The first all-Navajo team to compete at Rebelle Rally, the first women’s off-road navigation rally in the U.S.

Racquel Black and Shandinna Nizhoni Peters hold up the Navajo Nation flag as they prepare for the Rebelle Rally, an all-women endurance and navigation competition. (Photo courtesy Asdzaa Skoden Rebelles)

Racquel Black and Shandinna Nizhoni Peters hold up the Navajo Nation flag as they prepare for the Rebelle Rally, an all-women endurance and navigation competition. (Photo courtesy Asdzaa Skoden Rebelles)

Asdzaa Skoden Rebelles, the first all-Navajo team in the Rebelle Rally, an all-women endurance and navigation competition, are excited and raring to go, despite never having done anything like this before.

Racquel Black, who is from Shonto, Arizona and currently lives in Pinon, said it is exciting to explore something new.

“Before I had gotten into contact with Shandinna’s family, I had no idea of the competition at all,” she said. “The driving is really similar to the roads here on the reservation, that’s what we’ve been telling everybody. It’s not that it’s complicated, It takes a lot of maneuvering a lot of technical evaluation to do that."

Black said she and Peters don’t want to get hurt, while still able to getting from point A to point B.

“I think that’s one of the main points is just have you heave learned the mental and emotional capabilities of taking on a competition like this. And I think, for me, it’s just the fun of it and something new.”

Shandinna Nizhoni Peters, who is Diné and lives in Utah, agreed with the sentiment.

“It is very much out of my comfort zone,” she said. “I am not one for doing any type of competition type things.”

But after being given the opportunity, Peters also wants to represent.

“I’m really happy to represent Indigenous women and be one of the first teams to be on there that’s Indigenous,” she said. “I hope we can have more teams like me in the future because I think that’s very important."

The Rebelle Rally takes place Oct. 7-16 and is 1,554 miles. It will be televised live via ESPN Sports.

How you can support AsdzaaSkodenRebelles

The Asdzaa Skoden Rebelles have received initial support from Big Navajo Energy, Navajo Nation Oil and Gas and On Native Ground Media.

The team is outfitted with a vehicle, but they are assembling the required equipment to be able to compete. They are seeking more sponsors and donations, both of which can be found on their social media pages.

Asdzaa Skoden Rebelle's fiscal sponsor is G.O.A.T (Golfers of All Tribes).

Black and Peters said many of the competitors are like them and they would appreciate any help or in-kind donations as they prepare for the challenge by contacting them through Facebook or Instagram.

"This is an endurance challenge and #AsdzaaSkodenRebelles expect many challenges," they said. "[We] will be relying upon 'Reservation Dogs String Theory' as they calculate time, distance, speed and PSI tire pressure in order to geo tag the daily check points required for daily points."

More information about the team can be found on Facebook or Instagram. To donate or become a sponsor contact Dory Peters at dory@bignavajo.com.

More information about the rally is available at www.rebellerally.com.

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