Laramie Blake with one her weavings

Tempe, AZ  Regular readers have noticed that I’ve been going to Chinle a lot lately and I promised to let you know why.  Well, I’ve been part of a little team of weavers who have been helping a young fellow weaver make the transition to college.  Spider Rock Girl Laramie Blake has started classes and is interested in both business and dental hygiene, but she’s just now beginning to grasp the opportunities that a college education can provide.    With the enthusiastic help of Weaving in Beauty alumnus Niccole Cerveny, who overcame any obstacle that crossed our path, we were able to find a program for Laramie that has great support for Native American students and she was really pleased to see so many students from back home.  She’s also making new friends, learning her way around this big city environment and has already developed a taste for Five Guys cheeseburgers. 

Laramie is at the start of a long journey that fewer than eight percent of Navajo people complete: the road to a bachelor’s degree.  She’s got great support from her family and the friends that she’s made.  Like any young person leaving home, she’s a little scared and nervous, but she’s got a lot of courage.   Like her nursing student sister LaVera, she’ll be weaving to help support her education and plans to have a loom up soon.  She says that there’s a particular design that she has in mind, so we’ll see what she’s planning!  

Hagoshíí (so long for now)

Mary Walker