As one of a handful of Black and Native law students attending the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Aleela’s commitment to diversity and inclusion continued as she excelled in law school. Graduating with a public good distinction, an equity and inclusion award, and an international law certificate, Aleela involved herself in the Public Good in Law program, the Black Law Students Association, and the Native American Law Students Association serving as president for 2 years during which time, she successfully petitioned the school to eradicate the colonial identifier “Indian” from its language and course names (which she clarified does not ignore or erase Indigenous tribes and People that self-identify with the word); as well as worked with the local Indigenous community to craft a meaningful land acknowledgment for the University. During her undergraduate career, she studied human rights and multiculturalism in South Africa where she conducted research regarding the experience, perception, and ideals of body and beauty which was later published by the honors journal at the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2018. Now onto her next journey, Aleela will be working with Americans for Immigrant Justice in Miami, FL to help create more equitable access to justice for unaccompanied minors.
