In 2018, there were a total of 18 grocery stores in the Navajo Nation, which extends across three states — New Mexico, Utah and Arizona — and is the size of West Virginia. Families often travel hours one way to shop for groceries and other essentials.

Though the Navajo Nation is a dry reservation, an increasing number of deaths are alcohol related. Most families on the reservation, including mine, have lost a loved one to alcohol or substance abuse. I lost my closest uncle to alcohol-related violence when I was just 11 years old.

In the event of a health emergency, the Navajo people have to drive hours to the nearest health facility. Our roads do not have signs or addresses. Emergency services have a hard time reaching us. In addition to limited resources, Navajo people are some of the most vulnerable in the country to the coronavirus, with high rates of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

In Albuquerque, people who are not Navajo ask me why the virus has spread so rapidly through the nation. My answer is always the same: Because we take care of one another. Any given home on the reservation is not just made up of a mother, father and one or two children. A home belongs to grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and extended family members. We leave our doors open because that is the Navajo way of life. But now, that custom comes with a cost.

As the pandemic unmasks underlying social issues, my people and leaders are left to address them. In order to make sure that every home on the reservation is prepared for the next pandemic, we need to ensure that everyone is doing their part to provide the basic needs for all Navajo people: a roof over their heads, access to clean running water and expanded infrastructure so that the people don’t have to rely on businesses off the reservation.