Chelsea Maxwell

Chelsea Maxwell is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, coming from Broken Bow. Chelsea graduated summa cum laude from Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a major in Political Science and Computer Information Systems. During her time at Southeastern, Chelsea was President of the SE Model United Nations, an Honors Advisory Council Member, a Senior Study Abroad Ambassador, a two-time presenter at the Great Plains Honors Conference, and a participant in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature.

Chelsea was most impacted by being chosen to participate in the Critical Language Scholarship Program in 2023, where she traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to learn the Portuguese language. Her time there allowed her to expand her language skills while learning more about the Indigenous people of Brazil through festivals and conversations with tribal leaders. Chelsea was able to continue developing her Portuguese language skills by receiving a scholarship to attend the prestigious Middlebury Language School of Portuguese in the summer of 2024, for which she now serves as a language ambassador.

Chelsea’s legal experience and passion stem from her work with the Choctaw Nation, where she worked in both a tribal research and legal capacity. While working for the Tribal Research Department, Chelsea was able to gain a more complete and appreciative understanding of the history of the Choctaw Nation by assisting with many research projects, including the creation of the first Choctaw Nation History Book. Chelsea then worked for the Legal and Compliance Department at the Choctaw Nation as an intern, assisting with contractual and tribal sovereignty issues, where she developed a passion for advocating for Indigenous sovereignty and rights.

Chelsea is excited to attend Oklahoma City University School of Law, where she will specialize in tribal and international transactional law. Her experiences with international studies and tribal law have solidified her desire to advocate for Indigenous tribes on an international level through collaborations across regions, languages, and cultural differences.