NMCLP welcomed four law students this summer – Cheyenne Trujillo, Christian White, Kelly Reeves, and Rebekah Peoble. Sharing a passion for justice and a strong commitment to our communities, they worked on key issues of education, workers’ rights, income security and housing protections. We extend our gratitude to them for joining us in movement with our communities. They inspired us with their work and advocacy!

Cheyenne Trujillo

Cheyenne Trujillo worked with our Public Benefits team this summer breaking down illegal barriers to basic necessities. She was excited to be able to put her commitment to dismantling systems of inequity into practice. Her work at NMCLP included drafting a civil rights lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services for illegally denying a Violence Against Women Act self-petitioner’s food and healthcare benefits, and failing to provide Spanish-language interpretation. Cheyenne also tracked USDA denials of SNAP and Medicaid benefits for immigrants with humanitarian statuses such as asylum applicants and Special Immigrant Juveniles. 

Cheyenne looks forward to continuing to fight for social justice through public interest law. She is also interested in pursuing advocacy in government, environmental, and natural resource law. Before coming to NMCLP she worked for the New Mexico Land Grant Council. 

Cheyenne is currently part of the Arturo Jaramillo Program at the University of New Mexico School of Law which promotes opportunities for minorities in the legal profession and encourages their participation in bar programs and activities. She has a BA in criminology and political science, a minor in Chicana studies, and a MA in public administration from the University of New Mexico. She will be graduating from the UNM School of Law in 2023. 

Rebekah Peoble

Rebekah Peoble joined our Economic Equity team this summer working to keep as many New Mexicans as possible housed and combating harsh debt-related, court-imposed driver restrictions. Rebekah researched and drafted memos about anti-discrimination protections in state and local housing law and illegal fines charged by property managers in mobile home parks. She also worked on an extensive review and analysis of magistrate court cases in which judges suspended defendants’ drivers’ licenses as a counterproductive means of coercing debt payments for unpaid parking tickets and other court fines and fees.

Rebekah is the daughter of an immigrant mother. Her experiences and understanding of the disparities of race, class, language barriers, and socioeconomic factors motivated Rebekah to pursue a law degree to improve the lives of children and families by advocating for legal reforms that support New Mexico families and promote social justice.

Rebekah is a recipient of the Child and Family Justice Scholarship for dedicated students who are interested in transformative advocacy to pursue racial equity and well-being for children and families in New Mexico. Rebekah served on the executive board of the Student Bar Association. She has a BA in psychology and political science from New Mexico Highlands University. She will graduate from the UNM School of Law in 2023.

Christian White (Santo Domingo Pueblo and Navajo)

Christian White assisted the Education team in holding the state accountable to its legal obligation to overhaul New Mexico’s public education system so it supports the needs of all students. He worked on the Yazzie/Martinez case with a focus on Native American students and culturally relevant curriculum as well as the Tribal Remedy Framework—a comprehensive plan for meeting the educational needs of Native students created collectively by Tribal community members and Indigenous education experts. 

Christian’s interest in working with Native American communities began as a youth when he was learning about policy and his people’s history. He has worked in various capacities within Native education and organizing in his community.

Christian White received a B.A. in political science and Indigenous studies from Columbia University. He also has an M.A. in American Studies, with a focus on Critical Indigenous Studies from the University of New Mexico. He will graduate from the UNM School of Law in 2023.

Kelly Reeves

Kelly worked with the Workers’ Rights team on combating payroll fraud, challenging the exclusion of workers paid by the piece from the minimum wage, and supporting workers who experienced hardships with unemployment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kelly began her career in social justice as a caseworker at a refugee resettlement agency in Indianapolis, Indiana. She worked with newly arrived families resettling in the state to ensure they had access to programs and resources upon arrival, and worked with the youth program to make Indianapolis more welcoming to newly arrived kids. She also served in the Peace Corps in Jamaica and Guyana where she taught literacy classes to grades three, four and eight, and supported the community’s goal of income generation through eco sport tourism. 

Kelly is a recipient of the Peggy Browning Fellowship for dedicated students who are interested in pursuing work in labor law and workers’ rights. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from DePaul University where she studied journalism. She has a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in sustainable development and global practice from the University of Denver. She will graduate from the University of Colorado School of Law in 2022.