Brenna L. Clani

Ya’at’eeh.  My name is Brenna Lynn Clani and I am member of the Navajo Nation.  I am of the Ta’neezahnii clan (Tangle people), born for the Tachii’nii clan (Red-running-into-the-water-people).  My maternal grandfather’s clan is Bit’ahnii (Under-his-cover-people).  My paternal grandfather’s clan is Todich’ii’nii (Bitter-water-people).  I grew up in Upper Fruitland, a small farming community on the Navajo Reservation, as well as Gallup, New Mexico, a reservation border town.  I attended college at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I then transferred to Stanford University where I received a B.A. in Native American Studies in 1999.  At Stanford, my studies focused on race, ethnicity and public policy.  This education provided me the foundational training and background to confront the historical and contemporary disparities confronting my communities.

After graduation, I participated in the Morris K. Udall Foundation’s Native American Congressional Internship Program with Congressman Tom Udall’s office.  The Internship Program provided me the opportunity to gain a first-hand understanding of the government-to-government relationship the federal government has with American Indian nations.  I also had the opportunity to meet congressional members, agency officials, and cabinet secretaries.

Upon completing the internship, I accepted a permanent position with Congressman Udall as the Community Outreach Representative in the Gallup District Branch Office.  As the Community Outreach Representative, I worked with local, state and tribal government officials in addressing constituent issues and ensuring their concerns were appropriately addressed.

After two years of public service, I decided to attend the University of New Mexico, School of Law where I received my Juris Doctorate in 2005.  While in law school, I was elected the American Bar Association Law Student Division’s 15th Circuit Governor.  In this position, I worked with other law students from New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming on various membership and diversity issues.  I collaborated with local and national law student organizations to organize informational panels addressing issues of diversity in the legal profession.  One of my proudest moments in law school, however, was having been awarded the Robert F. Masur Fellowship in Civil Liberties my first year, which financially assisted my research on American Indian Voting Rights.

After law school, I returned to the Navajo Nation to utilize my education working for my people and to be close to my family.  I have been practicing water law for over a year and a half at the Navajo Nation Department of Justice in the Water Rights Litigation Unit in Window Rock, Arizona.  In addition to working for the Navajo Nation Department of Justice, I currently serve as the chair of the Training Committee of the Navajo Nation Bar Association Board of Bar Commissioners.  In this capacity, it is my hope to bring access to justice for a community that is legally underrepresented.  In my spare time, I enjoy weaving rugs, which I learned as a young girl from my maternal grandmother.

My motivation and inspiration comes from my life experiences, and the hardships my family overcame.  In my family and community, receiving a degree of higher education is a very unique opportunity.  My maternal grandmother always spoke of her desire to receive an education.  My grandmother does not read, write or speak English; she only speaks Navajo.  As long as I can remember, she would always encourage me to stay in school and learn as much as I can.  In sharing her wisdom and strength to survive with me, I overcame my own adversities, which provides me a source of strength today.  Being an attorney is a privilege to advocate for those who would not otherwise be able to advocate for themselves.  Through my actions and accomplishments, I am weaving a rug of my life.