Team Member: Shecota R. Nalwood Nez

Shecota R. Nalwood Nez, BS

Diné, Hopi & Ndéé descendant

Pronouns: she/they 

Positions(s):

IndigeLab Data Manager, Udall Center, University of Arizona

Ya’at’eeh, I was given the name, Shecota Rae Nalwood Nez, by my mother, who is from Wide Ruins, AZ. I grew up just outside of Cuk Ṣon (Tucson, AZ), bordering the Shuk Toak District of the Tohono O’odham Nation. As a Diné person growing up in between a border town and the sovereign borders of the Tohono O’odham Nation, all of which consists of their traditional lands, I understand the importance of respecting the land you occupy and appreciating the beautifully complex system that sustains the desert. I attended Arizona State University, which occupies the land of the Akimel O’odham and Pee Posh communities, and obtained a degree in Human Systems Engineering. For my senior Capstone project, I delved into the field of Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) by conducting a literature review and interviews with Indigenous researchers. I learned that IDSov is crucial for cultural revitalization and land restoration efforts.

Projects(s):

Drafting data agreement between institution and IndigeLab Network members

Echoes of Water: The Santa Cruz River’s Legacy

Email: shecotanez@arizona.edu