LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / April 30, 2020 / On behalf of the Navajo People Dineh Benally is making a plea to all our Hollywood friends and partners to help support one of their most famous an renowned movie locales in the world and help the Navajo people in their fight to survive against the Covid-19 crisis.
"I'm calling on all Hollywood movie actors, producers, directors and companies that have ever filmed in and around the Navajo Nation to help our people now when we need it most." Said Dineh Benally, President of the San Juan River Farm Board, "Desperate times call for desperate measures and with celebrities who recently donated thousands of bottled water to our people, they can help bring much needed attention to our plight, and help us get the resources desperately needed for this community."
For decades, the Navajo have opened their lands to Hollywood and seen their famous and incredible landscapes such as Monumental Valley, Shiprock and Window Rock featured in many epic blockbusters that have earned billions in revenue globally. Hollywood has portrayed the Native culture in many different lights on screen (and not always positive) but the breathtaking, mesmerizing and awe-striking landscapes and rock formations seen in backdrops has attracted many top movie makers since films began being made. The most recent movie to be filmed on location was Jumanji: The Next Level. The Navajo Nation expands over 27,000 square miles of vast scenery located on southwest corners of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.
"Legendary films such as Easy Rider, National Lampoons Vacation, Wind Talkers, Back to the Future Part III and Forrest Gump are to name only a few of the countless epic classics and old Western Movies that have used Navajo Nation lands to tell their stories". Said Benally. "Now we are asking Hollywood to write a new story…. the Navajo Story…. a story of how our long-time friends and neighbors saw that we needed help and came in and saved the day. I think that's an amazing story for Hollywood to tell….and with their support, it can have the perfect" Hollywood" ending for all of us."
There are currently approximately 40,000 families in need living on the Navajo Nation now with the third highest CV-19 death rate per capita in the world. The Navajo have been on ordered government lock down with emergency weekend curfews in place for the past several weeks. Many residents are helpless, without money to buy food and essential supplies. Many of these families have elderly members vulnerable to CV-19 and are already challenged with accessing even basic utilities including running water. Navajo children & grandchildren are unable to visit their elders to bring them medicine and the domestic issues and increased substance abuse has become even more rampant.
The Navajo people already took a huge hit last year when over 2000 jobs were lost as the result of a long-time tenant and large coal powered plant and coal mines closing. These closures left many residents without the ability to pay their bills and no other source of income to manage their farms. Even though they had just begun to rebuild their fragile economy, this CV-19 Crisis has stopped all ability for them to do so and fear this time many may not recover. This fear is based on precedent as during the H1N1 flu epidemic in 2009, Native Americans died at four to five times the rate of other Americans.
"I urge you to visit the website links below that some of our supporters just launched which further outlines how dire this situation is for our people." Said Benally. "Whether you can donate, like or share our fundraising links, or give us a shout out on your social media networks, we would appreciate any bit support you can do. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts".
Here are the links to where you can donate or help spread the word of this campaign by sharing and liking the pages. Every small effort can make a huge impact. CovidKindness WeAreInThisTogether
GO FUND Me - Urgent: Forgotten Navajo Natives Need Help Now
Facebook - Help Our Natives Covid Relief
Website - HelpTheNavajos.com
Navajo Nation - NNDOH.org/donate
Media Contact
Info@HelpOurNatives.com
www.HelpOurNatives.com
+1-505-718-1891
SOURCE: One World Ventures Inc
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https://www.accesswire.com/587828/CORRECTION-Navajo-Makes-Plea-to-Hollywood
