Cassandra Begay (Diné)

Cassandra Begay (Diné)

Cassandra is the Director of Community Engagement with The Natural History Museum, an ongoing project by Not An Alternative.

Yá’át’èèh shik’èí dóó shidine’è .Shí éí Cassandra Begay yinishyé. Tsi’naajinii nishłį́. Naakaii bashishchiin. Tódích’íí’nii dashicheii. Naakaii dashinalí. Ákót’éego diné asdzáán nishłį́. Hello family and relatives. My name is Cassandra Begay. I am Black Streak Wood People born for Mexican People clan. My maternal grandfather is Bitter Water clan and my paternal grandfather is Mexican People clan. In this way, I am a Navajo woman.

As the Founder of Defend the Sacred Consulting, and Co-Founder and former Tribal Liaison for PANDOS, Cassandra has engaged in transformational organizing with Native communities in Utah and across the country to protect public lands and elevate Native voices and issues. Formally recognized by former President Obama as a social change leader, she led community engagement efforts with Utah Dine Bikeyah to protect the Bears Ears National Monument, and helped to establish the first-ever Dine majority in recent Utah county elections. Raised on the Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Cassandra understands firsthand the significance and importance of traditional lifeways in connection with the land. Her identity drives her community organizing for positive change, and for building relations to each other and our environment.