Stories That Matter
I am a Diné journalist from Fort Defiance, Arizona located on the Navajo Nation. I’ve been reporting on the Navajo Nation for the past 13 years and without a doubt it is my passion in life. I have won numerous reporting awards which include placing first for Arizona Press Club’s community investigative reporting, as well as being awarded the Nina Mason Pulliam Environmental Journalism Award for community journalism. I hold a masters in investigative journalism from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.
Being raised on the Navajo Nation has definitely impacted my storytelling and cultivated the voice I use to share the stories and issues I write about. My views on Indigenous reporting is simple: we as Indigenous people should be writing about our own people, stories and issues. Take my view as you may, but as a Diné reporter who has made her career reporting on the issues that impact not only myself, but my family, and tribe I have read many mistakes and cultural inaccuracies in articles written by outside media and reporters about the Navajo Nation and our people. This is what drives me to report and write in an authentic and accurate way that only someone who is from the community and is familiar with the people, culture, language, issues, land can understand.
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I've discussed my work on radio, tv, and have been invited to present on my coverage.
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This site has only a handful of articles but you can find my work here:
https://www.azcentral.com/staff/6789373001/arlyssa-d-becenti/
Past work: sourcenm.com/ arlyssa becenti