Tackling Tough Developing Stories
Six officers, masked and in uniform, pull a wooden casket while others around them salute or cover their hearts.

In June 2020, the Navajo Nation Police Honor Guard escorted the casket of fallen Navajo Nation Police Officer Michael Lee, the first Arizona police officer to die in the line of duty from COVID-19..

© Navajo Times, 2020

In June 2020, the Navajo Nation Police Honor Guard escorted the casket of fallen Navajo Nation Police Officer Michael Lee, the first Arizona police officer to die in the line of duty from COVID-19..

© Navajo Times, 2020

The pandemic is far from over, and while many first responders have fallen since it began, those on the front lines continue to serve their communities and country. In a poignant image Quintero took during his work covering the epidemic for his newspaper, the Navajo Times–Diné bi Naaltsoos, the Navajo Nation Police Honor Guard carry the casket of their comrade, the first Arizona police officer to die in the line of duty from COVID-19.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic reached the Navajo Nation in March 2020, I knew at that moment the lives of the Diné would change forever,” Quintero said. “I had to quickly come to grips with whether or not I would be documenting this new terrible and frightening era in human history. I decided it was necessary.”

“The National Museum of the American Indian conceived the ‘Developing Stories’ series to provide a platform for Native photojournalists’ thought-provoking stories exploring contemporary social issues,” said exhibition curator Cécile Ganteaume. “Each photographer reported with great insight and clarity and captured compelling imagery.” Visit AmericanIndian.si.edu/developingstories.