My Identity returns!

by Leland P. Morrill Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 3:31am
Great news!
My plastic California state issued Identification plastic card came in the mail.

Left: my paper State issued Identification. Glad I don't have to carry that anymore because no-one accepts that for ID & then I have to continually explain it is State issued Identification.
Right: my plastic State issued Identification card.

A sense of completion and accomplishment. The ability to be part of reality returned. Every time I look at that card I understand freedom in a different way.

Isn't it amazing how every teenager and adult throughout the United States takes a plastic identification card for granted? Most will never know the value placed on that one card until they cannot have one by virtue of not having a birth certificate, proof of birth caused by one act, and anti-terrorism act called The Real ID Act of 2005.

Here is some review:
H.R. 418: REAL ID Act of 2005
1. TITLE II—IMPROVED SECURITY FOR DRIVERS’ LICENSES AND PERSONAL
IDENTIFICATION CARDS
Minimum document requirements:
The person’s date of birth.
Documentation showing the person’s date of birth

2. TEMPORARY DRIVERS’ LICENSES AND17 IDEll,NTIFICATION CARDS that expire one year after issuance.
"(i) IN GENERAL.—If a person presents evidence under any of clauses (v) through (ix) of subparagraph (B), the State may only issue a temporary driver’s license or temporary identification card to the person.
(ii) EXPIRATION DATE.—A temporary driver’s license or temporary identification card issued pursuant to this subparagraph shall be valid only during the period of time of the applicant’s authorized stay in the United States or, if there is no definite end to the period of authorized stay, a period of one year."

The last part of that gets me, an EXPIRATION DATE. Read that paragraph again:

(ii) EXPIRATION DATE.—A temporary driver’s license or temporary identification card issued pursuant to this subparagraph shall be valid only during the period of time of the applicant’s authorized stay in the United States or, if there is no definite end to the period of authorized stay, a period of one year."

Can you imagine going into your local State Department of Motor Vehicles and leaving knowing you only have one year to prove you exist? Realizing the Nation who adopted you out, the Judge in who signed off your adoption, your adopted parents all failed in their own part to document you enough with a Census Number, Certificate of Indian Blood and/or Birth Certificate/Affidavit. In this day and age it determines what you can do and where you can go. It limits your freedom.

Think about all the places you show your State issued Identification Card, or just count in your mind the times you've used it in the past week. What about that purchase at the store where you used a credit card? At the store when you purchased a bottle of wine? While in line to go dancing at a club? At dinner in a restaurant while paying and the waiter asks for identification? That's freedom that's taken away once you lose the ability to have a State issued Identification Card or Drivers License that most people take for granted.

Now think of it on a bigger scale. What if you need your Identification card for employment? Yes you have to prove your identification to work legally in this country. We live in a modern day Depression. If you became unemployed, what type of job can you do without identification? What desperate measures would you do to survive because you didn't have ID?

Here in Los Angeles, you can go into certain neighborhoods and people sell ID's to you. Think how tempting it would be if after one year you were unable to prove your legal status, your birth and you were forced to purchase Identification?

I'm so glad that my California Identification Card arrived. I feel alive again. I wiped out all my savings, my 401K, everything because of the research, paying for legal expenses. I stopped living life and enjoying it as much because there were only limited places, things I could do, I lost many freedoms because of not having that card. I also lost the ability to go to school but not the ability to learn.

I learned to write, hone my research skills, how to utilize the internet, verbalize where I am at in my quest to obtain a goal, how to get other people to understand my plight, where my focus is, and to ask for help. I learned to ask. I learned people are willing to help if you prepare them and can verbalize what you need them to do. I realized I understood verbalizing when my biological cousin Matthew came to visit, he asked me: What can I do? I didn't have an answer then because I hadn't prepared for that question. No one had asked me that. That question totally threw me off guard. Learn to understand when someone asks that question, they may want to hear you verbalize a task for them to do. They may not know how to help because your process is foreign to them. Learning to tell some one to help you and what you need is something that I learned at that moment and to realize I need to be prepared for that question.

Now that I have my Identification card, I'm able to focus on me. I get to move forward rather than being stuck in the desperate process of keeping my identity, knowing my identity has an expiration date.

My new focus is now to regain my financial stability, employment, the focus on entrepreneurship etc. Right now during this modern day Depression, I need to focus on me on moving past when someone pickpocked my wallet and my identity was put into question.
Thank you for reading!

PLEASE READ my other notes, LIKE my page, donate
And sometimes I will have Ebay items on my Facebook page you can purchase to help me fund my writing.
Leland P. Morrill

Could I have been deported?

by Leland P. Morrill Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 on Friday, April 22, 2011 at 10:13pm

A few months back I'm leaving my apartment in time to catch the Redline. As I'm walking through the hall to the elevator, I'm thinking...missing something. Wondering wondering...COFFEE!! Still on the dining room table. I run back, grab the coffee & then hurry back to the elevator. Press the button...waiting...waiting...wAITING!! DING...door opens & down.

People pile in floor after floor. Finally we get to the first floor. Will still make the train, if I hurry. Hustle around the elevator peeps, through the front lobby & out to the street. Walk quickly & then start running as I see the white WALK sign turn to 14, 13, 12, 11, 10...whew made it across by 3. Walking swiftly past the 7/11, almost to the Pershing Square Station.

Pershing Square Subway Station

Crap! Wouldn't you know it, escalator out, so I hurry down underground, make line to buy a ticket & I hear the train...BEEEEEEP, as I feel the rush of air from the approaching subway train cars. Still in line, don't wanna miss the train so since I'm only going to MacArthur Park, I'll skip it & buy a ticket there. Run through the turnstyle & down the last set of stairs bypassing the escalator...jumping on the train as the doors close. 

Whew, Just made the train!

Whew...just made it. Okay now I get to sip my coffee I hurried back for.  First stop, 7th & Metro. My stop: Westlake/MacArthur Park. As I'm headed up the escalator I notice out of the corner of my eye, some of the latino's hesitating. Not realizing why, I continue up. As I arrive at the turnstyle level...

BUSTED!

Well, this wasn't me but you get how I was feeling

Metro-Police checking for tickets & tapcards. Oops. I get a ticket. I stand aside as the officer asks me for ID. I give him my Utah State issued temporary paper Drivers License. Guess what? He writes down No Identification.

He hands me a ticket with a date to see the Judge months later.

AM I INVISIBLE? What about my State issued paper ID I just handed him? I choose not to question and to see the judge on the appointed day.

A few months later I'm at the Bauchet Street Courthouse across from Los Angeles's notorious Twin Towers,Mens Central Jail, armed with my adoption papers, my State of Arizona "Certificate of no Birth Certificate", copy of my now sent Navajo Nation Application for Membership, Certificate of Navajo Indian Blood, and all my research documents.

The court deputy asks for my ticket and any paperwork I'd like the judge to see. I give him all of it...

about 50 or so pages in a manila folder.  He looks at me like I'm crazy.

Well, I have to prove I'm legal, so I don't get deported...yea I could see it might seem a little crazy, over the top, an insane amount of paperwork.

The Judge calls people in groups of 5, the courtroom is full. About three fourths  the way through, he calls:

"Leland Morrill" along with 4 other names.

We all approach the bench. Everyone of us is nervous.

The judge is the only white person in the courtroom, the rest of us are differing shades of brown and black.

He lifts my folder, pages through it. 

TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK TOCK...

What seems like 3 or 4 minutes goes by yet I dare not separate my eyes from the judge.

He finally looks up and says:

"Mister Morrill. I see you chose not to buy a Metro Rail Ticket. Can you explain why?"

I tell him my feeble excuse and then tell him I was also under alot of stress trying to research and get a birth certificate, about my wallet being stolen, and about my paper temporary identification.

The Judge then says something about waiving rights, <blah blah blah>...

How do you plead? Guilty, Innocent, No contest?

I say: "Guilty"

Judge:"I see you have been trying to get a birth certificate. 12 hours of community service to be completed in one month."

Whew! Stress relieved. Thankfully I had done 12 hours of community service already & asked if that would be okay?

The Judge asked: Where?

 I stated a few different places. He says: Well just get them to write me a letter & give it to the court deputy and you should be finished.

A month later I did exactly that. 

Yup. That really did happen kinda like that. I did leave out the parts where I had been calling back and forth to Alisia at the Navajo Nation Vital Statistics  wondering when my NN birth affidavit and CIB would be finalized. I realize it probably wasn't that serious of an infraction but still, I had broken the law, didn't have proper ID so I stressed quite a bit until my community service requirement was submitted to the court & my case was completed.

Thanks Aunt Ruth for the Title!

I also have a facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adopted-Native-American-Citizenship-Affected-by-The-REAL-ID-Act-of-2005/165349256848200 

Gratitude Friday...oh and Why is the Navajo Nation Vital Statistics Window Rock office closed March 28-30,2011?? hmmm.

by Leland P. Morrill Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 12:10am

Good evening WWWpeeps,

Leland here, realizing Gratitude Friday is late today....in some parts of the U.S. it's now Saturday so excuse my lateness. There is a particular lady in Perris California who has been a great source of information to me so to her this Friday I am grateful. She also cautioned me to be patient and let the process happen rather than rushing it.

I do tend to do that on occasion because after 22 years of continuous research and with the advances within the last two years and two months being so quick I'm letting my own rush become a visible cog an not letting the process run it's "normal" or destined course.

To her, THANK YOU! I called, emailed & probably bothered her way too much today so yes I understand her verbalizing what needed to be said. 

I remind you I am affected by The Real ID Act of 2005 because I now hold a second six month temporary "paper" State issued Drivers License as required by that Act expiring July 13, 2011. No other will be issued after that date and I will become an ILLEGAL ALIEN if the Navajo Nation doesn't provide my needed documentation which should have been done in 1971 when I was adopted out of their tribe in Chinle Arizona....United States of America.

 Today I was in a nutrition class in Koreatown (Los Angeles). While there my biological Uncle Bob called me & I stepped out for a minute & talked to him. He finally was able to talk to Leonard Benally, Manager of the Census at the Navajo Nation Vital Statistics to verify verbally of my existence & relation. A great step forward. Another gratitude moment there. Leonard told Uncle Bob to write down his recollection of my mother Linda Kirk & me and to submit that in writing. Another step forward...YAY!

YAY my confirmation email!

Returning home, I openned up my email and a "USPS Shipment Info for 7010 3090 0000 5814 6774" email was staring at me.  I posted this on the Facebook Page. My Certified Mail gold 8.5"x11" package arrived at the Window Rock Post Office at 10:19am (today) Friday March 25, 2011. YAY. I immediately called Leonard Benally and told him. Surprise surprise!! He sent someone immediately to the post office to pick up the package. At 2:46pm another email arrived confirming delivery of my package to someone who picked it up. I waited another half hour, called Leonard back & we went over the details.  

Now, I will say I am headstrong so this may not be the best approach for others to follow, or it might. Please use your judgement and "read" the person on the on the other end of your conversation well so they understand your immediate need at this phase because you will want things done "yesterday" or as in my case 40 years ago, when my adopted mother originally applied for a birth certificate with the Navajo Nation & me now knowing Alisia and Leonard both have reviewed that application and still nothing has been done.

I was a little taken back when Leonard Benally told me to have my adopted mother submit her recollection of my adoption and what she knew. I considered it a stall tactic & was slightly put off (mildly offended) by such a request. Well, if you've kept up with my story and read my previous notes you know my adopted mother did indeed supply that to me in hopes it would help me at some point in this process. Please see the Note or Blog entry: 

"Am I ILLEGAL?!? Navajo, pre-adoption life version from my MOM (adopted)."

So, I asked Leonard Benally, Manager of the Census for the Navajo Vital Statistics point blank for his direct email address...a long uncomfortable pause & then he spoke & gave it to me, I spelled it out, verifying it to the letter. I went back through my emails & forwarded the same email within 5-10 minutes of our conversation. 

Between...

1. My adopted mother's recollection, 
2. My biological Uncle Bob's verbal verification of my existence
3. His relationship to Linda Carolyn Kirk (my biological mother) 
4. His inpending written submitted recollection of my bio-mom & I;  
5. My research notes & also 7 pages of documentation attached to my Navajo Nation Application for Membership and Navajo Nation Application for Services,  

...I am hopeful an "Affidavit of Birth", New Enrollement into the Navajo Nation, and a Certificate of Navajo Blood will arrive at some point. Remember, I only have until July 13, 2011 until my temporary "paper" United State issued Drivers License expires and due to the limitations spelled out in The REAL ID ACT of 2005 authored by Jim (James) Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, that will be the date I become an ILLEGAL ALIEN. Thanks JIM! You're a pal...well not really.

So, I cannot afford, for my own sake, to allow any other person who is informed of my situation; who can be a part of my process; to sit on their "laurels" and take their sweet time. It took 40 year after I was adopted in 1971, with an application for birth certificate submitted by my adopted mother, 22 years of my own research, this blog/facebook page, notifying others and publicising my own story to keep the process visble. NOPE, I will not allow people to sit and do nothing. Nor should you. 

Something that I found out from Leonard Benally, the Navajo Nation Window Rock Vital Statistics Office will be closed MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY (March 28-30, 2011)...ummmm why? No reason given. Also, I was cautioned I am still considered an outsider, even though:

1. The Navajo Nation through a Final Adoption Decree dated July 15,1971 in The Trial Court of the Navajo Tribe, Judicial District of CHINLE ARIZONA adopted me out, without a birth certificate, census number, certificate of indian blood, 
2. Knowingly having documentation I had been a patient at the  the Chinle Arizona Health Clinic, PHS Indian Hospital Keams Canyon Arizona, Gallup Indian Medical Center 
3. Also had been assigned a Social Services "person" Ms. McCray through the Bureau of Indian Affairs in CHINLE ARIZONA. 

Ok...so caution & I shall wait until Thursday to call back Leonard Benally. 

As for the reason the office is closed THREE DAYS????? I will find that out as well and will inquire. I SINCERELY HOPE IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF " The Third Annual Language Preservation Summit! The Summit will be held March 28-30, 2011 at the beautiful Radisson Fort McDowell Resort in Scotsdale, AZ!"  http://falmouthinstitute.com/language/2010/10/falmouths-language-preservation-summit-exciting-news/ . 

If it is then it is.  Oh well. The Window Rock Navajo Nation Vital Statistics office will still be closed those three days.

Ok so I ranted a bit.

Today being Grateful Friday: I am grateful to my Perris California friend, my biological Uncle Bob for calling Leonard Benally & I hope to be grateful next Friday for Leonard Benally's role for the next step of retaining my United States Citizenship and furthering the Navajo Nation documentation started by my adopted mother in 1971.

Please read my previous notes, comment, make suggestions, oh and LIKE my page. Thanks again wonderful readers. Yes this last entry was intense but, if it can help anyone else with the process & understand the stresses, time involvement, expenditures and help them prepare and carve out a path, this page/blog was not in vain.

I talked to my Biological Uncle Bob last night!!!! I rewrote my personal history. My adopted mom Gwena Morrill was on mark.

Last night (March 02,2011) I was able to talk to my biological Uncle Bob.

My biological Uncle Bob

(click on image to enlarge)

I am still reeling from just the honor to be able to talk to blood relatives. Being adopted that is a pinnacle moment in personal history. He told me about my mother Linda Kirk, about her paternal clan "The Tangle Clan" and Maternal Clan "Many Goats Clan" tentatively my father's clan "San Felipe Clan" . I must have asked a hundred questions to which Uncle Bob was way too polite to answer. Many had to do with my mother, my research, I openned up research notes and just went down the line of thirty plus people with the surname KIRK, some related by blood some with the same last name with other relations through marriages, etc. 

I also found out that my adopted mom, Gwena Morrill's account wasn't too far off. I felt bad reading her statement that my little brother Christopher was dead. Bob & everyone else thought I was the one who was dead. 

My Uncle Bob was in Junior High School in Ganado when my mom was in a car accident in Albuquerque New Mexico. They received a call from the hospital in Albuquerque stating she had been in an auto accident and was in critical condition. There was no transportation or money to get to Albuquerque, New Mexico from Ganado, Arizona so no one went. She died there and her body was transported back to Ganado Arizona where she is now buried. 

Just writing that last paragraph makes my heart ache. No one may have been there at the hospital by my mom Linda Kirk's side when she was in pain and died. What a travesty.

Meanwhile, I'm assuming Christopher and I were in Albuquerque and this may be when I was placed in the Saint Anthony's Orphanage in Albuquerque.

My adopted mother had St Anthony's  information on a scrap of paper that has survived these 40 plus years. Somehow Christopher and I ended back up in Arizona. My little brother Christopher ended up somewhere with "relatives" at some point and this is what my adopted mom Gwena Morrill wrote (and what I read to Uncle Bob):

" We were told you had a younger brother named Christopher that lived with John Kirk and his wife.  I don't recall her name.  Their son (I can't think of his name, but he was maybe 5 to 8 years older than you) told me about Christopher.  I was taking him home from seminary in the seminary van.  I had you and Virginia with me.  You would have been 3 or 4.  I was thinking he was 10, but can't remember for sure.  He asked me if you were Leland Kirk.  I said yes.  He then told me your little brother Christopher had lived with them.  He said something like this. "One night when he went to bed, he was fine.  The next morning he was dead so we moved."-Gwena Morrill Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 3:16 PM

My little brother Christopher, may he rest in peace knowing he is not forgotten, is deceased. 

Somehow the messages got mixed up on the Kirk side of the family because they thought I was deceased/dead. Thankfully I am with the living.

Around that time according to my mom, Gwena Morrill:

"Welfare told us you'd been living with your grandparents in the sheep camp.  We later learned it was your mother's grandparents.  It kind of seems like their name was Pacheco, but our friend said Andy(?) said your name was Kirk.

 it was there that you were in a fire.  Your (great) grandfather was blind. Your (great) grandmother went out with the sheep.  They lived in a hogan with an open fire pit.  You walked into the fire and was burned.  That was our understanding of why you were in the hospital for 2 months before being placed with us."-Gwena Morrill Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 3:16 PM

Uncle Bob cannot recall a sheep camp so that was puzzling to him. They didn't know where Christopher and I were for a while & I (Leland Pacheco Kirk) was presumed dead at some point. 

After being in a fire, according to my health records obtained during research, I went to the Keams Canyon Arizona PHS INDIAN HOSPITAL on June 16,1969  with foot burns, a broken arm (dislocated "Ankylosis" right  elbow that was never reset correctly), and of course severe malnutrition.  I was transfered from there after one month (I think that's what "RTC 1Mo." means) to the Gallup New Mexico Indian Hospital "Gallup 802" on July 19,1969.  I stayed there until I was placed into a foster home on September 19,1969.

That foster family is Stanley  and Gwena  Morrill. I went back for a check up in Gallup one last time on October 21, 1969. I also have hospital records that date until May 28, 1970.

My sister Virginia Bitsui and I (Leland Pacheco Kirk) were adopted on July 15,1971.

REMEMBER I was adopted without:

• a Certificate of Navajo Blood,
• a Birth Certificate,
• a Census Number,

no trace to the Navajo Nation except a Final Judgement of Adoption issued in the Trial Court of the Navajo Tribe; Judicial District of Chinle Arizona.

• Judge Joe G Bennalley was the Judge, Trial Court of the Navajo Tribe
• Pearl Baautista was the Clerk, Courts of the Navajo Tribe who signed my final adoption papers without notifiying the Kirk family in any way.

My mother, Gwena Morrill did apply for a Birth Certificate and that application still sits in a file where Alisia Millford of the Window Rock Navajo Office of Vital Records verified that document still sits after 40 years, never answered or followed up by any member of the Navajo Nation Tribal Court system.

July 16, 1971 Virginia, me and my baby brother Shaun who'd been adopted in Phoenix  moved with the Morrills to Burford Ontario Canada. I think we stopped over at my new Uncle and Aunt Tony & Viola Monk's in Chicago on the way...could be wrong on that one. 

We talked all about my growing up. About what little details of Linda Kirk and Kirk family history and relatives.

It was an amazing conversation. I hope EVERY READER is able to experience the candid conversation with a blood relative of all the research, how long they've looked for you and how long you've looked for them. I hope my story finds some media attention through my blog and facebook page so others can find the resources and ways to research based on my story.  I thank each and everyone who reads these blog/note entries because the more exposure comes of Native Americans Affected by THE REAL ID ACT of 2005, the more people can be helped.

There were others who I had written to throughout the years:

1. Catholic Pator/Rev Blane Grein, OFM Chinle Arizona---no reply or response
2. Rev Flann O'Neil OFM, Ganado Arizona---no reply or response
3. Rev Gilbert Schneider OFM Fort Defiance AZ ---no reply

STILL I NEVER GAVE UP... YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO GIVE UP, it is YOUR HISTORY and YOUR PEOPLE!

I'm fortunate. My Uncle Bob has agreed to help me obtain what documents I need, even agreeing to go to Window Rock the Navajo Nation Capitol to assist and ask why these documents were not given.

I thank him in advance for this. I also gained an aunt Aunt Ruth, who will most likely read this blog and note! I am blessed to know the both of them after 42 years.

Thank you again.

Leland Pacheco Morrill born Leland Pacheco Kirk

My mom's paternal clan "The Tangle Clan" and My mom's Maternal Clan "Many Goats Clan" tentatively my father's clan "San Felipe Clan"

(I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO SAY THAT RIGHT) Sorry no offense intended. I'm just doing a quick re-entry into the Navajo Customs.

Gratitude to my new found NAVAJO cousin/mom

Gratitude.

Today I am grateful for meeting a biological family member my cousin Cyndy Taylor. We met by chance. If you've already guessed: I'm not much of a shy person when focused toward a goal. Here's the story that starts where the UTAH DMV story ended:

I talked to a representative at the Window Rock Navajo Nation Vital Statistics Office on January 13, 2011. They said to send in anything I had. So, I copied all my documentation and sent copies, certified mail and waited for the delivery confirmation to show up on the U.S. Postal Service website. This is where this exciting adventure continues.

My USPS Receipt

(click on picture to enlarge)

I was having dificulty communicating my ideas to the staff-members at the Window Rock Vital Statistics Office since January 19, 2011. Velma was there intermittently  and took charge of the "mail log" for that location (later I found out she was on sick leave and the mail log had not been updated since December 2009, no January log.)
 I'd sent copies of twenty-two years of research containing health records from 1969-1971, adopted parents birth certificates, adoption final decree,  Arizona "Certificate of No Birth" etc. These had been sent Certified Mail to the Window Rock PO Box for Navajo Vital statistics. the USPS Tracking number indicated my package was delivered on January 19, 2011. Since then and to February 3rd I'd talked to four employee at that office, Velma, Alicia,  and two others. for a few weeks they could not find the yellow manila envelope that contained my information. One of the ladies even read off all the mail received and sitting unopened in a cabinet for the month of January 2011.

Finally, I could no longer stay on my cellphone without saying something I'd regret. I said something to the effect: "Thank you for reading those off."
I verified there was no January 2011 mail log and Velma took charge of the mail and mail-log. Yes I was frustrated, not the first time though. On a previous occasion  with visits to a Salt Lake City D.M.V., I had the help of a Utah Senator, Utah Director of Indian Affairs and Director of the Utah D.M.V. So, I'm thinking, why would it hurt to call the President of the Navajo Nation? At the time President Joe Shirley Jr was still listed on Wikipedia as the President but on the Navajo Nation Website, it showed President Ben Shelly. The date is now February 03, 2011.

So I look up the phone number and called. I talk to a gentleman for a while about my difficulties with the Window Rock Vital Statistics Office.  He then says: You should talk to someone else here and "Would you hold please?"
Cyndy Taylor from Navajo Nation Office of the President Constituent Services Unit answered the phone. I tell her my predicament asking to email her, she says due to the new (Navajo Nation) Administration (change in Presidency) they are setting up a new office. She asks me to fax her so I do. We talk again later. I tell her I was born Leland Kirk and about my Aunt Ruth and Uncle John in Ganado, and blather on (it's kind of my thing to blather on...blah blah blah)

Somewhat long pause, then:
Cyndy says something to the affect that we might be related. We figure out we are biological cousins. Yeah...surreal and amazing, how do you express this in words?!?
Here I call a phone number to talk to the top mucky mucky the Navajo Nation President's number and then discover a cousin? Way cool, beyond words.
So she says well, you should call Gertrude "Trudy" at the Fort Defiance Vital Statistics Office.  I do and tell her about my difficult experience with the Window Rock office. She then tells me Velma has been on sick leave and she'll see what she can do. So, Trudy starts her magic. I report back to Cyndy and then the phone tag begins with Trudy until February 10, 2011 with intermittent calls to the Window Rock office and at this point I'm updating Cyndy as well.

Alicia calls me back from the Window Rock Office around noon on February 10, 2011 to say she has had my documents and will send my applications for the C.I.B. (Certificate of Indian Blood) and some other form in the mail that day. Once those documents are sent back in, they are presented to a "committee" yet to be appointed by the new incoming Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly. I tell her I'm going to talk to Trudy and Cyndy so they're aware...communication.

Alisia was true to her word. The letter she sent was dated February 10, 2011 but curiously the envelope was dated February 22, 2011 and post-stamped from Albuquerque NM. The main point is, I'm one step closer, with visibility.

So, yes, I'm grateful and thankful to Cyndy, my new found biological cousin who, in proper Navajo Tradition, assumed the title "mom". I think it's encompassing, and very familial. It was nice of her to assume it and I am complimented by it.

Cyndy has since told me some about the Kirk Family. I have a cousin Calvin Kirk who is the son of the late John Kirk and Ruthie (Shirley) Kirk.
 "Calvin distinctively remembers you and said the late Linda Kirk is your biological mom."
WOW, great and She then says:
"I've asked him if he could contact u on facebook and talk with Ruthie Kirk re: the issue. Please keep me informed too. Have a good weekend. Mom"
DOUBLE WOWZERS!!
Processing processing processing....KEWL!

So, Cyndy has been an immense help, stress reducer and has well earned the title "mom" for her tireless assistance. We've messaged each other while she had a cold, wasn't feeling well but she still maintained communication.
Receiving the letter from Alisia from the Window Rock Navajo Nation Vital Statistics office in yesterday's (February 24, 2011) 5pm mail was one more step forward.
Very cool. I'm honored to know Cyndy Taylor, mom.
So this blog post is dedicated to Cyndy Taylor my cousin, mom and an "angel" who was at the right place at the right time for me.
I am grateful.

Special Note to others:
You never know who you will meet along your journey in life. I was stunned to find a cousin/mom so quickly and a relative who would help me as fervently as Cyndy. This is fortunate, I am thankful and grateful. So, as you other Adopted Native Americans (and other readers) continue on this journey, through all it's bumps and grinds, frustrations, elations, excitements, opening new doors: remember there are those who will help, if you ask, and if you put it out there.
TGIF ALL- Leland P. Morrill

The Envelope Please...from Illegal alien to Navajo?!? THANKS ALISIA!

February 24, 2011: As I was creating my Facebook page Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 and this blog, my mail was delivered. I received my letter promised by Alisia Milford, Vital Statistics Technician at the Window Rock Navajo Office of Vital Records and Identification. The envelope contains a letter from Alisia and also two forms:

1. The Navajo Nation Application for Membership
2. The Navajo Nation Application for Services (not sure why, maybe the two go hand in hand)

Remember: The Navajo Nation adopted me out of the tribe on July 15, 1971 throught their Trial Court of the Navajo Tribe, Judicial District of Chinle Arizona without a Birth Certificate,  Navajo Census Number or Navajo Certificate of Indian Blood. So, the above documents should have been done back in 1971. My adopted parents Stan and Gwena Morrill attempted to obtain a Birth Certificate but the Navajo Court system never granted one through reasons of their own. (this is an update because of a February 25, 2011 8:00am conversation with Alisia at the Window Rock Navajo Nation Vital Statistics Office and me verifying this with my adopted mother, Gwena Morrill)

WAAAAA HOOOO! THANK YOU ALISIA :)

(Click on image to enlarge)

Alisia was great to follow up with a phone call promptly at 8:00 a.m. February 25,2011 to tell me she'd sent a letter and if I'd received it yet.  I told her yes. I had questions about filling out the forms as I didn't have all the necessary information. She told me her supervisor wants everything filled out. If I don't know the answer I can put "unknown" or "I don't know" in the blank space, but all spaces must be filled on the form.
Lucky for me in receiving these because I have a Monday appointment with my Family Law Attorney. We were going to brainstorm who to contact to quicken the pace, as my UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP is due to EXPIRE on July 13, 2011, the expiration date of my second 6 month temporary State issued Drivers License.
NOTE: H.R. 418: THE REAL ID ACT of 2005 allows only a one year extention for State issued Identification Cards and State issued Drivers Licenses, even if lost, stolen or if you are just changing addresses or renewing.

See H.R. 418: THE REAL ID ACT of 2005 pages 46-47:

TEMPORARY DRIVERS’ LICENSES AND17 IDENTIFICATION CARDS that expire one year after issuance.
"(i) IN GENERAL.—If a person presents evidence under any of clauses (v) through (ix) of subparagraph (B), the State may only issue a temporary driver’s license or temporary identification card to the person.
(ii) EXPIRATION DATE.—A temporary driver’s license or temporary identification card issued pursuant to this subparagraph shall be valid only during the period of time of the applicant’s authorized stay in the United States or, if there is no definite end to the period of authorized stay, a period of one year."

Yes, that means after "a period of one year" that's it ... NO MORE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP for me, a NAVAJO born in the United States and ADOPTED through The Trail Court of the Navajo Tribe Judicial Distric of Chinle, Arizona with no birth certificate, census number or Certificate of Indian Blood.

Now back to the documents.
For those Adopted Native Americans going through this process, there are certain geneological things you may want to accomplish in order to fill out the forms.

1. It is okay to put "unknown" or "I don't know" in a space where you do not have the information. Keep in mind as you fill out your Tribe/Nation's Application for Membership and/or Application for Services, it is important you find as much information about your biological family, mother, mothers maiden name, father, grandparents, paternal/maternal clans, census number, places of birth for each.
2. You must be able to fill out information about your birth name, social security number,  census number, tribe, Indian "blood quantum", and place of birth.
3. The documents may need to be signed and NOTORIZED. Yes, the Navajo Nation Application for Membership must be NOTORIZED, as in my case.

BACK TO ME (Leland Morrill) and my situation:
For my Navajo Nation "Application for Membership" I only know my biological mother's name: Linda Kirk. I do not know my biological fathers name (no documentation).
What I need to fill out my form are:

• Linda Kirk's Maiden Name
• Navajo Blood Quantum
• Was she a U.S. Citizen?
• Census Number
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• CLAN: Maternal and Paternal
• Grandparents: Maternal and Paternal

For my Navajo Nation Application for Services form I need my own (Leland Kirk) information:

• Census Number (currently I don't know if one exists for me)
• Father's Name

IF ANYONE READING THIS BLOG/FACEBOOK PAGE knows the above information for Linda Kirk (deceased sometime between 1966-1969, perhaps a car accident) and for me Leland Kirk (adopted name Leland Morrill) PLEASE email the information to me at: lelandpmorrill@gmail.com

Thank you in advance- Leland

A good resource for NAVAJOS is the Navajo Nation Directory

Below is a list of Navajo Nation Vital Records and Identification telephone numbers:

Navajo Office of Vital Records (NOVR)
(928) 871-6386/6387
(928) 871-6397

NOVR - Chinle Agency
(928) 674-2279

NOVR - Crownpoint Agency
(505) 786-2034

NOVR - Fort Defiance Agency
(928) 729-4020

NOVR - Shiprock Agency
(505) 368-1334

NOVR - Tuba City Agency
(928) 283-3404

NOVR - Alamo Navajo Community
(505) 854-2613

NOVR - To'ha jillee Navajo Community
(505) 836-5099

NOVR - Ramah Navajo Community
(505) 775-3328

*If you would like to contribute, have vital information that will help, please email lelandpmorrill@gmail.com using the subject line:Adoption: Leland Kirk

UTAH DMV Evil or Good? You tell me...I'm Illegal...or not. I'm NAVAJO!

INSIDE: Salt Lake Fair Park Office DMV
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I went to the Salt Lake Fair Park Office Tuesday January 11, 2011. Because of the new The REAL ID ACT of 2005  Law that took effect a year ago I have to prove my birth, well I'd been working on this and then my "temporary" 6 month State issued Drivers License expired. I came back to Salt Lake Fair Park Office to renew and (the supervisor) "JOYCE" was at the entrance counter denying people left and right.

The Fair Park DMV has a high minority population it services, I saw this disparity. I thought to myself: "I hope I don't get that lady!" Sure enough, after she denied the lady in front of me her print-out from the local Social Security Office as one proof of residency I knew I might have a problem. A print-out from the Social Security office used to be valid, especially in the case where one lost their wallet and might have to wait weeks for that department to send a new card in the mail.

My turn at the "entrance" counter with "JOYCE" (NOTE: I didn't know her name yet nor that she was a supervisor). I've been trying to obtain a State issued Birth Certificate but being born on a Navajo Reservation without documentation of the birth, it's been difficult. I had several different documents I knew wouldn't work but a previous supervisor said as long as I'd bring those in they'd renew my Utah Drivers License for an additional temporary period of 6 months.
This lady, Joyce (later found to be a supervisor) looked at me at my documents, said: "I want to see evidence you've talked with the Arizona Vital Statistics." I pulled out an Arizona "birth certificate" receipt. She then told me that's all she wanted to see. I attempted to show her more but then she said "Are you trying to create trouble?" I said no, but that I had more documents. She then gave me a numbered ticket (like you get at butcher counter), told me to go wait for my number to be called, which I did. As soon as my number was called I went to that DMV Clerk Counter. I started talking to the clerk. Out of the corner of my eye saw Joyce come round. She stood directly behind the clerk. She then said I was creating trouble and to extend my Utah Drivers License ONE MONTH ONLY. The clerk gave me a "What did you do?" look and Joyce watched his every move from behind, keystrokes and screen as he printed out my one month paper temporary Utah Drivers License Extension.

I left, somewhat disappointed and VERY FRUSTRATED wondering who to call. Well my friend JIM had some connections so, on the cellphone I called. He agreed to meet with me and we met at the Gateway Mall. I also met his brother Joe. Between the two of them , they called (D) Utah Senator Gene Davis, told him of my plight. He called Forrest Cutch, UT Director of Indian Affairs who called Nannette Rolfe, Director of UT D.M.V. and her staff personnel called me. By then we were at JIM's office in Murray. The next day (Wednesday) I was told my Utah D.M.V. contact was Jill Laws. I called and told her the above. She had me fax my documents to her. She then arranged for me to speak to another Utah D.M.V. supervisor "JOHN" at the same Salt Lake Fair Park Office D.M.V. Thursday Jan 13, 2011 I went in again at 7a.m. John helped me along with a clerk and I received my 6 month paper Drivers License Extension. He also scanned my documents as per Jill Laws. Once finished, I left but not before pointing out my Joyce (the supervisor).

I tell my account because:

1. The DMV needs to know there are variances that were overlooked by THE REAL ID ACT of 2005. and also this  may help other Native Americans/Illegal/ and others understand they are not the only ones who are mistreated at State DMV's.
2. I never knew there was a Navajo Nation Vital Statistics Office, Forrest Cutch told me and how to contact them. 
3. H.R. 418: THE REAL ID ACT of 2005 requires proof of U.S. Citizenship, I am Navajo, native american without a birth certificate bc my birth wasn't recorded BUT I was adopted through the Navajo Nation Childrens Court, have numerous Indian Hospital records showing my birth and proof of indian blood (100%), my Navajo Nation Final Decree of Adoption. THESE ARE NOT STATE ISSUED, so they do not count as proof of U.S. citizenship/lawful presence.

If anyone ever run across Native Americans having a problem:

1. The  State D.M.V. may not know about a Native American Vital Statistics and H.R. 418: THE REAL ID ACT of 2005 does not refer back to Native Americans and their resources.
2. Native Americans may not know that the State may have a Director of Indian Affairs to assist with supplying documentation toward getting an "Indian" census card or "Tribal" birth certificate/record.  I hope this information helps others & that it helps pave a path for Native Americans in EVERY United State of America.

Remember you cannot do this on your own, here are the names of some people who helped me:

Forrest Cutch Director, Utah Division of Indian Affairs

Nannette Rolfe, Director, Utah Department of Public Safety Drivers License Division P.O. Box 144501. Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4501
nrolfe@utah.gov

Jill Laws Utah Department of Public Safety Drivers License Division
Phone 801-964-3369
Fax 801-964-4482

NOTE: a special thanks goes to my friend JIM: James A. Gonzales of Salt Lake, who's political connections helped me with this process.

DMV Supervisor JOYCE wrote:

"Extend for one month only"

in the "Examiner Notes and Completed Date Stamp" box.

Attached are the two "tickets" for my "visits" to the UTAH DMV Fair Park Office.

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*If you would like to contribute, have vital information that will help, please email lelandpmorrill@gmail.com using the subject line:Adoption: Leland Kirk