Indigenous Peoples’ Day and NALSA Culture Week

  • by Kevin R. Johnson

Today, we humbly recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and the start of the Native American Law Students Association’s Culture Week. We mark this day by engaging with UC Davis Law students to learn about what this day signifies to them.

Watch our video featuring Jo-Joe Lee ’25, Nizhoni McDarment ’26 and Grace Younglund ’26, and follow @UCDNALSA on Instagram and see what events they have planned for Culture Week at the law school. Learn more about these law students:

  • Jo-Joe Lee '25 currently serves as president of the UC Davis Native American Law Students Association (NALSA), a cultural organization devoted to community education, allyship, and promotion of legal careers in Indian/Tribal law. She hopes to assist Indigenous peoples at a policy and legal level to implement positive change within systems that have treated their sovereignties and autonomies unjustly. She is a member of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California.
  • Nizhoni McDarment '26 is an enrolled member of the Tule River Indian Tribe and of Navajo descent. She is interested in American Indian law and media law. Her main legal passion is creating more representation for Native Americans in the legal field. At King Hall, NALSA has given her the opportunity to connect with other Native American students on campus, as well as attend conferences to network and learn from Native Americans across the country doing amazing work to create a seat at the table for her people.
  • Grace Younglund '26 is an enrolled member of the Delaware Tribe of Indians and of Cherokee descent. While Grace is still exploring her legal pursuits, she is currently interested in environmental law, specifically the intersection of environmental law and Federal Indian law. At King Hall, she is enjoying being a part of NALSA.