Department Manager
Capital Projects Management Department
Navajo Nation Division of Community Development

The Tribal Resilience Leadership Award recognizes Mr. Adakai's outstanding leadership of the Water Access Coordination Group (WACG), and the heroic, collaborative and effective work it has performed to complete the mission of constructing transitional water sites on the Navajo Nation and providing culturally respectful communication about the location and use of these sites during the COVID-19 crisis.

"This award is very special to me. I am speechless. With great honor and a humble heart, I accept the award. Much thanks to others who actually did the work on the Water Access project. I am proud of all people who took part in contributions to this cause. We now have a significant number of Navajo families to have access to clean water. I thank the leadership of Dr. Pearl Yellowman and the Navajo Nation Office of the President and Vice President for giving me the opportunity to be part of this monumental task and being able to achieve it together. Lastly, I am grateful for the award to come from the Agnese Nelms Haury in Environmental and Social Justice deserves, a program that deserves credit for recognizing exceptional contributions to the promotion of Tribal Resilience. Ahe'hee' Thank you." - James Adakai