Future Aspirations: Partnering with Tribal Governments and Indigenous Peoples

Emerson intends to pursue a joint JD-MBA and focus his legal studies on the fundamental principles of Indigenous Peoples Law. He hopes that this education will equip him to work together with Native peoples and their governments across the Great Lakes Region.

In preparation for law school and to learn from Indigenous perspectives, Emerson has been attending the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College part-time. He is actively working toward a Native American Studies: History & Law Degree and anticipates completing it prior to beginning his legal studies. Courses such as ‘Anishinaabe History: 1600 to Present,’ ‘Ojibwe Language 1,’ and ‘Anishinaabe Crafts’ in particular have taught him invaluable lessons about Indigenous lifeways and how to practice cultural humility in his own life.

Emerson also believes in the importance of directly engaging with the Native American communities he wishes to learn about and serve. As such, he’s used vacation time to coordinate visitations and long-term stays with specific peoples across the country. The longest of such excursions took place in 2021, wherein Emerson stayed for about three weeks in the Navajo Nation. During this time, he drove 3,000 miles to visit schools, cultural sites, and government officials. He also organized similar visits with the Hopi Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and Pueblo of Acoma. During his most recent trip visiting the reservations in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Emerson met with elders, community leaders, and legal representatives to learn more about the people and history of his home state.