Michael Nava
Encyclopedia
Michael Angel Nava is an attorney
and writer
.
He is a third-generation Californian of Mexican
descent. He was born and raised in Sacramento
. He was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating with honors from the Colorado College
in 1976. He received his J.D. from Stanford Law School
in 1981.
In 2002, he was also awarded an honorary degree
as a Doctor of Humane Arts from the Colorado College
in recognition of his literary achievements.
He began his legal career as a trial lawyer in the Los Angeles
City Attorney's Office where he prosecuted criminal cases and did approximately 50 jury trials.
He was an associate at the appellate boutique firm of Horvitz and Levy before becoming a judicial staff attorney for the Honorable Arleigh Woods, the first female African-American appellate court justice in California. He served in that capacity from 1986 to 1995. Among the notable cases he worked on was Jasperson v. Jessica’s Nail Clinic, the first published decision to uphold an HIV/AIDS anti-discrimination statute.
After Justice Wood’s retirement, Nava returned to his native Northern California, settling in San Francisco In 1999, he joined the staff of the California Supreme Court and since 2004 he has been a judicial attorney for Justice Carlos R. Moreno, only the third Latino to sit on the California
high court. Justice Moreno was also recently considered for the United States Supreme Court seat that went to Justice Sonia Sotomayer.
Nava began writing what would become his first novel – The Little Death – while in law school. Published in 1986, it was the first of seven novels featuring a gay Latino criminal defense lawyer named Henry Rios, based in Los Angeles. The six books that followed – Goldenboy (1988), How Town (1990), The Hidden Law (1992), The Death of Friends (1996), The Burning Plain (1998) and the final volume Rag and Bone (2000) – were published to increasing praise from mainstream publications that did not ordinarily review the works of gay and lesbian writers. His novels were awarded six Lambda Literary Awards and he was ultimately awarded the Bill Whitehead Lifetime Achievement Award for Gay and Lesbian literature from the Publishing Triangle, a GLBT professional group within the publishing industry.
Despite the fact that he has not published a work of fiction since 2000, his novels continue to be the subject of scholarly discussion about gay and Latino/a writers. In an interview in the Latino/a literary blog, La Bloga, he revealed that he has been at work on an historical novel set around the time of Mexican Revolution
in Mexico and Arizona tentatively entitled "The Children of Eve." He is also co-author of the book "Created Equal: Why Gay Rights Matter to America."
neighborhood in Sacramento
, California
called Gardenland. In an essay of the same title, he wrote about his neighborhood: “The best way to think of Gardenland is not as an American suburb at all, but rather as a Mexican village, transported perhaps from Guanajuato
, where my grandmother's family originated, and set down lock, stock and chicken coop in the middle of California”
His maternal family settled there in 1920 after escaping the Mexican Revolution
. His maternal grandparents were the most important influence of his childhood. His maternal grandfather was a Yaqui Indian, a tribe persecuted by the Mexican government at the end of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century. He wrote about his grandfather in the essay “Abuelo” published in John Preston’s 1992 anthology, A Member of the Family: Gay Men Write About Their Families. His grandmother was an influential force whose piety and humility were highlighted by her Catholic beliefs.
A precocious child, Nava was constantly reading. He was the first person in his family to attend college, where he excelled and acquired a special affinity for literature and writing. In college, he became part of a group of young poets whose members included the writer and humorist David Owen
and the poet David Mason
.
cum laude, he was awarded a Thomas Watson Fellowship to study abroad. He spent the next year in Buenos Aires
and Madrid
working on translations of the great Spanish American poet Rubén Darío
. Returning home, he decided to go to law school after briefly contemplating a graduate degree in English
or History. When he graduated from Stanford Law School
in 1981, he moved to Los Angeles
to work as a prosecutor in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office. Most of his legal career has been spent in government service, chiefly as a staff attorney in the California appellate courts. Of this particular niche in the law Nava has said:
"Judicial attorneys and law clerks can have a huge influence in shaping the direction of the law, but there are very few attorneys of color in those positions because they are mostly filled through the Old Boys Network. We need to establish our own network."
In his current position at the California Supreme Court, Nava deals with complex legal issues in every area of civil and criminal law on one of the country's most active and well-respected courts.
In addition to his practice, Nava is an advocate for diversity in the legal profession and the judiciary. From 2007 to 2009, he was a member of State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness, who advises the state bar’s board of governor on diversity
issues. He has been a frequent speaker and writer on the need to open the legal profession to traditionally underrepresented groups including people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, women and people with disabilities. He put forth the case for judicial diversity in a 2009 law review article, “A Servant of All: Humility, Humanity and Judicial Diversity", published by the Golden Gate University Law Review.
Nava ran for the position of San Francisco Superior Court, Seat 15 in 2010. He was the top recipient of votes in the June primary, but as he did not receive a majority of the votes, he was forced into a run-off with the incumbent judge and legal establishment candidate Richard Ulmer. The final official vote (www.sfelections.org/results/20101102) was Nava with 82,100 (46.66%) and Ulmer with 93,869 (53.34%).
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
He is a third-generation Californian of Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
descent. He was born and raised in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
. He was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating with honors from the Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
in 1976. He received his J.D. from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
in 1981.
In 2002, he was also awarded an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
as a Doctor of Humane Arts from the Colorado College
Colorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
in recognition of his literary achievements.
He began his legal career as a trial lawyer in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
City Attorney's Office where he prosecuted criminal cases and did approximately 50 jury trials.
He was an associate at the appellate boutique firm of Horvitz and Levy before becoming a judicial staff attorney for the Honorable Arleigh Woods, the first female African-American appellate court justice in California. He served in that capacity from 1986 to 1995. Among the notable cases he worked on was Jasperson v. Jessica’s Nail Clinic, the first published decision to uphold an HIV/AIDS anti-discrimination statute.
After Justice Wood’s retirement, Nava returned to his native Northern California, settling in San Francisco In 1999, he joined the staff of the California Supreme Court and since 2004 he has been a judicial attorney for Justice Carlos R. Moreno, only the third Latino to sit on the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
high court. Justice Moreno was also recently considered for the United States Supreme Court seat that went to Justice Sonia Sotomayer.
Nava began writing what would become his first novel – The Little Death – while in law school. Published in 1986, it was the first of seven novels featuring a gay Latino criminal defense lawyer named Henry Rios, based in Los Angeles. The six books that followed – Goldenboy (1988), How Town (1990), The Hidden Law (1992), The Death of Friends (1996), The Burning Plain (1998) and the final volume Rag and Bone (2000) – were published to increasing praise from mainstream publications that did not ordinarily review the works of gay and lesbian writers. His novels were awarded six Lambda Literary Awards and he was ultimately awarded the Bill Whitehead Lifetime Achievement Award for Gay and Lesbian literature from the Publishing Triangle, a GLBT professional group within the publishing industry.
Despite the fact that he has not published a work of fiction since 2000, his novels continue to be the subject of scholarly discussion about gay and Latino/a writers. In an interview in the Latino/a literary blog, La Bloga, he revealed that he has been at work on an historical novel set around the time of Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
in Mexico and Arizona tentatively entitled "The Children of Eve." He is also co-author of the book "Created Equal: Why Gay Rights Matter to America."
Early life and family
Michael Nava grew up in a predominantly working-class MexicanMexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
neighborhood in Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
called Gardenland. In an essay of the same title, he wrote about his neighborhood: “The best way to think of Gardenland is not as an American suburb at all, but rather as a Mexican village, transported perhaps from Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
, where my grandmother's family originated, and set down lock, stock and chicken coop in the middle of California”
His maternal family settled there in 1920 after escaping the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. His maternal grandparents were the most important influence of his childhood. His maternal grandfather was a Yaqui Indian, a tribe persecuted by the Mexican government at the end of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century. He wrote about his grandfather in the essay “Abuelo” published in John Preston’s 1992 anthology, A Member of the Family: Gay Men Write About Their Families. His grandmother was an influential force whose piety and humility were highlighted by her Catholic beliefs.
A precocious child, Nava was constantly reading. He was the first person in his family to attend college, where he excelled and acquired a special affinity for literature and writing. In college, he became part of a group of young poets whose members included the writer and humorist David Owen
David Owen (author)
David Owen is an American journalist and author. He lives in Washington, Connecticut with his wife, Ann Hodgman, and their two children, Laura and John.-Career in journalism:...
and the poet David Mason
David Mason
David Mason was an English orchestral, solo and session trumpet player. He played the flugelhorn for the premiere of Ralph Vaughan Williams's ninth symphony and the piccolo trumpet solo on The Beatles' song "Penny Lane"....
.
Legal career
After graduating from Colorado CollegeColorado College
The Colorado College is a private liberal arts college in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It was founded in 1874 by Thomas Nelson Haskell...
cum laude, he was awarded a Thomas Watson Fellowship to study abroad. He spent the next year in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
working on translations of the great Spanish American poet Rubén Darío
Rubén Darío
Félix Rubén García Sarmiento , known as Rubén Darío, was a Nicaraguan poet who initiated the Spanish-American literary movement known as modernismo that flourished at the end of the 19th century...
. Returning home, he decided to go to law school after briefly contemplating a graduate degree in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
or History. When he graduated from Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
in 1981, he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to work as a prosecutor in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office. Most of his legal career has been spent in government service, chiefly as a staff attorney in the California appellate courts. Of this particular niche in the law Nava has said:
"Judicial attorneys and law clerks can have a huge influence in shaping the direction of the law, but there are very few attorneys of color in those positions because they are mostly filled through the Old Boys Network. We need to establish our own network."
In his current position at the California Supreme Court, Nava deals with complex legal issues in every area of civil and criminal law on one of the country's most active and well-respected courts.
In addition to his practice, Nava is an advocate for diversity in the legal profession and the judiciary. From 2007 to 2009, he was a member of State Bar of California’s Council on Access and Fairness, who advises the state bar’s board of governor on diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
issues. He has been a frequent speaker and writer on the need to open the legal profession to traditionally underrepresented groups including people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people, women and people with disabilities. He put forth the case for judicial diversity in a 2009 law review article, “A Servant of All: Humility, Humanity and Judicial Diversity", published by the Golden Gate University Law Review.
Nava ran for the position of San Francisco Superior Court, Seat 15 in 2010. He was the top recipient of votes in the June primary, but as he did not receive a majority of the votes, he was forced into a run-off with the incumbent judge and legal establishment candidate Richard Ulmer. The final official vote (www.sfelections.org/results/20101102) was Nava with 82,100 (46.66%) and Ulmer with 93,869 (53.34%).