Buu Nygren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buu Not ten
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| 10th President of the Navajo Nation | |
| Assumed office January 10, 2023 |
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| Vice President | Richelle Montoya |
| Preceded by | Jonathan Nez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 25, 1986 Blanding, Utah, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jasmine Blackwater |
| Education | Arizona State University (BS, MBA) University of Southern California (EdD) |
Buu Nygren was born on December 25, 1986. He is a Navajo politician. Currently, he serves as the 10th President of the Navajo Nation.
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Growing Up
Buu Nygren was born in Blanding, Utah. His mother is Navajo. His father was of Vietnamese descent. His mother was 15 when he was born. He never knew his father. When his mother gave him a last name, she accidentally misspelled the Vietnamese name Nguyen as Nygren.
Buu Nygren belongs to the Táchiiʼnii (Red Running into Water) clan. In Navajo culture, clans are important family groups. Since his father was not Navajo, people say he is born for Vietnamese. This means his father's side is Vietnamese. He went to Red Mesa High School.
Becoming President
In 2018, Buu Nygren ran for Vice President. He was with Joe Shirley Jr.. They lost that election. In the 2022 election, Buu Nygren ran for President. His running mate was Richelle Montoya. They won with 34,890 votes. They beat the other team, who got 31,339 votes.
Buu Nygren became President on January 10, 2023. He was 35 years old. This made him the youngest person ever elected President of the Navajo Nation.
As President, Buu Nygren has faced important issues. He has spoken out about cultural concerns. He has also dealt with political challenges.
Protecting Sacred Places
Buu Nygren gained attention for protesting. He was against sending human remains to the Moon. This was part of a private space mission. Nygren said the Moon is sacred to the Navajo. He also said it is important to other Native American nations. He felt sending human remains there would disrespect their spiritual beliefs.
He explained that NASA had worked with the Navajo before. This was for a mission in 1998. However, NASA did not control this new private mission.
Facing Challenges
In August 2024, some people started a petition. They wanted to remove Nygren from office. This is called a recall. The people organizing the recall made several accusations. They said Nygren did not keep his promises. They also accused him of misusing tribal money. They claimed he created an unfriendly work environment.
Political Views
Buu Nygren had supported Kamala Harris in the past. He even campaigned for her. However, after the 2024 election, he congratulated Donald Trump. He was one of the first elected Democrats to do so.
Personal Life
Buu Nygren has worked in construction management. He is married to Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren. She used to be a state representative in Arizona.
