Just Trying to Build a Home
Tsayatoh Chapter, NM
I grew up in Pretty Rock, a small community near Gallup. Most of my childhood was spent living with my grandmother on the Navajo reservation. Even though I lived on the reservation, I went to school in Gallup, spending years riding the bus back and forth between home and town. That became part of everyday life.
After graduating high school in 2006, I continued my education and earned a welding certification. Over the years, I worked different jobs, including refinery work, law enforcement, and telecommunications. No matter where I worked though, my goal was always the same, to build a stable life and home for my family back on the reservation.
A couple years ago, my wife and I bought a mobile home with plans to place it on our homesite in Black Hat. At first, we thought it would be a simple process. Instead, it became one of the most stressful experiences our family has gone through.
I quickly learned how difficult and confusing the homesite lease process can be. At chapter meetings, I heard people say they had already been waiting five to eight years and were still trying to get approved. Hearing that discouraged us. There were times my wife and I wondered if we would ever truly be able to move into our home.
The process involved endless paperwork, phone calls, meetings, and trying to understand requirements that often were not clearly explained. A lot of the responsibility fell on me to keep checking in, following up, and making sure our application did not get forgotten. I realized that if you stop pushing, things can easily sit there for months or years.
After staying persistent and continuing to ask questions, I was finally able to receive my homesite lease within nine months, which was much faster than what many others experience. But even after that, the challenges did not stop.
Getting water and electricity connected became another long process involving different offices, agencies, and utility companies. At times it felt like we were being pushed aside or forgotten. Trying to manage all of that while balancing work and family responsibilities became emotionally exhausting.
Then, just before Christmas, we finally got running water.
I still remember how emotional that moment felt for my family. Something as basic as turning on a faucet became a symbol of relief, stability, and progress after years of uncertainty. Soon after, our electricity was connected too.
A lot of people outside the reservation take those things for granted. But for many Navajo families, access to water and electricity is still a struggle.
When I think about the future, I hope my children and future generations will not have to go through the same hardships my family experienced just to build a home. I want to see a Navajo Nation where families can access homesites, utilities, and infrastructure without spending years fighting through difficult systems.
I believe our communities have the potential to grow and improve, but it will take stronger systems, better leadership, and continued support for families trying to create a better future.
My story is really about perseverance.
No matter how frustrating the process became, I kept pushing forward because all I wanted was to build a stable home and life for my children.
Brad, Tsayatoh Chapter, June 2026
