Navajo muralist saw COVID devastation firsthand

The Navajo Nation is one of America’s hardest hit communities by the COVID pandemic. Artist Jerrel Singer saw firsthand the devastation from this tragedy. Not only did the Navajo muralist’s family battle the virus, but he watched his work opportunities fade away. He normally spends the summer traveling to various markets to sell his work, but that didn’t happen this year. Instead, he worked on a mural project which draws attention to the impact of uranium mining on reservation lands which has killed many Native Americans. The mural sits next to Hank’s Trading Post, a popular general store, along a section of Highway 89 known as Hope Highway. It’s important to Singer because it’s in his backyard — in the places he played as a child and where his family still lives today. We’ll focus on his mural and how he draws inspiration from the natural environment around him.