Business & Society

USU Blanding Student Empowers Others as Miss Utah Navajo

By Vanessa Richards |

Desiree Benally, the reigning Miss Utah Navajo.

BLANDING, Utah — For Utah State University Blanding student Desiree Benally, being Miss Utah Navajo is more than a title — it’s a celebration of her heritage and a lesson in how stepping out of her comfort zone is strengthening her confidence and connection to her community.

As a dedicated student and this year’s Miss Utah Navajo, Benally proudly carries the heritage of her Diné (Navajo) clans.

“I am from the Folded Arms People clan, born for the Near the Water Clan. My maternal grandfather is from the Water’s Edge Clan, and my paternal grandfather is from the Bitter Water Clan,” Benally said.

Benally has long admired Miss Utah Navajo and all she represents.

“Miss Utah Navajo and Navajo pageantry has been a part of my cultural learning since I have lived in the Navajo Nation,” she said. “It’s really an honor to finally be in this kind of role.”

Some of the responsibilities of the role include community and regional events, volunteer opportunities and judging for other pageants.

“There’s a lot of responsibility that comes with teaching the younger generation about our culture and speaking the language,” she said. “I’m not fluent yet, but that doesn’t stop me because I am willing to learn and continue to grow.”

As Miss Utah Navajo, Benally has volunteered with Warm Elders, a nonprofit that delivers firewood to Utah Navajo elders and veterans. She has also sung the Navajo National Anthem at several events and will be singing for USU Blanding’s commencement ceremony this year.

“This role empowers me to explore myself in ways I hadn’t before, like in public speaking and networking with people intentionally,” Benally said. “It’s helping me to grow more, and it’s helped me become more self-aware as a person.”

During her time as Miss Utah Navajo, which began in August 2024 and finishes in August 2025, she hopes to inspire young Navajo women to “learn these values and cultural teachings, and to be confident and proud to introduce yourself in Navajo.”

Benally also hopes to encourage young girls to pursue higher education.

For Benally, USU Blanding is helping her celebrate her heritage and giving her opportunities for educational and professional growth. She highlighted the annual powwow, the Hogan on campus, and the recent round dance put together by USU Blanding and other collaborators, including the campus staff.

“I really like the campus because of how kind the staff are and the cultural appreciation and understanding they have for their Indigenous students,” Benally said. “It’s a place a lot of people in the Utah Navajo area know, and many find it inspiring to have a place close to home where we can pursue higher education.”

Alongside cultural learning, Benally has embraced opportunities through USU Blanding to expand her education in the criminal justice program, including a pre-law summer program and a study abroad trip to Ireland.

The pre-law summer program Law as Influence, Law as Change was hosted by the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law and welcomed students from Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.

“It was really fun because all of the cohort were students from the Four Corners region, and a lot of them were Navajo,” Benally said. “We spent two weeks at the Blanding campus and two weeks at the University of Utah and learned things like legal writing, what law school classes look like, and the process of applying to law school.”

Benally also broadened her educational horizons through a study abroad trip focused on Ireland’s correctional history, saying that learning about other cultures was good preparation for working in the criminal justice system where she expects to encounter people from different backgrounds.

“The criminal justice system in the Navajo Nation is discussed a lot; what improvements can be made,” said Benally, who plans to apply to law school. “I want to come back and work within the Navajo Nation, either as an attorney or by working in the judicial branch.”

Whether through her influence as Miss Utah Navajo or her experience as a criminal justice student, Benally hopes to inspire others to pursue their passions.

“You can do what you set your mind to, as long as you have good goals, find a community to help support you, and never give up on what you want to do in life,” Benally said. “And don’t worry about the discomfort that comes from growth.”

WRITER

Vanessa Richards
Technical Communications Assistant
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
435-797-2985
A02304598@usu.edu

CONTACT

Judson Finley
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Sociology & Anthropology Department Head
435-797-9621
judson.finley@usu.edu


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