Meet Hunter Cox – Siletz Grant Recipient from the Native American Rights Fund!
Each summer NARF hosts the summer clerkship program, a ten to twelve week program 
for second year law students. Unlike most law clerk projects that consist mainly of legal research and writing, NARF’s projects are extremely challenging because NARF practices before federal, state, and tribal forums, and because most of its cases – whether at the administrative, trial, or appellate level – are complex and involve novel legal issues.
This summer the law clerk program was supported by a grant from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians through the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund. This summer NARF has six law clerks – two in the Alaska office, one in the D.C. office, and three in the Boulder office. Law Clerk Hunter Cox (Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation), was chosen to be the recipient of this grant due to his recent and impactful work collaborating with NARF attorney Steve Moore to protect the rights of Native high school students to wear their eagle feathers during their graduation ceremony.
Earlier this month, NARF, California Indian Legal Services (CILS), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California advocated on behalf of Native students in Lemoore, California, who wanted to wear eagle feathers at their graduation ceremony. The gift of an eagle feather is a great honor and is typically given to recognize an important transition in a young person’s life. Many graduates are given eagle feathers in recognition of their educational journey and the honor the graduate brings to his or her family, community, and tribe. Hunter, along with Steve, CILS, and ACLU, sent a letter on the students’ behalf requesting the school district to allow the students to wear their eagle feathers during graduation. After initially denying the students requests, the school district relented once receiving the letter, and allowed the students to wear their feathers despite originally denying the students request.
To read the letter sent on the students’ behalf, click here. And, to read the press about the students wearing their feathers, click here.
NARF thanks the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund for its grant to further the NARF law clerk program, which allows Native law students to make an impact on Indian law and to Native people during their term at NARF.
CONTACT: For questions regarding eagle feathers – Steve Moore, Native American Rights Fund – 303-447-8760
For questions about NARF’s Law Clerk Program – Matthew Campbell, Native American Rights Fund – 303.447.8760
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