Summer Wesley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Summer Wesley
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| Born | April 19, 1981 Antlers, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Other names | Chahta Summer |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma School of Law |
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| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 5 |
Summer Wesley (born in 1981) is a lawyer, writer, and activist from Oklahoma. She is also known as Chahta Summer. Summer is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation, an Indigenous group. She works hard to support Native American communities.
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Early Life and School
Summer Wesley grew up in rural Southeastern Oklahoma. She is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation. She went to school in a small town called Rattan. Summer finished high school a year early in 1998.
She earned four degrees from the University of Oklahoma. These included a Bachelor of Liberal Studies and a master's degree. She also earned a law degree (called a Juris Doctor). Plus, she got a Master of Arts in Native American Studies. She also received a special Certificate in American Indian Law.
Writing and Books
Summer Wesley started writing when she was young. She published poetry as a teenager.
While studying law, Summer wrote for the Oklahoma Journal of Law & Technology. She was also on the journal's editing team. Her master's thesis is called "Trademarking Tradition: Intellectual Property and Native American Tribes." You can find it at the University of Oklahoma's Bizzell Library.
Her Work as a Lawyer
In 2012, Summer Wesley worked at Oklahoma Indian Legal Services. There, she learned a lot about Federal Indian Law. She also learned about the Indian Child Welfare Act. This act helps protect Native American children.
Since finishing law school, Summer has been a strong supporter of Indian Country. This term refers to Native American lands and communities. She has helped many people in tribal courts.
Standing Up for Native Americans
Before law school, Summer Wesley volunteered a lot. She often spoke to Scout groups. She taught them about racism and stereotypes. These are unfair ideas about Native Americans in movies and TV.
Besides her legal work, Summer is a big activist. She works on many issues important to her people. She has helped campaigns to stop sports teams from using race-based mascots. She also works to show positive images of Indigenous peoples.
People often quote Summer Wesley by her social media name, "Chahta Summer." She was part of the National Congress of American Indian's 2014 #ProudToBe project. This project celebrated Native American pride.
In 2014, Summer spoke out about the Choctaw Nation inviting Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to a festival. Summer felt the governor was not a friend to Native tribes. She said it sent the wrong message to Indian Country. Because of protests on social media, the tribe changed its plans.
Days later, Summer also spoke about Oklahoma State University students. They made a disrespectful banner about the Trail of Tears. This was a sad time when many Native Americans were forced from their homes.
In September 2014, Summer criticized Governor Fallin again. The governor canceled a meeting with the mother of Mah-Hi-Vist Goodblanket. He was a young Cheyenne Arapaho man killed by police. Summer and other activists felt the governor was showing that the issue was not important to her.
Summer Wesley also strongly supported the Oklahoma City Public Schools. They decided to stop reenacting "land runs." These reenactments were seen as disrespectful to Native history. She also supported the school board's vote to remove the "redskins" mascot from Capital Hill High School. Summer shared updates about these meetings online.
In 2020, Summer Wesley ran for the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She ran as a Democrat for District 100. She did not win the election.
