Buu Nygren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buu Nygren
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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 Van Nygren (born December 25, 1986) is a Navajo politician currently serving as the 10th President of the Navajo Nation. Nygren and running mate Richelle Montoya received 34,890 votes, defeating the Nez-Abeyta campaign who received 31,339 votes in the 2022 election. He was sworn in on January 10, 2023.
Early life
Nygren was born on December 25, 1986, in Blanding, Utah. His mother is Navajo and his father is of Vietnamese descent. Nygren is Táchiiʼnii clan. His mother gave birth to him at 15 and he never knew his father. When giving him a last name his mother misspelt the Vietnamese last name Nguyen as Nygren. He has no paternal clan since his father is not Navajo. He is therefore said to be born for Vietnamese when his clans are named. He attended Red Mesa High School.
Nygren was the running mate of Joe Shirley Jr. in the 2018 Navajo Nation presidential election. At 35 years of age, Nygren is the youngest person to have ever been elected President of the Navajo Nation.
Nygren received international media attention when he protested human remains being sent to the Moon as part of Peregrine Mission One. Nygren claimed that the moon is the "heritage" of the Navajo and other Indian nations and that sending human remains would be desceration of Indian spiritual property. Nygren also stated that NASA had coordinated with the Navajo on the 1998 Lunar Prospector mission, however, NASA has no jurisdiction over Peregrine as it is both launched and operated by private companies.
In August 2024, a petition was launched aiming to recall Nygren from office. The recall organizers accused Nygren of reneging and inaction on his campaign promises, misusing tribal funds, and creating a culture of workplace harassment.
Personal life
Nygren has worked in construction management. He is married to former Arizona state representative Jasmine Blackwater-Nygren.
