Class of 2024: JD Grad Looks to Future Protecting Indigenous Peoples’ Cultural Sovereignty and Traditional Lands

Name:  Sinnai Avila (Maya Q'anjob'al/Xicana)
Degree:  Juris Doctor (JD) 
Hometown: Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA 
Undergrad: University of California, San Diego 

What motivated you to pursue a degree in law, and how has that motivation evolved throughout your time in law school? 

I was born to first-generation immigrants – a Mexican mother and Maya Q'anjob'al father – who both came from families where higher education opportunities weren’t accessible. My father was a genocide survivor, was forced to leave Guatemala, and obtained asylum in the United States. I was born into a politicized community that instilled in me the importance of social justice and advocating for human rights. Growing up in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, the environmental injustices I witnessed mirrored the struggles my Maya relatives faced in Guatemala. Even during my years working with the immigrant community, I witnessed the inequities that Indigenous migrants faced. My community’s story fueled my determination to become an attorney for Indigenous peoples’ rights and environmental justice. 

Why did you choose University of Arizona Law? 

After researching the Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy (IPLP) program, I knew the program’s Indigenous professors would challenge me to consider the various dimensions of Indigenous peoples’ rights and the law. University of Arizona Law was also the only law school that had a Maya Kaqchikel professor, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Rights, José Francisco Calí Tzay! 

What area of law are you planning to specialize in, and what influenced this choice? 

I plan to use this degree to serve Indigenous peoples’ in the fight to protect their cultural sovereignty and traditional lands. As Maya people, over 500 years of colonialism could not destroy our traditional textile designs, ceremonial practices, languages, and relationships to our lands and water. So much of our culture was burnt, stolen, and desecrated, but still, there is so much left that, as Indigenous communities we can continue to protect. In Guatemala, to be a land defender means risking one’s life and facing criminal prosecution. My Maya relatives’ stories paralleled many of the injustices Native Americans in the U.S. continue to experience. I felt a responsibility to understand the systems that actively harm Indigenous communities so that I could learn how to address systemic discrimination. 

Which courses or professors had the most significant impact on your legal education and why? 

In our Legal Protections of Indigenous Cultural Heritage class, Professor Rebecca Tsosie created an encouraging space for Indigenous students to participate and connect our lived experiences with the material and themes we were learning. I loved learning how we can protect tangible and intangible expressions of our cultures as Indigenous peoples. It also always felt like a privilege to be part of Professor Heather Whiteman Runs Him’s Tribal Water Law class because she’s nationally recognized for her contributions and knowledge of Native rights law. It makes a significant difference when professors can relate to the subject matter personally and professionally. 

What are your immediate plans post-graduation? (e.g., joining a firm, pursuing further studies, etc.) 

I’ll be clerking with the Oregon State Court of Appeals to become a better legal advocate for Tribes and Indigenous communities in the future. 

How do you hope to make a difference in the legal field or in society through your career? Future career plans? 

I hope to serve Tribal Nations to protect their cultural sovereignty and lands while finding ways to use international human rights law to support Indigenous communities across the Americas. My ultimate goal is also to support human rights advocacy efforts in my home countries, Guatemala and Mexico.      

Looking back on your experience at the college, what would you have done differently or what advice would you give to your younger self? 

Remember, you are not alone. Remember all those who have come before you and fought so you can have this opportunity. Remember your family and friendships back home. Remember the non-human elements that nourish you. Remember that your ancestors guided you to this moment and will continue to guide your path. Lean into that strength. 

What will you miss most about University of Arizona Law and/or Tucson?  

I will miss the communities that I was a part of. I will also miss the ubiquitous presence of Tribal Nations and Indigenous cultures across Tucson – a reminder that this land will always be Native land. 

What was your favorite school experience or extracurricular activity, and why?  

My most memorable moments were the opportunities where I connected with Indigenous peoples from within and outside U.S. colonial borders to learn how our struggles are interwoven. Attending the U.N. Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples Issues in New York was an eye-opening experience, where I connected with Maya rights advocates and Indigenous groups worldwide. Similarly, I learned a lot through the Yaqui Human Rights Project, which allowed me to interpret during Friendly Settlement Agreement negotiations that would require Mexico to return ancestral lands and water rights to the Rio Yaqui Pueblos before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. I had the opportunity to witness the historic signing ceremony at the Bicam Pueblo, where the Yaqui traditional authorities and Mexican government officials signed the agreement. Both experiences deepened my understanding of how international human rights law and forums play a critical role in advancing Indigenous peoples’ rights. 

What are you most proud of while at Arizona Law?  

As part of my work with the Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy, I published my Student Note in the Spring 2024 Issue on the legal inequities that prevent Indigenous peoples from fully exercising their spiritual rights to practice their traditional ceremonies and access traditional medicinal plants. Through the Note, I wrote about how cultural appropriation, climate change, and U.S. construction of religious freedoms harm Indigenous peoples’ cultural sovereignty. 

Message for your fellow Class of 2024:    

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” As law students, we should know by now that all injustices are interconnected. This includes systemic and structural injustices that actively harm Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Our human responsibility is to care for one another. As future lawyers working with the law, reflect on how you can use your degree to help improve the lives of others and contribute to helping advance our collective consciousness to improve our human condition.