Jaden Shirley

Jaden (‘Jay’) Shirley (she/her) is a proud member of the Navajo Nation, originally from Sanostee, NM, on the Navajo reservation. She is a passionate advocate, designer and student leader dedicated to fostering community engagement, Indigenous representation and political activism.

As a Student Advocacy Leader with Texas Freedom Network and Texas Rising, Jaden helps mobilize students for progressive political action in Texas. Her work includes leading voter registration drives, Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns, issue and candidate forums, hands-on political training and creative direct actions. Through student-led advocacy, she ensures that critical issues affecting Indigenous and local communities remain central to policy discussions in both Texas and New Mexico. Jaden’s leadership extends to her role as President of the Alliance of Indigenous Scholars at St. Edward’s University, where she works to create safe and empowering spaces for Indigenous students, elevate cultural awareness and push for systemic change.

Beyond advocacy, Jaden is a skilled graphic designer and communicator, using visual storytelling to support social justice organizations like Texas Rising. She bridges activism and design, ensuring Indigenous stories and movements receive the visibility and impact they deserve. Her work integrates design thinking, strategic communication and coalition-building to amplify advocacy efforts and empower communities.

Currently pursuing a BA in UX Design with a minor in Graphic Design at St. Edward’s University in Austin, TX, Jaden is committed to using design, policy, and community leadership to advance Indigenous rights and justice.

About Jaden’s Project

During her time as a 2025 Remembering Our Sisters Fellow, Jaden developed “We Will Remember Them” — an advocacy campaign to spread awareness about MMIR and share resources with the most vulnerable communities. She designed and developed an informational pamphlet containing credible information and an outline of what steps to take if a relative were to go missing.

Jaden partnered with two local organizations to compile and distribute tote bags containing the pamphlets, and other resources for those impacted by the crisis, all of which featured her original artwork. She plans to continue her coalition building efforts to ensure this information reaches as many community members as possible, including unhoused and elder relatives who often have less access to information.