Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Diane Humetewa, first Native American federal judge

 

Diane Humetewa, born December 5, 1964 in Phoenix, Arizona, is the first Native American woman to serve as federal judge. She was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014 to be the United States District Court of the District of Arizona.

Humetewa is an enrolled member of the Hopi tribe and graduated from Arizona State University in 1987.  She then attended Arizona State's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 1993. 

She served as deputy counsel for the US Senate's Committee on Indian Affairs from 1993-1996. Starting in 1996, she served as the Tribal Liaison in the US Attorney's for Arizona. She was confirmed as a United States Attorney for Arizona in December 2007, becoming the first Native American woman to serve as US Attorney. 

In September 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Humetewa to serve as US district judge for Arizona. On May 14, 2014, the US Senate was confirmed as a US federal judge. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w00-Hs36VJE

Happy birthday, Godzilla actor Don Frye!

Don Frye, born November 23, 1965 in Sierra Vista, Arizona, made his film debut in Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004.  He began as a wrestler, wrestling for Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University.  He gained success in Mixed Martial Arts and competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

United Arab Emirates mission to Mars launched today!

The United Arab Emirates launched their first mission to Mars, Hope, earlier today.  The mission is expected to reach Mars in February 2021.  It will study the Martian atmosphere, weather cycles and events to understand why the atmosphere is losing hydrogen and oxygen into space.

It was built by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center with the University of Colorado, Arizona State University and the University of California, Berkeley. 

If it is successful, it will be the first mission to Mars by any Arab or Muslim country.