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As a member of the Navajo Nation who had little mentorship early in her legal career, U.S. District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes makes a point of speaking with young people entering the law. When Rose Saubel, a fellow Native American, joined Sykes’ chambers as an intern, the connection became personal, not just professional.

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, a new video describes Sykes’ relationship with Saubel, and their respective professional perspectives. Saubel started her internship in 2023 while going to college and raising a family.

“Working with Rose has been one of the first times in my life and in my career that I’ve been able to work with another Native American woman,” said Sykes, of the Central District of California. “She has been an amazing intern, and an amazing colleague, an amazing sister and friend.”

“I started to change my mindset on what is possible,” said Saubel, a member of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian tribe. She added that Sykes, as the first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge in California, “gives not only me, but my family and my daughter, a chance to see how far we can really go.”

Learn about Native American judges in the federal Judiciary and other Native American Heritage Month resources.

Related Topics: Public Education