Native American communities have endured more than their fair share of struggles, long before the coronavirus pandemic hit. And now that it's arrived, it's having a disproportionate impact on Navajo Nation, the largest indigenous community in the U.S.
Per capita, Navajo Nation is one of the hardest hit areas of the country, but it doesn't have the infrastructure or resources to wage the battle that needs to be fought. Thirty percent of people living there don't have running water, and forty percent don't have electricity. Though it's approximately the size of West Virginia, Navajo Nation only has 13 grocery stores, 12 health facilities, 170 hospital beds, and 13 ICU beds. That's not really adequate for a population of 175,000 people under normal circumstances, but during a pandemic it's a tragic underservice.
In addition, a good percentage of Navajo Nation is elderly or have health conditions that put them at higher risk of complications from the virus. That's why a group of local healthcare professionals enlisted Allie Young to launch an initiative called Protecting the Sacred.
"It's our call to the youth to step up as heroes in this moment," Young told NBC News, "and lead that charge to staying home, keeping families home, amplifying the messaging, and sharing it with our tribal nations across the country."
Because of the centuries of genocide, colonization, and the oppression of tribal communities," Young told GOOD, "we now only make up two percent of the population and we're fighting for what we have left. We're fighting for the elders we have left."
By protecting elders, these youth are also protecting their native languages, cultures, and traditions. "Our cultures are in jeopardy right now, if we lose our elders," Young told NBC. "They carry a lot about the knowledge and the ceremonies that we, the young people, are still learning. That's what 'protecting the sacred' is—protecting our elders who are very vulnerable to this virus."
Protect the Sacred works largely through social media, calling on young indigenous people to rise up and take the Hero Challenge. They've even enlisted some favorite Marvel superhero stars—actors Mark Ruffalo and Paul Rudd, and Thor Ragnorak director Taika Waititi—to participate in Facebook Live events to help spread the word.
They've also had support from other celebrities who collaborated to make this Dear America video:
We can all help support the Navajo Nation during this difficult time by donating here. If you are a medical worker or know one who might like to volunteer, you can find out more information here.
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A family makes heart shapes with their hands at sunset
Ketel Marte was brought to tears during an MLB game after facing a shameful fan taunt.
Baseball manager's poignant support for a player brought to tears after shameful fan taunt
Whether they’re expecting perfection from their favorite players or, worse, behaving callously toward opposing teams, sports fans often forget that athletes are human beings. But athletic competition has the ability to unify and uplift, even amid such painful and unpleasant encounters. Take, for example, a major-league baseball game held June 24, 2025 between the home team Chicago White Sox and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
A shameful low point occurred when Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was at bat in the seventh inning. Per ESPN, a fan reportedly yelled out a comment regarding Marte’s late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car accident in the Dominican Republic. Team personnel, including manager Torey Lovullo, then requested the 22-year-old fan be ejected. (Though he was remorseful and admitted his actions were inappropriate, according to an ESPN source, he was nonetheless banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks.) "We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan," the MLB said in a statement. Marte reportedly declined to comment.
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While the fan’s behavior is inexcusable, it did spark a powerful and inspiring moment. After hearing the comment, Marte was visibly upset, prompting Lovullo to walk on the field, put his arm around him, and offer some words of encouragement. "[I said,] 'I love you, and I’m with you, and we’re all together, and you’re not alone,'" Lovullo said in a post-game interview, as documented by The Rich Eisen Show. "'No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you’re heard, that guy is an idiot.’"
According to Arizona Republic, Lovullo heard the fan’s comment but didn’t want to repeat it. “I looked right at [Marte] when I heard,” he said. “I looked right at him, and he looked at the person, as well. He put his head down and I could tell it had an immediate impact on him, for sure."
Elsewhere in the post-game interview, the manager called the moment "terrible" and reflected on why he stood up for Marte. "Fans are nasty, and fans go too far sometimes," he said. "I love my players, and I’m gonna protect them…I’ve known Ketel for nine years. He’s had some unbelievably great moments and some hardships as well and some really tough moments in his life. I know those. At the end of the day, we’re human beings, and we have emotions. I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him."
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
The following day, the Chicago White Sox X account sent out a message in support of Marte, writing, "We’re with you" and "Baseball is family." On The Rich Eisen Show, the show's host addressed the need to eradicate this kind of toxic athlete-fan interaction: "I was hearing [people saying], 'There’s no place for this in major league baseball.' There isn’t. There’s no place for this in our society. I understand that people are saying the MLB has got to do something about this. Fans have a right to heckle players—this is something that has happened forever…But there is a line."
In another recent, depressing sports moment with a beautiful coda, let’s look to Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the first quarter, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon—a devastating injury that could potentially sideline him for most of the 2025-2026 season. Following the game, in a lovely display of sportsmanship, Thunder point-guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the Pacers locker room to check on his competitor. In a press conference, he said, "You just hate to see it, in sports in general. But in this moment, my heart dropped for him. I can't imagine playing the biggest game of my life and something like that happening. It’s so unfortunate."
- YouTubewww.youtube.com