3rd Annual Women and Water Convening Highlights Strengths, Resilience and Importance of Collaborations

The third annual Women and Water Convening took place November 5-7, 2025, in Tuba City on the Navajo Nation, Arizona. This event brought together about one hundred Indigenous women and allies who are stewarding and protecting the Colorado River and other bodies of water to provide a creative space to share, plan and collaborate. Attendees included professionals in conservation, the WASH sector, food sovereignty, cultural preservation, and philanthropy, as well as members of creative or academic institutions. Several representatives from the University of Arizona attended, including those from the Haury Program, Indigenous Resilience Center, WWRC, Udall Center, and several recent UA graduates now representing organizations such as Water for People and the Environmental Defense Fund.  The Women and Water Convening was co-created in 2023 to bring together Indigenous women and allies who are stewarding and protecting the Colorado River, with the aim of addressing water issues and advancing community-driven approached. 

The 2025 host committee was co-chaired by Dr. Crystal Tulley-Cordova and Emma Robbins, and includes representatives from the Navajo Nation Water Rights Commission, Navajo Nation Council, Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President, Navajo Nation Office of Legislative Counsel, the Tohono O’odham Nation, Mighty Arrow Family Foundation, Weston Solutions, Diné College, The Chapter House, and Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network. 

The gathering featured presentations by tribal leaders, nonprofits, and researchers as well as uplifted community voices, especially women, and traditional Diné (Navajo) cultural teachings on water and being in the world. The program also included an evening with an Indigenous comedian Jana Schmieding, who reminded the participants to cultivate joy and laughter. On the last day, the participants visited the Little Colorado River Navajo Park and experienced this work in practice.

Nancy Petersen, Haury Program’s Associate Director stated: “Through the voices of the Tribal Leaders of the Navajo Nation and San Juan Southern Paiute and presentations by a Navajo Nation Water Attorney and their Principal Hydrologist, the story underscored the paramount need for tribal water settlements to be approved by Congress to provide water allocations, land, and water infrastructure dollars.” ( For those interested in learning more please see resources such as this brief.)

“Water insecurity is a critical challenge on the Navajo Nation, where approximately one-third of households lack running water and rely on hauling water and unregulated water for basic needs,” shared Nina Sajovec, Grants, Outreach and Communications Manager for the Haury Program. “This system results in health risks, time lost, reduced income, and increased educational barriers, while also increasing the economic burden on families and individuals. Tribal sovereignty and resilience as well as deep traditional environmental knowledge and cultural practices remain central to addressing these challenges, as do collaborations and respectful partnerships and philanthropy. This is why the University of Arizona Haury Program is proud to be a sponsor of this event. It is also incredible to be able to witness the leveraging of extensive U A resources and expertise with all the tribal resources,” added Sajovec.

For more information, visit Planet Women website.