Ambrose Willie

In the fall of 2007, the Indigenous Peoples Task Force presented its first Native Americans and SRI conference at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort & Spa in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. After a day of presentations by Native American and SRI leaders, Mr. Ambrose Willie from the Navajo Nation and delegate from Memnosyne Foundation at the closing circle event was quoted as saying: “I never knew anyone cared.” As Native communities and the SRI community build bridges to one another, it becomes increasingly clear that a great many people do care and want to work together.

Ambrose Willie passed away in October 2009. The Memnosyne Foundation writes, "...Hopi and Navajo people will be eternally grateful for the strength of Ambrose Willie that insisted his people (Navajo) forge a more peaceful understanding and alliance with the Hopi traditional leadership. To ally their efforts about Peabody Coal and Blackstone's pollution and depletion of their water supply, Ambrose, Tony Estrada, Calvin Johnson and other Navaho traditionalists joined Ronald Wadsworth, Lee Lomayestewa, Augustine and David Mowa of the Hopi Nation's traditional leadership and Memnosyne mediators Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk and Coke Buchanan in the creation of The Hopi And Navajo Alliance (HANA). Ambrose brought a sincere spirit, for both his people and the Hopi, and wisdom to the alliance that set the tone for the beginning of The Memnosyne Foundation mediation program."