When it comes to the House of Representatives, it’s so important to have diversity.
And now, representative Christina Haswood has shown off her traditional Navajo Attire after being sworn in, and we can’t get enough…
This last week, tensions have continued to increase over the results of the election…
But with everything up in the air, one thing we can all agree on is things are definitely looking up in a different department.
Congress currently has a record number of Native American women representatives…
3 have been voted as part of the House of Representatives; including, Democrats Deb Haaland, and Laguna Pueblo representing New Mexico. Sharice Davids, a Ho-Chunk representing Kansas, keeping their position since 2018!
As well as these Congresswomen, Republican Yvette Herrell, who is Cherokee, won the vote for New Mexico.
This means that New Mexico is the first-ever state to have 2 indigenous women.
There has actually been a record eighteen indigenous women who ran for congressional seats in the last year alone!
All indigenous US representatives have been men up until Haaland and Davids were elected just 2 years ago.
And, as well as this amazing news, in Kansas, Stephanie Byers – who is Chickasaw – became the state’s first transgender lawmaker!
“We’ve made history here,” Byers said on Tuesday. “We’ve done something in Kansas most people thought would never happen, and we did it with really no pushback, by just focusing on the issues.”
Also in Kansas, Christina Haswood – a Navajo Nation member – is the youngest representative at just twenty-six-years of age.
And a third member of the Kansas house, Ponka-We Victors, a Tohono O’odham and Ponca member, got re-elected!
This means that the U.S. House of Representatives will have the highest number of indigenous representatives…
And now, Christina Haswood has won even more praise after wearing her traditional Navajo Attire to her swearing-in ceremony.
She shared the ceremony with her followers online…
Haswood is the third Native American woman to ever serve in the Kansas Legislature…
via Tiktok
And, on January 11th, she was officially sworn in.
“Many indigenous peoples wear their traditional attire at special events,” Representative Haswood said.
via Tiktok
“The outfit I wore at my swearing-in was made by my mother, myself, and my partner helped here and there. My jewelry was all passed down and borrowed from my family. I wanted to honor their sacrifices and my ancestors all on that day. I also wore it for other indigenous youth to see the representation and show them we belong in these spaces.”
Haswood even took TikTok along for the ride, and we’re so glad she did!
“My grandmother was there making sure we were doing everything right,” Haswood said. “She’s my shimá sání (maternal grandmother) and she is the one that has taught me many of our Navajo traditions.”
HB2006, Changing the designation of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day. HB2008, Providing training for law enforcement agencies on missing and murdered indigenous people. HB2033, Increasing the minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour over a period of 6 years.
You can watch Haswood being sworn in below…
How incredible! We can’t wait to see what new ideas she brings. Keep scrolling for more…
