Writing Samples
Here are a few stories I have written during my time at the O’odham Action News.
How You Can Remember and Honor Our Veterans This Memorial Day (O’odham Action News)
Memorial Day is coming up May 31, and it is a day to honor and mourn the military personnel who have died in the performance of their military duties while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
I had a chance to visit with SRPMIC Veterans Representatives Amanda White and Troy Truax Jr. about the significance of this day. White, who served in the Army National Guard, said that a lot of people often confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
“Memorial Day is mainly for the Americans who died while in military service. It’s for the men and women who did not return home from their service,” said White. “There are also men and women who came back from their service and didn’t die while they were on active duty, but they have now passed, so we also honor them as well for Memorial Day.”
Memorial Day is a federal holiday and is observed on the last Monday in May. The passing of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968 created a convenient three-day weekend for Memorial Day and three other holidays. While it may be easy to enjoy the gift of having one extra day off, we should also remember to pay our respects in honoring those who have passed while fighting for our freedom.
Truax, who is also the current commander of American Legion Post 114, the “Bushmasters,” said, “I personally strongly encourage each family to go out to the cemetery and to their fallen loved one that has passed as a veteran, and honor them by cleaning the gravesite. Make it look nice and presentable for them and show them that respect and honor. And just pay it forward; if there’s [a living] veteran that needs help within the Community, help them as much as you can.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Memorial Day observance this year will be a virtual event that will be livestreamed on the SRPMIC Veterans Facebook and Instagram accounts. For all the details about this event, please view Memorial Day the flyer to the right. Along with the Memorial Day Ceremony, there will be a virtual 5K run/walk that Community members can do on their own and take a photo.
The SRPMIC Veterans Representatives Office will be giving out T-shirts to the first 200 registered participants. (See sidebar for the link to register. Proof of participation is required at the time of the T-shirt pickup; details on pickup will be provided after you register.) There will also be a short service at U.S.S. Arizona Memorial Gardens at 10 a.m., which will be open to the public. Those in attendance must wear a mask and maintain social distance when possible.
Community Thoughts on The Last Dance (O’odham Action News)
Basketball fans around the world have gotten a much needed distraction from the COVID-19 pandemic with a 10-episode docuseries about the 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls team. The documentary, The Last Dance, follows Michael Jordan and his teammates as the franchise wins its sixth and final NBA championship. The Bulls organization gave a film crew an all-access pass during that particular season, and the documentary includes never-before-seen footage plus recent interviews that tie the whole thing together.
The Last Dance was originally scheduled to be released in June, but its release was moved up to April 19. The program just wrapped up five weeks of Sunday-night entertainment on May 17. While the documentary was only available on some ESPN networks, it will be available via Netflix on Sunday, July 19, just in case you missed it. The Last Dance has brought back much nostalgia among fans of an older era of basketball.
The kids who watched MJ and his spectacular performances during his prime, whether it was a slam-dunk contest, a graceful fadeaway or literally switching hands mid-air to evade a defender, are now adults. We spoke with two SRPMIC members who are diehard fans, along with two Community coaches, to get their take on Michael Jordan and their love of basketball overall. Community member Jessica Scabby recalled that, growing up in Lehi, her dad would take her to high school basketball games in Mesa. Some of the games were real nail-biters. “We would also follow all the Native teams that would come down to the Valley to play for state. That is something he and I did for many years,” said Scabby. The support of basketball from Native communities is what stood out to Scabby. She fell in love with the game and played in high school and college. Her favorite player? “Of course, Michael Jordan was my idol. I had all his shoes.”
The same was said by Community member Julian Rivers. “My first pair was the Jordan 13, Cherry’s they call them, and they are a basic white and red shoe. It took me to another level of collections,” said Rivers. “They were him, he wore them, and I still try to ‘be like Mike’ in them.” The two also spoke of Jordan’s team leadership. For Scabby, it fueled her work ethic and leadership. “He brought it every single game, and that’s the type of person and player I wanted to be. So, when I was done playing, it morphed into my career. It doesn’t go away, it just changes.”
Two basketball coaches in the Community, Kyronna Roanhorse, head coach of the Salt River Lady Eagles, and Robert Johnston, who has been a coach for more than 27 years, added their own perspectives. Roanhorse, a Michael Jordan and Bulls fan who also collects Jordan shoes, was in love with basketball at a very young age. Her dad would take her to the Gallup Flea Market, where she would buy basketball cards. This hobby allowed her to study the players and watch them more closely. “I was a really big fan, I’ve always been, and I followed a lot of players. Card trading, collecting, putting them in plastic sleeves—I really took care of them,” said Roanhorse. “Even when I went off to college, I took them with me.”
Johnston grew up in a sports family. Every weekend he and his family were participating in baseball, softball or basketball tournaments. Even though he was surrounded by the game, he didn’t become a fanatic until the era of Magic Johnson and the Lakers in the ’80s. Johnston said that growing up as a huge Lakers fan hindered his feelings toward other players. “I wasn’t able to appreciate other players like Larry Bird or Isiah Thomas and the [Detroit] Pistons, simply because I was a Lakers fan and I grew to dislike those players and dislike anyone who could beat the Lakers.” Then Jordan quickly began showcasing his undeniable talents in the NBA. “When Michael Jordan came around, I loved the way he played. But I almost felt guilty that I loved watching him so much because I knew one day, as he got better, he was going to have to face Magic. So as much as I loved watching him, at the same time I didn’t want him to get better.”
It is true that Jordan and the Bulls have broken many hearts. Many here in Arizona remember that the ’92/’93 Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals, (4-2), forcing the Suns to be content in second place as Western Conference Champions and locking in Jordan’s first-ever NBA championship three-peat. While this happened over 25 years ago, in Phoenix the wound remains as fresh as the day it happened.
The Last Dance encapsulates the hard work, drive, determination and leadership that Michael Jordan possessed in pushing his team to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, Seattle Supersonics and Utah Jazz. For the complete interview with these four fans, listen to Episode 2 of the OAN Podcast at anchor.fm/oodham-actionnews.