Darlene Gomez

About Darlene Gomez

Darlene T. Gomez, a native of Northern New Mexico, hails from Lumberton, where her family has deep roots dating back to the homesteading era before New Mexico became a state. With nearly two decades of legal experience, Darlene’s practice centers on Indian Law, Complex Family Law, and advocacy for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Relatives (MMIWR).

Her legal journey began at the University of New Mexico School of Law, where she was committed to pro bono work, including a significant effort to secure clean water access for her community. Darlene was honored as the first recipient of the Carlos Vigil Scholarship and received multiple other awards throughout her studies.

Darlene has long been a tireless advocate for those whose voices are often unheard. Since 2001, she has dedicated her work to addressing the MMIWR crisis, providing legal support to families, organizing public awareness events, and mentoring secondary victims. As general counsel for the nonprofit Medicine Wheel Ride and a founding member of the New Mexico MMIW Task Force, she plays a key role in pushing for greater attention to this public health issue. Her advocacy has helped amplify national and international media coverage of the MMIWR crisis, significantly advancing the cause.