
Sunshine Sykes
Host: California Indian Legal Services
Sponsor: Bingham McCutchen LLP
Kace reduced the number of unrepresented Native American parents in the Indian Child Welfare Act cases in rural Oklahoma counties and support tribal courts’ efforts to place Native children with tribal families.
Though the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was enacted to protect the best interests of Native children, families, and tribes and to remedy the crisis affecting Native children, families, and tribes from prior removal practices of Native children from their homes, there remains an overwhelming percentage of Native children being placed outside of their families and tribal community even when willing relatives are available for placement. Native families are four times more likely to have children removed and placed in foster care than non-Native families. Tribes and Native families in rural areas may lack resources available to assist in the large number of ICWA cases to keep families intact. Because Oklahoma is home to 38 federally recognized tribes, there is a profound need to provide active efforts to support tribal courts in placing Native children with tribal families.
During the two-year Fellowship period, Kace:
Kace remains at her host organization Oklahoma Indian Legal Services, Inc. as a staff attorney, where she continues her work to ensure ICWA compliance and that Tribal parents and Indian custodians receive all rights under the law to protect families and cultural ties.
My Impact: A Conversation with 2018 Fellow Kace Rodwell
Enforcing the Indian Child Welfare Act
Host: California Indian Legal Services
Sponsor: Bingham McCutchen LLP
Host: Indian Child Welfare Act Law Center
Sponsor: Dorsey & Whitney LLP, U.S. Bank
Host: Dakota Plains Legal Services
Sponsor: Dakota Plains Legal Services, Lannan Foundation
Host: Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc.
Sponsor: Brico Fund