Jolyana Kroupa

Jolyana Begay-Kroupa, is originally from Ts’iłdiilyesiitah (Rabbitbrush) near Fort Defiance, AZ. She is Navajo (Dine) born into Tachii’nii (Red Running into the Water People) and born for Tsi’naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Her maternal grandfather’s are Tł’ááshchi’i (Red Bottom Cheek People) and her paternal grandfathers are Ye’ii Dine’e Tachii’nii (Giant People of the Red Running into the Water People). Begay-Kroupa honorably served as the 50th Miss Navajo Nation (2001-2002) and currently resides in the Phoenix-Metro area where she is a director of development for Phoenix Indian Center specializing in language and culture revitalization. In addition to her work at Phoenix Indian Center, she currently teaches Navajo language classes at Arizona State University and Stanford University. She has also taught for Harvard University and Yale University. Language is her passion and she is an advocate on the importance of language revitalization.