WE HOLD ONE ANOTHER TOGETHER

“My mother is here for my children and me. We learn from her ... This is called our teachings and, with that, we hold one another together. This is passed down to us from generations before.”  - Kay Atene

 

Born of both tradition and necessity, the practice of multi-generational living plays a central role in the passing down of Diné culture, language, and identity. The coronavirus pandemic has threatened that. Over the past two years, the Navajo Nation was disproportionately impacted: with a higher per capita COVID-19 death rate than most U.S. states. 

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"We Hold One Another Together" is a visual meditation on what stands to be lost when the practice of multigenerational living is disrupted and how it can be protected.  The sharing of inner and outer worlds, along with the cultivation of knowledge, language, and identity, are all integral threads in the cultural resilience that powers the Diné community.

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Supported by the National Geographic Society and the Getty Images Editorial Grant  |  Published by The Washington Post