Rez Refuge Community Center

Vision: We are young Navajo people committed to our people and our home. Mission: We build a community, welcome to all, with opportunities for young Navajo people to grow in reflection, cultural identity, work, and critical thinking.

Rez Refuge operates the Rez Refuge Community Center in Fort Defiance, Arizona. Our organization has redefined the approach to Community Development through outreach and enrichment opportunities. As members of the community, We understand how the lack of cultural identity, development opportunities, and creative thinking have disabled our youth and teens- ultimately resulting in a community that is vulnerable to negative and unhealthy lifestyle choices. At Rez Refuge we recognize each of our community youth have the right to be provided the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skill needed to improve their quality of life. Our primary objective for each of our programs is to offer various avenues of community development- dependent on community need.

Rez Refuge was founded in 2007 in Fort Defiance, Arizona, by a local Physical Therapist (Tsehootsooi Medical Center), John Van Eyk and his Family. John's dream was to provide a refuge where Rio Puerco community members could go to gain the knowledge needed to succeed in life. Ultimately, he sought to build a more harmonious foundation for Navajo youth and young adults. In 2009, Rez Refuge acquired an abandoned house in that same neighborhood and began renovations to transform it into a community center. Collectively there were thirty-five teenagers and young adults from the Rio Puerco community working to renovate the house, along with hundreds of volunteers from around the United States.

In January 2012, Rez Refuge opened its doors for more regular youth development activities and community events. The organization consisted entirely of volunteers until 2012, during which time it operated its wilderness hikes and provided financial and logistical support to students and families in the Rio Puerco Acres neighborhood in Fort Defiance. In 2018 our programming has evolved into curriculum-based activities geared toward establishing cultural identity, self-sufficiency, social and environmental accountability.

Since the start of the pandemic, Rez Refuge has changed program output to include various relief effort and distribution of crucial supplies alongside remote programming activities for participants and community members. With many of the challenges that are facing Indigenous youth and community members, a sense of community and support is needed as many organizations begin to re-open to the public.

Our Rez Refuge Team consists of all Diné professionals, who have lived or currently live in the neighborhoods we serve. Rez Refuge is leading various micro-projects across our community. These projects have been proven to be effective, at a fraction of the average cost. We serve primarily Diné Youth and we pride ourselves on prioritizing our integrity with our participants and community; above data and red tape.

Testimonials

"Rez Refuge plays a vital role in the community here in Fort Defiance, Arizona. They are always a helping hand when needed. They show great enthusiasm and team work. Great people for a great cause. Thank-you for everything you do!" -Community Member D. Sagg

"Thank you for teaching my child how to play the guitar. He loves it and I love it when he shows me what he learns and plays me music. Ahe'hee!! 5 stars!!" -Music Motivation parent

"No concern! Overall, what Rez Refuge's music does for the community is great; I really enjoyed everything; my kids learned so much! Thank you" -Music Motivation parent

"It was very powerful to be in an environment such as Bioneers where I knew everyone there cares deeply about the issues and topics we discussed and is optimistic for the future. I now realize that throughout my education, I have hardly been taught anything about Native American cultures. I believe that the general dismissal of Indigenous Peoples' cultures, rights and histories is one of the most pressing social issues facing American society today." -New School Student

"I will definitely look into Bioneers for the rest of my life to figure out how I can make the world a better place and talk amongst my peers about the importance of [understanding] genocide, climate change, and politics. I believe my generation can hold up to these problems, I see us succeeding in poverty to help our planet for the better. I believe we can trust one another to reveal the beauty in our hearts and minds spiritually, mentally, and physically. I believe our world will one day rotate gleamingly in grace." -Rez Refuge Youth

"My participation in Intercultural Conversations helped me better understand how important it is to take action on environmental injustice now and how important it is as youth that we are fighting for change...