GRAND Magazine - Fall 2021 - 22

cover story
Somáh wrote of their upbringing on Instagram,
" She taught me the value of hard work and how to
invest love into my community. Even when we were
homeless, living off food stamps and the kindness of
friends, my mom was generous in every way that she
could afford to be. "
Haaland's paychecks could never account for her
drive. She ran her own small business, making and
canning Pueblo Salsa. She went on to become the
first woman elected to the Laguna Development
Corporation Board of Directors, where she supervised
business operations for New Mexico's second largest
tribal gaming enterprise.
Familial Respect and a Personal
Allyship with the Queer
Community
Somáh, now 27, is a professional in the entertainment
industry. When the pandemic arose, Somáh
began working for the nonprofit Pueblo Action
Alliance, a nonprofit that strives to defend Indigenous
communities in New Mexico.
Somáh credits Deb for their ethics. " From a very
young age, she instilled in me a sense of wanting to
do the right thing and make the world a better place, "
Somáh told American Theatre magazine.
Somáh is a lesbian and came out to Deb as a senior
in high school. " I'm thrilled to know that her future
is free from barriers to marry whomever she wishes, "
Deb said after the Supreme Court upheld marriage
equality in 2015.
Somáh is equally supportive of Haaland working
in the White House. When Haaland was nominated
for secretary, Somáh said, " She genuinely gives her
best. Debra is the most selfless person I know and I'm
grateful that she raised me with the same integrity
and strength that she carries. I'm so proud to support
my mom today and every day. "
Haaland earned her bachelor's degree in English
at the University of New Mexico (UNM) and her J.D.
from UNM Law School. Like 42.9 million Americans,
2.4 million of whom are 62 or older, Haaland is still
paying off student loans.
Senator, Elizabeth Warren, announcing her Universal Child
Care and Early Learning Act. She and U.S. Rep. Deb
Haaland, D-N.M., introduced the bill in Congress.
22 GRAND Fall 2021
In 2018, Haaland was elected to the United States
House of Representatives, where she was among the
first Native American women to serve in Congress.
Haaland represented New Mexico's 1st
Congressional
District, where she sponsored or co-sponsored legislation
on environmental justice, protecting Native
American communities and counteracting climate
change policies. Haaland continues to champion
these issues as Interior Secretary.
Aimée La Fountain is a Greater New York based
writer and marketing strategist. She currently serves
as an arts columnist for Gannett and specializes in
features. Her writing has appeared in The New York
Times, The Washington Post, YES!, and SELF, among
others. To read more of Aimée's work, click here.

https://www.facebook.com/GRANDmagazine https://www.twitter.com/grandmmagazine?lang=en https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/how-many-americans-have-student-loan-debt https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/how-many-americans-have-student-loan-debt https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/us/politics/elizabeth-warren-child-care.html https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/hr3315 https://www.thehill.com/policy/healthcare/449197-warren-haaland-introduce-universal-child-care-legislation https://aimeelafountain.journoportfolio.com/

GRAND Magazine - Fall 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - Fall 2021