Posts by Makaius Marks
International Year of Woman Farmers 2026
The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026). The Year recognizes the work women do across food and farming, from field to market, and pushes to close gender gaps in access to land, finance, and services. Here at Tó Nizhóní Ání (Sacred Water Speaks), we’re highlighting our Food Sovereignty Coordinator, Audrey Narindrankura.
Read MoreCelebrating Black Mesa’s Potato
Celebrating Black Mesa’s Potato Today is National Potato Day. Across the country, that means only a few potatoes, but across the Americas, it means over 4,000 varieties. Within the Dził Yíjiin (Black Mesa) region, there is a specific potato that grows wild. It is known as Nímasii yázhí or small potato in the Diné (Navajo) language because it is so small they fit in the palm of…
Read MoreTNA tables at 2026 Flagstaff Wool Festival
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – On June 6th and 7th, members of Tó Nizhóní Ání spent the two days tabling at the 2026 Flagstaff Wool & Fiber Festival. Tó Nizhóní Ání shared space with elders from Black Mesa, who marketed their wool and weavings to festival attendees while the organization shared information about current efforts on Black Mesa. This fiber festival event was a unique experience not only for the TNA team, but for festival attendees alike —…
Read MoreTó Nizhóní Ání tables at the annual parent summit in Pinon
PINON, Ariz. – On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) tabled at the Annual Parent Summit at the Piñon Unified School District #4 (PUSD#4). TNA organizers Andrew Atencia and Makaius Marks tabled alongside programs that serve Navajo parents and students, such as the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarships and Assistance. The PUSD#4 Parent Summit successfully pulled together organizations and local school programs to share information with parents. A large number of parents and teachers from PUSD were in attendance and had many questions about the campaigns…
Read MoreKinsey, Flagstaff School’s Watershed Discovery Day on Black Mesa
HARDROCK, AZ – On April 23, 2026, Navajo and Hopi students from Kinsey Elementary and Flagstaff High School joined the Tó Nizhóní Ání (TNA) Food Sovereignty crew members for a Black Mesa Watershed Discovery Day. Elementary students from the Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School (Kinsey) chose Black Mesa as their Discovery Day, a day where 4-5 grade students come out of the classroom to engage in projects within their interests actively in the world. Flagstaff High School (FHS) students from the Native American Club joined the Elementary students. “[The…
Read MoreMonitoring Day 2025: Tsiyi’ Tó Watershed
HARD ROCK, Ariz. – During some of the wettest consecutive days of 2025 so far, the Tó Nizhóní Ání watershed crew set out to monitor the progression of restoration in the Tsiyi’ Tó Pilot Project Site. Periods of consistent rainfall led to flowing washes and streams, creating the perfect conditions to observe moisture infiltration and…
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