I wanted to share some exciting news with you regarding another outstanding first this year. On May 14th, Diane Humetewa was confirmed unanimously by the Senate to become the first Native American woman, Article III Federal Judge. Humetewa is a citizen of the Hopi Tribe of Arizona.
Humetewa’s path to the federal bench includes a B.A. from Arizona State University in 1987, and her J.D. in 1993 from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. She previously worked as a U.S. attorney the George W. Bush administration, as well as an appellate court judge from the Hopi Tribe. Currently, she serves as special advisor to the President of Arizona State University, Michael Crow. You can read about her many previous accomplishments here.
Humetewa’s confirmation, is an important step forward for diversity in the Federal Courts, and progress we can all celebrate and appreciate.
To quote Justice at Stake, “In order to function effectively, every American must have the utmost confidence in their courts. However, a judiciary that does not reflect the population it serves undermines that confidence in creating a perceived or actual bias in judicial decision making. An ideal bench is representative of the larger community, including women, persons of color, members of the LGBT community, persons with disabilities and other underrepresented groups.”
Nancecy 