This episode of the Outside Podcast is brought to by Visit Arizona, home to Nicki Cooley, who was the first licensed Navajo River Guide in Grand Canyon National Park.

I am from the D novah nah

Navajo Nation and I grew up with my grandparents on

the dirt floor of a hogan. I grew up riding horses

hurting sheep and raising corn and squash.

Nicki began working in the Grand Canyon when she was 19,

after a friend invited her to help out on a guided trip.

And I fell in love with it.

Not just because it was very adventurous,

but meeting the people who didn't know a lot

about the Grand Canyon or Flagstaff or even the local tribes that were affiliated

with this region.

Nick, you realize there was something uniquely powerful about the knowledge that native people

from the area can share with

visitors. So she co-founded the Native American River Guide training program at

Northern Arizona University. I realized there was a need for somebody or even a program to help other Native Americans realize

that this is actually a job that you can do. This is actually an opportunity that people should take.

The program has since trained dozens of guides.

We're helping tourists experience not only the beauty of the Grand Canyon, but its deep cultural history.

As a Navajo woman who has been a commercial river guide and my professional work as a climate change, I guess advocate.

That all, that is who I am.

I always have been that person

...