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Prayers to God (Roanna Gets Down) adjusting the mask of Sees Many Seasons (Trevonna Reed). Photo: Biiluukè Strong
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COVID is spiking in Montana. Last week Montana set new record highs for daily new cases. State data has revealed an alarming disparity: despite being only 7% of the state's population, 37% of lives lost to COVID have been Native American.
After witnessing the devastating impact of the pandemic for Navajo Nation and the White Mountain Apache, Montana's Tribal leaders have continued to act quickly to protect their communities, and are quickly reinstating shut downs as numbers spike.
Donate now to support urgent COVID response efforts
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“Our number one objective is to keep people alive. We don’t want one person to die. Our elders are the keepers of the culture, and we can’t afford to lose them." -- Robert DesRosier, Blackfeet COVID-19 Incident Commander
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Pictured above Yellow Plume (Isabella Old Elk) promoting mask wearing in the Biiluukè Strong campaign.
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In response to the spike, We Are Montana is supporting Bach chiikiitaala (“Take Good Care of One Another”), a campaign to unite youth and elders as role models wearing masks and spreading messages about COVID safety. This includes a powerful youth led mask promotion campaign which they have been rolling out on social media.
Wide adoption of mask wearing reduces transmission by 60-80%.
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"Our elders and our future generations depend on our inherent duty to protect and cherish their lives by protecting and cherishing our own lives as well. Be mindful, NO one is exempt or invincible from the wrath of this pandemic. Likewise, it can surely be vanquished by collective accountability and conscientious diligence on our part. Fear? No! Caution, Yes! I’m Praying every day for the protection of our families, our Country, the World and of course, the Great Crow Nation." -- Lauri Dawn Kindness
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Never Gives Anyone the Chance to Tell a Successful Story (Famous Left Hand) promoting mask wearing in the Biiluukè Strong campaign.
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Over the weekend our Crow Nation partner organizations Biiluukè Strong and Plenty Doors held a mask and supply drive-through. Together our partners have distributed thousands of masks, sanitation products, food and water.
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Thank you for supporting this critical work. Together we are implementing the Crow concept: "Bach chiikiitaala (take care of one another) - it's the Apsaalooke (Crow) way".
Sincerely Yours,
Cora
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