This year’s Sovereignty Symposium was titled “A New Beginning,” which is fitting due to the announcements made at the 36th annual symposium. The Oklahoma City University School of Law hosted the event for the first time on June 11.
Mayor David Holt, Dean of the OCU School of Law, highlighted how the event has evolved into a networking opportunity. The symposium brings together representatives from nearly every Oklahoman tribe.
“The Sovereignty Symposium is an annual event where hundreds of people interested in issues facing tribal communities, especially legal issues, gather to learn from each other in a scholarly environment,” said Holt.
OCU Law recently took over hosting the Symposium from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which founded and hosted it for 35 years. Justice Yvonne Kauger, an OCU Law grad, was the main force behind the gathering’s establishment. It was created to help address issues surrounding tribal sovereignty and allowed for a more open discussion to build a better understanding and stronger community.
Oklahoma tribal leaders and OCU announced they were forming the Tribal Sovereignty Institute, which will be housed at the law school. This institute will encourage students to learn more about tribal law and help them become more immersed in Oklahoma.
The institute will be a platform for OCU Law to educate students in American Indian law, train lawyers to work in tribal legal systems and create a scholarship accessible to policymakers. The program is expected to grow as more funds reach the organizers. The coalition in charge is currently in the process of hiring a full-time, tenured professor.
OCU began to have a closer relationship with Native American tribes after they joined forces in a partnership with Apple. In 2022, educators from the Cherokee, Chickasaw, and Choctaw nations met at OCU to partake in a three-day-long computer coding academy. The workshop taught educators how to incorporate technology into classrooms while still trying to preserve tribal languages and cultures. Additionally, OCU Law has the American Indian Will Clinic, which celebrated its 15th anniversary recently.
Dean Holt believes the Tribal Sovereignty Institute will help the internal and surrounding communities.
“There is a huge need for lawyers knowledgeable about American Indian law and sovereignty. As the only law school in the capital city and independent from government, we are uniquely positioned to help fill those needs.”
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