the moment?

My favorite song at the moment is "Hometown Girl" by Josh Turner because the lyrics of his song remind me so much of myself and the things he mentions take me home and remind me of everything I do back home.

Like my mother says, "You can take the girl out of the rez, but you can't take the rez out of the girl."

What is your favorite smell?

My favorite smell is when my mother burns some cedar to say prayers. The smell of the cedar reassures me that the obstacles and negativity in my life will be handled by "Diyin" (God) and that all is well spiritually, mentally and physically.

What's your favorite TV show, past and present?

My past favorite TV show is "That's So Raven" and presently it is "Empire."

What fantasy/mythological creature would you have as a pet?

I would love to have Kilala from Inuyasha as a pet. She looks like a huge cat with two tails and my love for cats is beyond anything imaginable.

What's so great about your favorite sport?

I used to think basketball was great because of all of the interaction between players, sportsmanship and zoning out all that was stressing me out. Then I came to Eastern New Mexico University and, my advisor, Matthew Barlow, is always putting Navajo girls at a high rank.

He has said, "Navajo girls are good at basketball and are fast runners, don't mess with them."

I never thought of myself as significant, just a basketball player and for him to inform others about our abilities has changed my outlook because I am very fortunate to be Native American and stand out in as many ways as I can.

Tell us about your favorite place traveled?

My favorite place traveled is to White Sands in Alamogordo because I went with a group of diverse people and it was heartwarming to see their expressions toward the beauty of my home state. It was a great experience but very hot.

Tell us about your greatest individual accomplishment?

My greatest individual accomplishment would be becoming Miss Native American ENMU ... and being able to make an impact on the university community and my own.

Everyone was very proud to see that I have created an environment for myself and that I am building my reputation.

- Compiled by CMI Correspondent D'Nieka Hartsfield