Sarah Deer. Photo from John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Attorney and professor Sarah Deer, a member of the Muscogee Nation in Oklahoma, has been awarded a prestigious "genius grant" from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Deer was selected for her work to prevent violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women. Her efforts led to the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act in 2010 and the inclusion of tribal jurisdiction provisions in the Violence Against Women Act of 2013.

"Sarah Deer is a legal scholar and advocate leveraging her deep understanding of tribal and federal law to develop policies and legislation that empower tribal nations to protect Native American women from the pervasive and intractable problem of sexual and domestic violence," the foundation said.

The grant comes with a $625,000 award.

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Sarah Deer, professor at William Mitchell College of Law, wins $625,000 'genius grant' (AP 9/17)