Native American women made history in tribal, state and federal elections

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.: A third-grade field trip to the Navajo Nation Council sparked Crystalyne Curley’s political ambition when she witnessed a fiery debate erupt between two tribal lawmakers.

“I thought to myself at a very young age, that’s where I want to be,” Curley said.

On Election Day, Curley surpassed that childhood dream and broke a barrier she says she never imagined as a nine-year-old: She was elected the first woman president of the Navajo Nation.

This week’s elections brought a wave of milestone victories, from the nation’s first Black female governor to the first openly gay man and first Muslim elected to the US Senate. It also marked a turning point for Native American women, whose leadership in their families and communities has rarely translated to formal political power.