Bringing an Arizona perspective to national issues of justice
The Seeking Justice in Arizona Fall Lecture Series, now in its 21st year, brings in experts from our local communities to discuss critical national issues in an Arizona context. Each lecture is followed by a question and answer period and time to interact with the speaker informally. These events are free and open to the public.
All talks take place virtually (Zoom Webinar) and the recordings are posted on the SST YouTube page.
Registration for each event below.
Fall 2025 Speakers and Talks
Alison Rapping, CEO of Arouet Foundation
Thursday, September 4, 2025
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
About Rapping
Alison Rapping is the CEO of the Arouet Foundation, where she leads efforts to support, mentor, and train women impacted by the justice system. She is also the President of Alison Rapping and Associates, a strategy consulting firm serving community benefit organizations across the United States and Africa. With over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Alison is a recognized leader, specializing in board development, fundraising, advocacy, and program design. Her work empowers nonprofits and community collaborations to be innovative, effective, and well-resourced, fostering lasting impact in the communities they serve.
Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr., Founder and Leader of Apache Stronghold
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
About Nosie
Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. is a former Peridot District Councilman and Tribal Chairman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, which consists of nearly 17,000 tribal members on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. San Carlos stretches across Gila, Graham and Pinal Counties, totaling 1.8 million acres and is situated in the southeastern portion of the State.
Wendsler was born on July 10, 1959 on the San Carlos Apache Reservation. He was raised in the traditional Apache way of life. He graduated from the Globe High School in May 1978 and attended Merritt College in Oakland, California, attended Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona, and completed the State of Arizona Banking Academy. Dr. Nosie specializes in Bioethics, Sustainability and Global Public Health.
Following college, Wendsler Nosie returned to San Carlos and began his employment as the Tribal Work Experience Program Director in 1982. In 1988, he was elected to Tribal Council for the Peridot District, which governs the San Carlos Apache Tribe through its Amended Constitution and By-Laws, being federally recognized in 1954 through the U.S. Indian Reorganization Act.
Wendsler Nosie then founded Rural Opportunities of Arizona (ROA) in 1990, an individually owned business owned and operated by a tribal member, which provided opportunities for tribal members to become skilled in trade and trained for jobs throughout Arizona.
In 1995, Wendsler established Apaches for Cultural Preservation and founded the Spirit of the Mountain Runners in 2000, which is a traditional runners organization.
Wendsler Nosie was re-elected as the Tribal Council Representative for the Peridot District in 2004 to serve another four-year term. It was then he was inspired to run for Tribal Chairman. Then in 2006, he was elected by the San Carlos Apache People as their Tribal Chairman.
He was recognized in 2006 and given an Honorable Mention by Wake Forest University of Winston-Salem, North Carolina for his coordination bringing students from Wake Forest to the San Carlos Apache Reservation for a cultural integration program and was also recognized and honored in 2007 by the National Council of Churches from New York City for his accomplishments in Indian Country as a leader of spirituality among youth and organizing many events for over fifteen years, which includes having worldwide participation of sacred runs in protection of Native American culture, tradition and heritage. The National Council of Churches comprises over 30 million membership throughout the nation.
Wendsler Nosie Sr. became an executive committee member for the AZ State Democratic Party, District One and introduced the resolution which established the AZ Native American Democratic Caucus. He was the first Native American electorate member of the National Electoral College for Arizona for Obama’s first term as President.
He established the Apache Messenger Newspaper in 2011 and owns and operates the newspaper currently.
He received the honor of being added to the Globe High School Hall of Fame for Sports.
In 2010 and again in 2012, Wendsler Nosie Sr. was re-elected as Tribal Council for the Peridot District. Wendsler has been instrumental over the course of his political career with the Tribe in establishing, the Apache Gold Casino, Bashas, and currently, the Peridot District Enterprises which include Apache Burger, True Value Hardware, PDEE shopping center, etc. etc.
He has also been appointed as the San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Director and has marketed and expanded the Hunting and Recreational area of the Tribe.
In 2013, Wendsler Nosie Sr. received the Presidential Award from National Progressive Baptist Convention for his fight for human rights for all Native Americans. He is the first Native American to receive such an award.
Dr. Wendsler Nosie recently accepted a position with the American University of Sovereign Nations as a Professor in the Practice of Indigenous Knowledge, where he will be teaching a range of Masters and Doctoral program courses to students from around the world.
Wendsler is married to Theresa Beard Nosie, a member of the Navajo Nation. They reside in Peridot, Arizona on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation and have six children and 18 grandchildren.
Wendsler is a long distance runner and has participated in numerous marathons and half marathons over the years. He is dedicated to the preservation and protection of Native American culture, artifacts, history religion, and tradition. He is the founder and leader of the Apache Stronghold and Director of Gaan Bike Goz aa where he continues to advocate for indigenous religious and human rights and protecting the future for our next generations to come.
Lena Avalos, Senior Policy Advisor at Arizona Center for Empowerment/LUCHA
Thursday, October 23, 2025
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
About Avalos
Lena is a 3rd generation Arizonan coming from a lineage of immigrants with Mexican roots. Since graduating from the School of Social Transformation at ASU in 2019, she has been at the Arizona Center for Empowerment, an Arizona based grassroots community organizing non-profit focused on increasing civic participation within communities of color and across working families, where she serves as Senior Policy Advisor. Lena began her involvement in politics when her family members faced incarceration while obtaining her concurrent degree in Classic Literature and Justice Studies from Arizona State University. She pursued the path of economic policy, community organizing, and legislative advocacy to build an Arizona where everyone has access to economic opportunity. Since 2019, she has led policy work at the Arizona State Legislature on the issue areas of fair wages and paid family leave, tax and budget, and affordable housing. Lena finds her motivation in co-creating policy solutions directly with community members, building bridges between people's every-day lives and the systems that govern them, and working together to step into our collective power.
Violeta Ramos, Managing Director of Leadership Programs at ALL In Education
Thursday, November 6, 2025
12:00 - 1:15 p.m.
About Ramos
Violeta Ramos was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and is proud to be the daughter of immigrants. As a product of public schools, she is deeply committed to strengthening the education system in our state. After earning her degree from the University of Arizona, Violeta returned home to Phoenix and began her career in the nonprofit sector, where her work consistently connected back to education.
Her growing passion for educational equity led her to run for the Osborn School District Governing Board, where she is now serving her first term and currently holds the role of Board President. In addition, Violeta serves as the Managing Director of Leadership Programs at ALL In Education, where she supports emerging and established leaders in realizing their full potential to create meaningful change for students and schools across Arizona.