Though the Navajo Nation has a home repair program through the local Chapter House, too few of these elders have transportation to make the more than two-hour drive to obtain the necessary bids for processing an application. Long home repair waiting lists and limited funding across the nation also hinder progression or hope.
Adhering to K’é, a Navajo’s cultural and spiritual commitment to mutual generosity and compassion, the employees and family of Laguna Creek LLC, will repair the roofs of five elders and homeowners with disabilities to ensure they are well protected from temperatures that can soar into the 100s and drop as low as the 20s.
“Giving back is more than just writing a check,” said Wyatt Redshield Gilmore, a Navajo who grew up in nearby Kayenta, Ariz., and CEO of Laguna Creek. “It’s about being present, connecting with people, offering your time, and getting your hands dirty to make sure the job is done right.”
K’é (pronounced “k’eh”) translates roughly to kinship, relationship, or compassionate connection, but encompasses a broader belief in interconnectedness and mutual responsibility. Gilmore, who created Laguna Creek in 2024 to aid the Navajo tourism industry as a one-stop tour, hotel and restaurant booking and property management digital platform, gives 10% of his company’s net profits to Indigenous peoples.
The repair work, starting at 9 a.m. MST on May 28, will culminate with a sheep butchering and gratitude dinner on May 30. Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez will speak at the dinner and offer a prayer at group gathering site, located about six miles from the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park entrance.
For Gilmore, giving isn’t a one-time undertaking.
“This community raised me and taught me the importance of K’é throughout my life,” Gilmore said. “This is only a small start to what we hope to accomplish in the future because this is our ‘why’ as a company. We want to become as successful as possible in order to benefit as many people as possible.”
Photos, video and B-roll will be available starting at noon on May 28 here. The gathering site location site coordinates are: 37°01’18.8″N 110°09’36.6″W, near Mile Marker 2 off Highway 163.
