Diné College Hosts Student-Led Navajo Nation Presidential Forum
TSAILE, Ariz., Diné College hosted a student-led Navajo Nation Presidential Forum on June 30, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. MDT at the Diné College Gymnasium on the Tsaile Campus. Students organized the event to give voters a chance to hear directly from the candidates who hope to lead the Navajo Nation.
The forum was open to the public. Diné College livestreamed the event on its official social media platforms. KXWR-LP 92.1 FM Warrior Radio broadcast it live. A resource fair opened earlier in the day at 2 p.m.
Thirteen candidates for president took part. They shared their views and answered questions prepared by students on topics that matter to Navajo families and communities. Students asked candidates about natural resource extraction, citing the 2022 legislation for helium development on Navajo land. They also raised concerns about jobs and economic opportunity, noting that more than 8,500 people have left the Navajo Nation since the 2010 census.
On housing, students pointed to a lawsuit over nearly $22 million in federal funds intended for 160 modular homes that were never delivered, and asked how candidates would improve housing accountability. Other questions addressed the water crisis, referencing that 27% of homes in the Fort Defiance Agency lack piped water, as well as uranium and arsenic contamination in community water supplies. Students asked candidates how they would strengthen access to healthcare, recruit medical professionals, and improve emergency services for citizens who travel long distances for care.
Public safety questions covered the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and relatives, along with accountability for serious crimes. On technology, students asked whether candidates would establish a Navajo Nation Cybersecurity Office, protect tribal data sovereignty, and guide the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Education questions focused on the decline in the number of Navajo language speakers, the expansion of dual-credit programs, and increased scholarship funding, with students noting that Navajo Nation funding rose to about $9.85 million in 2024. Many students also asked how candidates would support Navajo students in K-12 schools and at the college level, and how they would encourage graduates to return home to serve their communities.
“This forum showed the true purpose of higher education,” said Dr. Deborah Jackson-Dennison, president of Diné College. “Our students asked thoughtful questions and engaged respectfully with different views. Their vision and leadership made this event possible, and it celebrated civic engagement and our shared responsibility to the future of the Navajo Nation.”
Dennison said the event celebrated civic engagement and honored the Diné leadership philosophy, Sa’ah Naagháí Bik’eh Hózhóón. She explained that this teaching guides leaders to think with clarity, plan with vision, act with honor, and reflect with wisdom.
“Leadership begins before holding public office,” Dennison said. “It requires both the courage to stay committed and the compassion to place people first. It is measured by integrity, humility, accountability, and service.”
The following candidates participated in the forum: Alexander Chambers, Arvin Trujillo, Buu Nygren, Crystalyne Curley, Debbie Nez-Manuel, Donovan Begay, Jordon Begay, Emily Ellison, Frank Dayish Jr., Johnny Russell Jr., Justin Jones, Myron Lizer, and Tom T. Chee.
Diné College is the first tribally controlled and accredited collegiate institution in the United States. Founded to serve the Navajo Nation, the college integrates Diné values, language, and culture with rigorous academic study, preparing students to thrive in their communities and beyond. Through a commitment to student success, cultural identity, and lifelong learning, Diné College advances educational opportunity grounded in the principles of Sa’ąh Naagháí Bik’eh Hózhóón.
