In 2018, “January in Tucson” (JIT), part of the joint Indigenous Governance Program (IGP) offered by the Native Nations Institute (NNI) and University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law, engaged 85 individuals representing four countries and 40 Indigenous nations from around the world, including 26 federally recognized U.S.-based tribes.

Fourteen different courses were offered during this iteration of the annual, three-week, intensive education session in Indigenous governance, which was the largest number of short-courses ever offered through JIT. 2018 also marked the largest-ever enrollment of participants from U.S. tribes. A weekly lunchtime lecture series was another new feature of JIT 2018. Three prominent scholars in the fields of Indigenous governance, law, and policy delivered talks:

• Michael Fakhri, Associate Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Food Resiliency Project at the University of Oregon School of Law, discussed how the food sovereignty movement has pushed the boundaries of international trade institutions, property rights, and Indigenous human rights law.

• Matthew Fletcher, Professor of Law and Director of the Indigenous Law & Policy Center at the Michigan State University College of Law, discussed legal frameworks for doing business in tribal communities, drawing on decades of experience working as an attorney in Indian Country and as a tribal court judge.

• Rebecca Tsosie, Regents Professor of Law at the James E. Rogers College of Law and Special Advisor to the Provost for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Arizona, provided an overview of common legal and policy issues that Indigenous peoples face across international jurisdictions and explored how international law can be used to defend Indigenous peoples’ rights.

Reflecting on JIT 2018, Tribal Professionals Cohort participant Bridget Valenzuela (Pascua Yaqui Tribe) stated, “I really think January in Tucson has provided a plethora of opportunities for professional development …the caliber of people that have been invited and that are participating, I’ve really appreciated all of their contributions, their experience, and their insights.” As Valenzuela notes, JIT not only fosters a robust classroom learning environment, it also emphasizes relationship building among the diverse participants who travel to Tucson each January from all over the world.

Stay tuned to the igp.arizona.edu website for information regarding JIT 2019! And check out our soon-to-be announced continuing education and/or academic credit-sharing opportunities with sister programs at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada; the University of Technology Sydney in Sydney, Australia; and the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand.