Where do I start, and how?

by Leland P. Morrill Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 5:24pm
Change...kinda hard huh. I was just watching my online friend Ryan Yezak's video Moving On, very inspiring.
HERE IT IS just in case you need some inspiration in your life:

One area of my life that has had a continual focus has been on the years of research to obtain my Navajo Nation Birth Affidavit and membership back into the Navajo Nation. I thought perhaps it would be a great idea now that some time has passed to start and catalogue or write steps to help others. Any suggestions of areas where to take this page from here forward is something I am struggling with.
breathe, breathe breathe

First off, if you don't have any understanding of the Real ID Act, you can read the Wikipedia content here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REAL_ID_Act and then you can "GOOGLE" the subject if you feel you need to.

How does The Real ID ACT of 2005 affect me?
When you apply or renew a State issued Identification Card or Drivers License you will have to supply proof of your existence.

For most people this will be easy. You will need:
An original copy of your State issued Birth Certificate
An original copy of your Social Security Card issued by the Social Security Administration
a photo, usually taken on the spot once you have provided the first two. Just out of habit, of renewing, you'll probably show your current expiring State issued ID or DL card.
Pay the fee and you're done.

This page/blog is more for Native Americans born within one of the fifty States of America who were adopted out of their tribe without proper documentation such as a State issued Birth Certificate or National (Native Nation) Birth Certificate/Affidavit. Sometime in addition to not having a birth document, you may not be enrolled into your respective Nation or Tribe, as in my case.

Where do you go from here if the local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) denies you a State issued identification card or drivers license card?
If you're an adopted Native American, one of the first places to start your search is your Final Judgement of Adoption, aka adoption papers. Make sure you have an original copy, or a certified copy. If, over the years you only have a photocopy, or G*d-forbid, a mimeographed one (LOL) then you'll need to contact the issuing Family Court.

Be thankful today we live in the INFORMATION AGE. GOOGLE, or search for the address, website, telephone number of the issuing Family Court. It's a great idea to call them. Find out what form, or if you have to write a letter, what is required and start assembling that and send it off. These days, who knows, it may be as easy as filling out an online form, submitting it and paying it with a credit/debit card and then waiting for them to send you an original copy of your Final Judgement of Adoption. You may be required to download, print, fill it out, sign, date and then have it notorized. Some copy, office supply stores have notaries & the prices will vary. Here in Los Angeles, the price of a notary I used at Coast Stationary in my neighborhood on Spring Street here in Los Angeles.

My local Notary Public is located at an office supply store here in Los Angeles on Spring Street!

Coast Stationary was great for me as they also had a fax machine, internet as well as the notary service. They charged me a $10.00 notary fee. That will give you an idea of how much it may cost you to notarize your documents as you continue to research your documentation. By the way, it's a great idea to purchase multiple copies of "originals" from the State or National Family Court because you may end up having to one to a State Vital Statistics office, another to a "Native" Nation Vital Statistics office and then, OH YEA!!!! YOU NEED at least ONE! :D
Just sayin!

On your Final Judgement of Adoption look to see if your birth date, birth location and census number are on it. If they are not. Call back the State or National Family Court and ask why they are not on the document. In my case, for some mysterious reason, the Navajo Nation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, State of Arizona turned a blind eye to this and Judge Joe Benalley signed off on the adoption and my parents fled off to Canada with me and my Navajo sister the day after our adoption, July 16, 1971. Yup...well actually, my adopted dad was transferred with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (A whole other "story"). Getting back on subject. Sometimes, as in my case, the adopting parents were supposed to fill out the application for a birth certificate and the application will still be laying in a file somewhere. If not. you're going to have to start your search.

If your adopted parents are still alive, ask them all the questions you can currently think of about your adoption. Find out any stories they heard along the way of adopting you. If you were a foster child, what was your last name, did you have siblings, aunties, uncles, cousins, etc. Are there any pre-adoption medical records? What hospitals, medical centers?

WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN.
Utilize the internet.
If you do not have the internet at home, find an internet cafe, or a wi-fi hotspot. If you have a public library, use their computers or utilize their "hotspot" with your own laptop/netbook. I'm in my local library writing this note/blogpost...Yup, The Central Library downtown LA. :D

Tuesday June 21, 2011, Central Library, Los Angeles, California.

After you've written everything down, applied and sent off the necessary forms for your original copies of your adoption papers... that's your starting point.
The next entry will start where this one ended.
IF you have any suggestions about this entry, PLEASE "comment". Oh, an LIKE my page

Resilience, Keep it up and TGIF

The positive capacity of people to cope with stress and adversity.

Light at the end of the tunnel.

Santa Monica Pier, June 2011
Leland Pacheco Morrill, born Leland Kirk
The search I and many Navajos and other Native americans have achieved, and those who will endure to retain U.S. Citizenship and legal status in the fifty States of America because of the Real ID Act of 2005 is one that proves we as natives to this land are resilient, enduring, here to stay and will identify ourselves over and over again regardless of any assimilation tactic placed upon our native nations, be they individual or otherwise.

I'll start from my own experience. If you've been reading my notes you've obviously felt my raw anxiety, stresses, and roadblocks that have been overcome. If you haven't read my notes...please, I invite you to. I started out back in 1984-85 as a freshman at Brighham Young University in Provo Utah 18 years old and hearing the name of an Aunt Ruth, who happens to be Ruth Shirley-Kirk married to my biological mothers fathers brother John Kirk (Great Uncle). I'd also heard the name Linda Kirk as my biological mother. No documentation at that time was presented with the hearsay from my adopted parents, or from any legal standpoint either. As some of you readers know from previous notes written on this page/blog: my Final Judgement of Adoption did not have an Indian Census number on it, did not name my biological parents by name, nor was my birth date ever mentioned nor percentage of indian blood. The judge, Joe G. Bennalley of the Trial Court of the Navajo Tribe also did not follow through and order a birth certificate or affidavit as a representative of a Nation. This was my starting point 25-26 years ago. From that point over a span of the decades including the 80's, 90's, 2000's and 2010's, I built up my evidence by first finding out some of the Navajo's I attended university with were related and then with further questioning finding out the names of relatives that matched & finding out where they lived. I went and visited in the Spring/Summer of 1985 my Aunt Ruth Shirley-Kirk and also at that time met my cousin Calvin Kirk who to this day I understand still remembers that awkward encounter.

From there my search wained a bit as I started to work on self, finding my place, working and living life. In September 1989 with a few friends, Freddie Tsosie and if recalled correctly, Everett Chackee and Anderson Thomas, we travelled to the Navajo Reservation on vacation. Everett and Anderson both had to go to the Gallup Indian Hospital so we spent the day there. Yes, all day. That was normal to them. While there, just on a whim, I decided to see if there were any medical records for me there so, I checked and sure enough found out I had been there from 1969-1971 under the name Leland Kirk. So, I filled out the needed paperwork and obtained copies of my own medical records. Little did I know how valuable the short three year record from 1969 to 1971 would become decades later in my search to retain my own legal status in the United States, the right to have a State issued identification card and State issued drivers license, the right to be employed, and all other rights taken for granted IF one posesses that valuable plastic State issued card.

Yes I had to read the fine print, figure out a timeline of my life for those three years, talk to U.S. Senators, U.S. Commissioners, write anyone who I figured out might have any knowledge about who my parents might have been, etc. Then came the internet. I became increasingly amazed at how information can be traded at lightning speed. How tools such as blog/Facebook Page, GOOGLE, County Property Records, web resources such as the LDS Church Family History Library, The National Archives could be manipulated and useful in my search to regain my lost identity. I had two lost identities by now, one created by the Real ID ACT of 2005 where I needed to prove my United States Birth, even though I'd only been told a place of birth, which I now no longer use as Fort Defiance Arizona has replaced that, and also that of my Native Nation, Dine, or Navajo.

Resilience, hard work, years of sleepless nights, great friends, new found relatives all who empowered and energized me by helping prod me along when I became weary, upset, fatigued by the process of research research and more research and every roadblock, intersection along my path to finally obtaining my Navajo Nation Birth Affidavit. Yes, at some point I found the light at the end of the tunnel & walked through it with new found knowledge and understanding of how resilient one person can be, with the aid of a whole city/village of people helping me along. Yes, I asked for alot of help along the way. Sometimes there was no answer, sometimes I didn't know the answer was already there, but just needed interpretation, and sometimes, I admit, I bluffed a little just to see if another potential source could confirm my findings and then provide more based on them and if I traded information. Knowledge is power. I found out that to be key.

Part of what really helped me along was writing every little detail down, first and last names, phone numbers, email addresses, links, times and dates of when and who was spoken too and the details of each conversation. I have boxes of information needing to be sorted through, and the process written down how I arrived at each stage so when others ask me what the next step is, my turn to assist kicks in. Green light.

Today is Grateful Friday, and yes, I am grateful to all who have helped me. Those from the Navajo Nation, State Public Social Service departments, DMV's, politicians, attorneys, family both adopted and biological, and above all FRIENDS who stuck by me when it seemed like I had the loosing cards but in the end didn't. Perhaps bluffing a lil helped during my own experience, but I won out and now have that Certificate of Navajo Indian Blood, CIB, and a Navajo Nation Affidavit of Birth. It took a village of people. To that village of people: I am grateful, thankful and ever humbled by the immense process I can now look back at as I start my new life.

Next week I am interviewing for a position with the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe, a new life I hope, of serving native people and helping to make our United States and our Native Nations more cohesive, and a better place to live and thrive.

Please read my other notes and comment.

Wouldn't you know, just as I'm finalizing documentation it's THE END OF THE WORLD!!! EEEEK!!!!

by Leland P. Morrill
Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 on Friday, May 20, 2011 at 11:29pm
Just kidding! LMAO.

This week was rather tumultous. Even though I now have a plastic California Identification Card, I still did not have my Drivers License. Tuesday May 17, 2011 I went to the California DMV down by USC on Hope Street and waited in line. While in line, I read the entire Drivers License Manual. I had arrived around 12:30 p.m. thinking that would be enough time to get in to take the test, by 4:00 p.m. I was getting worried that the cut off time had passed. NOT SO! I made it by minutes, 4:25 p.m. I took my mugshot, forgot to pose like I'd been trained to for media events so my picture was less than what I wanted but still it's my mug.

Wouldn't you know, just as I was entering the testing area, my cellphone rings! My little brother Shaun. LOL. Well, he didn't know, but immediately I saw the NO CELLPHONES sign. After turning off my phone the DMV person yelled: "NO CELLPHONES!!! TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE!" I immediately stated I didn't even know it was on, which I really didn't. I then took the multiple "guess" test quickly and was done in 10 minutes. Hmmmm yup, so I rechecked my answers thinking it couldn't be that easy and I sure didn't want to fail so I rechecked one more time, I handed in my test and then had to prove I had a previous drivers license. I pulled out that worthless paper copy the Utah DMV Fairpark asked for & immediatlely the DMV Tester said "I can't accept that"

My old Utah paper Temporary Drivers License. It's worthless to the California DMV and as an ID "card" No one accepts it!

Well, I kind of knew it and started to plead my case. He listened, thought about it and said, well you passed but I can't accept that. Talk to a supervisor downstairs at window 21.
Window 21 wasn't labeled so I immediately asked as it was now about 5:00 p.m., closing time. I got a supervisor around 5:15 p.m. Same story, but she said Utah DMV could send a clearance letter. So I immediately called Nanette Rolfe's cellphone number. Nanette is the Utah Department of Public Safety Drivers License Division Director and left a message. I did the same on her work phone number and also called Jill Laws' work phone number and left a message. Jill is the Deputy Director of the Utah Drivers License Division.

I was really upset because here I'd paid the fee, passed the test and one more hurdle. Then my little brother texted me and I sent back a "bitchy" text: "What do you want?" Actually it was uncalled for but I hadn't blown off steam yet and he was an immediate recipient. Funny how sometimes you lash back at those who you love the most. Sorry Shaun, if you reading this. Anyway, he called me on it in his colorful language via text & made me laugh but I was still mad.

I finally talked to him, Still upset and he offered to help. That's what I found so amazing. Sometimes people ask to help you. I knew I needed to scan my CIB, Certificate of Indian Blood, and Brith Affidavit and sent those off in an email as a PDF to Nanette and Jill so off I went to FedEx/Kinkos. Guess who was working? Jesus...of course! He actually helped me quite a bit because the scanner jammed up, my USB flash drive wasn't recognized by their computer, so we sent it to my email. I also sent it to Shaun and my best friend Troy just in case. I've learned to sometimes overcompensate and send files to multiple people and myself for an electronic timestamp.

I actually didn't know Jills email address but knew Nanettes. So, I kind of guessed it. Good thing because Jill called me as I was working out a housing issue the next morning, Wednesday May 18, 2011. Jill said she faxed the California DMV the clearance letter and also sent me a PDF just in case. She knows my style. Very cool.

Utah DMV Clearance Letter...Thanks Jill for sending it so quickly!!

After a meeting with housing off to the DMV I went. Upon arrival, they had my paperwork ready. Whatever it was Jill sent, it got their attention. THANKS JILL! I now have an Interim Drivers License issued by California DMV, now awaiting the plastic card.

YAY. My California Interim Drivers License.

I've also now applied for two jobs with the Torres Martinez Desert Cahilla Indian Tribe. Both position required a California Drivers License, I'm hoping to get one of them. Cynthia at the Wilshire office here in Los Angeles gave me an application and an internal job posting list of positions she thought I'd be qualified for once the drivers license was issued. So cross your fingers and toes people! I need a job just like everyone else!

I do have to thank Shaun, my little brother for asking to help and being a sounding board about my frustrations. My friend Troy has also heard my frustrations and concerns. Troy has been through the entire twenty two years of my research. To him, for being a sounding board, suggesting things I'd never think of, and just plain being a good friend, which says alot about his good character, patience, and level of friendship. Thanks Troy!

Also, later, Shaun called me to tell me there is a girl here in North Hollywood, a daughter of a client, who is Cherokee and going through the same Real ID Act of 2005 documentation nightmare I am now exiting. Shaun asked me if I'd help her. OF COURSE!
So, if your reading this, call me! Oh, and your mother Robin has my phone number. Just sayin. I'm here, and have plenty of fresh knowledge and willing to help.

Thank you all for reading my entry/blog. This has been a great diary and I've had to refer to it during telephone calls to tell the Navajo Nation Vital Statistics office, The National Archives, Navajo Relatives, The Arizona Vital Statistics Office of my progress. Blogging and also creating an online pedigree chart accessable by any computer has literally saved many a conversation and aided in defending my cause and helping me move forward. So, if you are in this process, please write down everything because, you can always refer back to it!

Also, please LIKE my Facebook Page. READ my notes. Remember, this blog contains just my notes and has a PayPal feature where you can donate :)
This process is greater than just me and others will need help. Perhaps this can be a way to assist others and once I get myself back onto my financial feet will be able to set up a nonprofit to help others.

You may notice, I also will have EBAY items up for sale on my Facebook Page. Feel free to purchase those items as well.

Above all, This is now to help others. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas for me to write about pertaining to The Real ID Act of 2005, Certificate of Indian Blood, Native Affidavit of Birth...PLEASE, suggest! I welcome it!

Peace out!

Birth Certificates are a ROYAL PAIN...even to our Commander in Chief...just sayin.

by Leland P. Morrill Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005 on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 8:05pm

Wow. What a media week. Obama and his controversial birth certificate problems and the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton. What struck me about  the Obama/Trump fiasco in the news was how he was continually pressed with supplying an original copy of his State of Hawaii Birth Certificate

( see link for more info: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/27/president-obamas-long-form-birth-certificate )

This struck me because of THE REAL ID  ACT of 2005 at some point all people residing in the United States will have to prove legal status. It's amazing he thought of if as being such a distraction. He's now responded twice, once in 2008 with a non-legal copy of his "Certificate of Live Birth" and then again this past Wednesday April 29, 2011.  

You can view a better copy of President Obama's Birth Certificate, Courtesy of:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/27/president-obamas-long-form-birth-certificate

The question of racism arose from several fronts, from the media, from talk shows such as "The View" and then will be showcased on Monday May 2, 2011 on "Oprah" when he and First Lady Michelle Obama are the invited guests. I found racism to be alive in my own case at the Utah Department of Motor Vehicles Fairpark Office in Salt Lake with my confrontation with "JOYCE" the supervisor, covered in my NOTE/ENTRY: "UTAH DMV Evil or Good? You tell me...I'm Illegal...or not. I'm NAVAJO!"  I too realise racism does exist and must be constantly aware of it.  I was so upset with Joyce, I immediately called my friend Jim who with the aide of Utah Senator Gene Davis, and now former Utah State Division of Indian Affairs Director Forrest Cuch called Nannette Rolfe, Director, Utah Department of Public Safety Drivers License and discussed the insulting incident regarding my Utah Drivers License as a result of The Real ID ACT of 2005 authored by Wisconsin Senator James Sensenbrenner.  Through Nannette Rolfes office, Jill Laws had me fax my documentation, set up a new appointment for the following Thursday and I proceeded to obtain a six month temporary paper State of Utah issued Drivers License (not a plastic card).   

What struck me was how a supervisor would treat people so horribly and make them feel lower than dirt. On my second visit, Thursday, I made it known to all the workers who the offending supervisor was by pointing "Supervisor Joyce" out and stating: "The lady wearing the red shirt with the short hair is the person I talked to on Tuesday." They immediately took her aside and separated her from the rest of the employees.  What I hope happened is she was given a choice of sensitivity training. The Salt Lake City Fairpark DMV office caters to a minority population, mainly the Rose Park community, largely Hispanic.  The reason I made it my mission to take it to a higher level was because I was floored a supervisor could treat people so poorly, mostly those who would be indigent, minority, hispanic, and who would be used to this type of treatment. What a dis-service from a public servant, someone hired by the State of Utah to help, assist, provide superior customer service. The situation needed to be exposed. As you know by my Note/Entry "UTAH DMV Evil or Good? You tell me...I'm Illegal...or not. I'm NAVAJO!"  I did exactly that. I felt vindicated and hope that the Utah DMV is monitoring and will maintain a no-tolerance on discrimination to their minority population from that moment forward.

Getting back to Obama and his birth certificate. If this President had been of Anglo-Saxon, German, Swedish or any other "white-race", it is doubtful his legal presence would be questioned. What I want to interject here is, me being a minority, there have been instances in my life, including the Utah DMV incident, where being brown (Navajo) has not worked on my behalf. What I want to convey to you, is you have to look out for number one...the ME factor.  

No one else will. Some will pave the path, but you must make sure to tread it, or create one that others will follow.  It's not easy being the person who makes change. Change is scary. Change is unsure. Change happens whether you are the cause or not. Time, circumstance, everything changes. 

In my case, I was not willing to accept the one month extention Supervisor Joyce gave me as an ultimatum when I knew the law of The Real ID Act of 2005 and what my rights were. I had the upper hand through knowledge, wisdom and fortunately a good friend who had political connections to assist me in my time of need. Again it took SIX people, including myself, to schedule the second appointment. Sometime you have to realize within yourself that you must reach out to others who can help. It's amazing who stepped to the plate. I will forever be indebted to my friend Jim for the role he played in this incident. 

Another point I want to make: I don't care what color you are, I am, or who anyone is.  Sure physical beauty will create a first glance, but in the end what will trump anything are intellect, personality, and the beauty of the soul.

Talking about beauty, did you get to watch the Royal Wedding this morning?!? I accidentally fell asleep but watched it in a rebroadcast. Did you notice how similar Prince William looked like his mother Princess Diana?

Prince William, screen shot; Princess Diana, Peter Skingley/AP/pool

As an adopted child, a constant is not looking like, acting like, having the attributes of fellow adopted siblings and parents. Beside the fact that I needed to obtain a birth certificate, once I found my biological family in Ganado, Arizona back in 1985, there has always been that comforting feeling of not being alone.  Knowing there were others who had the same bloodline, features, quirky mannerism I possess. A completeness, the last piece of the puzzle. The same occurred when my cousin Matt came to visit Los Angeles last month

My cousin Matt,
Uncle Bob's son.

Even though he lives on the other side of the United States, when he was in my presense, there was a closeness, a bonding that felt, a relaxation from being guarded, a trustworthy feeling that people who are not adopted, those who live with their "natural" biological family unit take for granted. That is what I think adoptees constantly search for until they finally meet their natural relatives. Unfortunately for me, I will not be able to meet my brother Christopher, my mother Linda, but perhaps my biological father might be alive??? I have many other natural relatives who are alive. At some point I will meet them and be able to see myself in them. That will be the next phase I will concentrate on doing. 

That said, I have to make a living so, my goals are changing toward my professional life a bit more during this depression. YES, it is a Depression we live in. I was reminded of that by a lady over at the California Employment Development Department (EDD) downtown just yesterday. I  referred to the current state of our economy as a "recession" and she immediately said "THIS is not a Recession, THIS is a DEPRESSION". Yup.  Now back to the grindstone.

By the way, I am currently selling some items on Ebay, feel free to notice those postings on my Facebook Page wall:

"Adopted Native American Citizenship Affected by The REAL ID Act of 2005" 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Los-Angeles-CA/Adopted-Native-American-Citizenship-Affected-by-The-REAL-ID-Act-of-2005/165349256848200

You may press the "DONATE" Button on my Blog: 

Adopted Native Americans/Real ID ACT

http://amiauscitizennavajo.blogspot.com/

AND....<lol> yup another way, I make my living is by selling window coverings, so feel free to order online at:

http://www.mynewblinds.com/  My New Blinds.  Use the coupon code "savela" for 5% off your purchase of $100 or more.

Please LIKE my page and read my NOTES/Entries! 

Enjoy life and those you choose to surround yourself with.

Thank you for reading.

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.