{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Shaandiin Parrish | office = Member of the Navajo Nation Council for the 8th District | term_start = January 2023 | citizenship = Navajo Nation<br>United States | education = Arizona State University | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|28|2022|11|08}} | predecessor = Nathaniel Brown }} '''Shaandiin Parrish''' (born {{Circa|1994}}) is an American politician and former Miss Navajo Nation serving as a member of the Navajo Nation Council since 2023. She represents the communities of Chilchinbito, Dennehotso, and Kayenta. Upon her election in 2022, she became the youngest member of the council and was part of a historic vote that saw a record number of women join the legislative body.

As Miss Navajo Nation from 2019 to 2021, Parrish was the first titleholder in history to serve for two consecutive years, a result of the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of the 2020 pageant. During her extended reign, she worked on the front lines to distribute supplies to communities impacted by the pandemic.

== Early life and education == Parrish was born {{Circa|1994}} is from Kayenta, Arizona.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Quintero |first=Donovan |date=2022-12-08 |title=Newcomer will bring wealth of experience to 25th Council |url=https://navajotimes.com/rezpolitics/newcomer-will-bring-wealth-of-experience-to-25th-council/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Navajo Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=September 6, 2021 |title=Miss Navajo Nation donates crown, reflects on term |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/news/good-news/article_75127cf5-f717-59a5-8030-b98e3fd4bf26.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251103032150/https://www.abqjournal.com/news/good-news/article_75127cf5-f717-59a5-8030-b98e3fd4bf26.html |archive-date=2025-11-03 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Albuquerque Journal |language=en}}</ref> She has one biological brother and one sister.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Krista |date=2022-05-20 |title=Service is key: Former Miss Navajo Nation titleholders run for delegate seats |url=https://navajotimes.com/rezpolitics/election-2022/service-is-key-former-miss-navajo-nation-titleholders-run-for-delegate-seats/ |access-date=2025-11-03 |website=Navajo Times |language=en-US}}</ref> She is Kinyaa'áanii and born for Kinyaa'áanii, with her maternal grandfather being Tódích'íi'nii and her paternal grandfather being Tábąąhá.<ref name=":4" />

Parrish is a graduate of Arizona State University (ASU).<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Wittenberg |first=Alexandra |date=May 27, 2025 |title=Winslow Mayor and Navajo Nation councilwoman selected for Flinn Fellowship |url=https://www.nhonews.com/news/winslow-mayor-and-navajo-nation-councilwoman-selected-for-flinn-fellowship/article_b97a52da-dcb4-4740-a700-79e3e6619f3a.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251102231651/https://www.nhonews.com/news/winslow-mayor-and-navajo-nation-councilwoman-selected-for-flinn-fellowship/article_b97a52da-dcb4-4740-a700-79e3e6619f3a.html |archive-date=2025-11-02 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=Navajo-Hopi Observer |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Garcia-Navarro |first=Lulu |last2=Shivaram |first2=Deepa |date=October 10, 2021 |title=As Miss Navajo Nation, she helped her community through the pandemic |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/10/10/1044749107/as-miss-navajo-nation-she-helped-her-community-through-the-pandemic |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250505220459/https://www.npr.org/2021/10/10/1044749107/as-miss-navajo-nation-she-helped-her-community-through-the-pandemic |archive-date=2025-05-05 |access-date=2025-11-03 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref> She initially studied elementary education in college.<ref name=":4" /> In 2018, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science, which she earned on a Gates Millennium Scholarship.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> She earned a master's degree in business management from ASU.<ref name=":4" />

== Career == Beginning in 2015, Parrish interned for three years at the Arizona Senate.<ref name=":0" /> She later worked as the public information officer for Arizona State Treasurer, Kimberly Yee and as a legislative district assistant for former Navajo Nation Council delegate Jonathan Hale.<ref name=":0" />

=== Miss Navajo Nation === Parrish held the title of Miss Indian Arizona.<ref name=":1" /> In September 2019, she was crowned Miss Navajo Nation, an outcome she did not expect.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Her role changed significantly after the Navajo Nation declared the COVID-19 pandemic a public health crisis.<ref name=":2" /> Parrish worked on the front lines with Navajo president Jonathan Nez and other leaders to distribute food, water, and hand sanitizer to communities impacted by shutdowns, including visiting parts of the Navajo Nation without running water.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> In June 2020, she directed traffic at a large distribution event in Ganado, Arizona.<ref name=":0" /> To protect her family from potential virus exposure through her work, she chose to self-isolate from them in 2020.<ref name=":2" />

When the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Navajo Nation Fair, the pageant could not be held.<ref name=":0" /> As a result, Parrish remained Miss Navajo Nation for a second year, becoming the first titleholder in history to serve two consecutive years.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> During her extended reign, she donated the 2016 Miss Navajo Nation crown to the Navajo Nation Museum for cultural preservation.<ref name=":3" />

Parrish passed on the title in September 2021 to Niagara Rockbridge.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> After her reign, Parrish worked as a staff assistant in the administration of president Nez and vice president Myron Lizer.<ref name=":0" />

=== Navajo Nation Council === In May 2022, Parrish announced her candidacy for the Navajo Nation Council.<ref name=":4" /> In the general election on November 8, 2022, Parrish, then 28, defeated incumbent Nathaniel Brown with 1,271 votes to 1,147.<ref name=":0" /> Upon taking office, she became the youngest member of the 25th Navajo Nation Council and was part of a historic election that saw a record nine women join the legislative body.<ref name=":0" /> She represents the communities of Chilchinbito, Dennehotso, and Kayenta.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> As a delegate, her stated policy priorities include road improvements, dam restorations, economic development, and the reclamation of the Black Mesa area from the Peabody Coal Mine.<ref name=":0" />

In May 2025, Parrish was selected to participate in the 17th cohort of the Flinn-Brown Fellowship, a program of the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership.<ref name=":1" /> The fellowship includes participation in the Flinn-Brown Academy, a 12-session public policy institute.<ref name=":1" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Parrish, Shaandiin}}

Category:Living people Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:1990s births Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:People from Navajo County, Arizona Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:Arizona State University alumni Category:21st-century Native American women Category:21st-century Native American politicians Category:Navajo women Category:Members of the Navajo Nation Council