Meet and Greet- Colorado Navajo Resiliency Project

The Colorado Navajo Resiliency Project is proud to host an upcoming event in Crested Butte on Sunday, March 20th 6pm, at Rumors Coffee House/Townie Books.

A group of Crested locals, along with others from around the state of Colorado, have been collaborating with people on the Navajo Nation on short-term mutual aid and long-term food sovereignty projects since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.

Kern Collymore and Jake Toledo will be here to thank the community for the support, to update us on how our donations are being used, and to extend an invitation for upcoming volunteer opportunities this spring and summer on Navajo lands.

Jake Toledo, is a Dine artist and advocate and has spent countless hours, putting hundreds of miles on his vehicle to deliver donations across the four directions of tribal land. His work has helped to ensure that elders, families, and the unsheltered have access to much needed supplies. He has been an integral part of doing the work to deliver and set up water systems for catchment and irrigation. He will also have some of his original art and prints available.

Kern Collymore is Afro-Caribbean from Trinidad and Tobago. After graduating from Columbia University, he co-founded Sixth World Solutions and has worked on land restoration, water security and food sovereignty for over a decade. He developed the Community Leadership Program for the first Navajo Nation community-led watershed project called the Little Colorado River Watershed Chapters Association (LCRWCA). Recently, Kern has focused his efforts in developing solar water filtration, rainwater catchment systems and other forms of sustainable development for Diné producers to deal with the dual impacts of COVID and long-term drought.

Our Colorado communities have given generously, and this will be a great opportunity to learn about how these donations have implemented. They will also provide information for those who may be interested in getting hands on experience with ongoing water and food sovereignty projects on the Navajo Nation.

The event is free but donations to cover travel expenses and upcoming projects will be graciously accepted and appreciated.
We hope to see you there to show our community support!