Diversity Works: Choosing a person who understands

When people ask why diversity matters—tell them that when the first Native American, Deb Haaland, was sworn in as Secretary of the Interior, it mattered.?She is the first Native American and citizen of the Laguna Pueblo to serve in the presidential cabinet of a U.S. President.?She will manage millions of acres of federal and tribal lands.?She will work with 574 federally recognized tribal nations.?Why does it matter? It may well save lives.

Secretary Haaland knows well the crisis that has been caused by the toxic residual of uranium mining.?A 2017 survey with a bibliography of over 100 articles asserts uranium mining has left Native Americans at increased risk for kidney disease and hypertension. *

After the invention of atomic weapons in 1945 and the subsequent development of nuclear power plants, mining companies dug more than 4,000 uranium mines across the Western U.S. Though other tribes were affected—including the Hopi, the Arapaho, the Southern Cheyenne, the Spokane and Haaland’s own Laguna Pueblo—roughly 1,000 of these claims were located on Navajo Nation, which encompasses 27,000 square miles where Arizona, Utah and New Mexico meet.?**

Most, but not all of the 160,000 abandoned mines are on tribal land.?Even when remediation begins, the transport of radioactive and toxic material through these lands is dangerous.?Although no one person can instantly reverse the damage, Secretary Haaland is expected to protect the land from continued damage and exploitation and to work toward more sensitive relationships and treaty fulfillment than in the past.?And the Native Americans will hold her responsible as a tribal citizen herself of the Laguna Pueblo’s Jackpile Mine superfund site located 40 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico.?

?*Lewis J, Hoover J, “Mining and Environmental Health Disparities in Native American Communities”* Current Environmental Health Reports, 2017. 4 (2): 130-141

** Toxic Legacy of Uranium Mines on Navajo Nation Confronts Interior Nominee Deb Haaland

Holly Wittenberg and Clarissa Wittenberg