Meet Yazzie Chee 

Yazzie Chee - recently named Mr. Indigenous UO by the Native American Student Union - is no stranger to overcoming challenges to find a caring community. Lacking parental and family support as a youth, he finally found a mentor when he attended Lane Community College (LCC). Former LCC Native American Student Program Coordinator Lori Tapahonso was intentional about her efforts to help this homeless teen find his Native American roots. Together they explored his Navajo heritage and Chee learned more about his family and himself. Chee names Tapahonso as a key influencer in his life and in his decision to attend the UO.

So, in 2021 Chee transferred to the University of Oregon after being awarded a Ford Family Foundation scholarship that helped pay for his tuition and expenses. He also joined DucksRISE, a UO program that helped him find an internship at a law firm.

In his role as Mr. Indigenous UO, he helps other people who want to reconnect with their culture. This passion for belonging is what drove him to create an original research project, one in which his oral interview-based research will provide a baseline for Native and Indigenous students’ experiences at the UO. The URDS Impact Fund provided Chee with funds so he could focus on his research.