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- By Rich Tupica
The Protect the Elders live stream returns tonight and is even more star-studded than it’s previous installment. This video/conversion is free to view and focuses on uniting Native American youth and promotes looking out for elders during this critical time.
The superhero-themed evening features Hollywood A-listers Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit). The stream will also unveil details on Protect the Sacred’s new Navajo Hero & Shero Challenge.
Also joining the Zoom video are Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer, who revealed yesterday they are both in self-quarantine after coming into contact with a first responder who tested positive for COVID-19. Both are said to be feeling fine. Rounding out the lineup are Radmilla Cody (former Miss Navajo, Grammy-nominated musician) and Protect the Elders founder Allie Young. A recent Protect the Sacred post underscored the importance of these ongoing discussions: “We’re calling on all of our Native heroes and sheroes (that’s you, Navajo and Native youth) to #stopthespread of #COVID19.” When the video-feed goes live, CLICK HERE to view it. It starts at 5 p.m. Pacific, 6 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, and 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Protect the Elders was launched by Young after COVID-19 cases began to rise throughout Indian Country. Its mission statement is clear: “We must come together to protect what’s sacred to our people - our elders, our languages, our medicine ways and our cultures.” The previous online-event, hosted April 2, is still available via Facebook, here.
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