Scott AFB Exchange Recruiting Manager Reflects on Her Navajo Heritage

Jackson said, “I guess I didn’t fully appreciate it when I was a child; it was just a part of our everyday life. We’d go there [Canyon de Chelly] often, but now, when I see it in pictures, I’m struck by its beauty. It’s hard to believe I once called that place home. The canyons, the sprawling dirt, the mesas standing tall – it’s all incredibly beautiful.”

Adrienne Jackson, recruiting manager for the Scott AFB Exchange, poses in traditional Navajo clothing during Native American Heritage Month, which began Nov. 1 and ends Nov. 30. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mark Sulaica)

As Jackson continued to reflect on her childhood, she shared fond memories of playing traditional games with her family, and one memory that particularly stuck with her was of her grandmother.

“I grew up on the Navajo reservation, surrounded by its distinctive way of life,” Jackson said. “My grandmother’s morning rituals are etched in my memory. She’d rise early, around four or five, filling our home with the comforting scent of freshly brewed coffee. She’d tune in to KCN, the Navajo radio station, and, despite my limited understanding of the language, I could sense her deep connection to her roots. It was as if she was savoring the beauty of each moment.

Recalling her early life on the Navajo reservation, she described her home as Nizhóní, the word for beauty in the Navajo language. “I believe ‘Nizhóní’ carries a great meaning in Navajo culture, signifying beauty,” Jackson said. “Navajos, across generations, embrace the concept of ‘Walking in beauty,’ which acts as a cultural slogan. It reminds us that, irrespective of life’s challenges or circumstances, there is always beauty around and within us. I try to keep this in mind, especially during difficult times, and I draw inspiration from my elders.”