National Briefing Addressing the National Crisis of Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women: Advocacy in Action
April 29. 2021, at 1 p.m. MDT 9 a.m. HST/11 a.m. AKT/12 p.m. PDT/2 p.m. CDT/3 p.m. EDT
The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) invites you to a briefing to understand the complex and ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. The current systemic response to violence against Native women is inadequate and the rate at which we are losing our women is devastating to our tribal communities and to the Nation as a whole. Insufficient resources and lack of clarity on jurisdictional responsibilities have exacerbated efforts to locate those who are missing. The federal Indian legal framework is complex and creates many barriers for victims and Tribes working to protect their citizens. Moreover, resources are scarce, and culturally appropriate services are practically non-existent. Please join us to listen to survivor family members impacted by MMIW, local level tribal responses from victim service providers, and the tribal judicial branch. Because tribal sovereignty and safety for Native women are wholly intertwined, we will share national policy issues and recommendations in support of Tribal Nations to enhance safety for Native women.
Agenda
• Moderator, Amy Sparck (Cup’ik of Qissunamiut), Policy Specialist, NIWRC
• Traditional Opening, Juana Majel Dixon (Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Indians), Co-Chair,
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Task Force on Violence Against Women
• Welcome, Lucy Simpson (Diné), Executive Director, NIWRC
• Remarks from Members of Congress, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Vice Chairman, Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs, and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chairman, Senate Committee of
Indian Affairs (invited)
• MMIW Survivor Family Member Perspectives, Patricia Whitefoot (Yakama), and Yolanda
Frasier (Northern Cheyenne)
• Tribal Services/Resources Perspective, Lori Jump (Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa
Indians), Director, StrongHearts Native Helpline
• Tribal Justice Perspective, Alfred Urbina (Pascua Yaqui Tribe), Attorney General of the
Pascua Yaqui Tribe
• National Tribal Policy Perspective, Kerri Colfer (Tlingit), Senior Native Affairs Advisor, NIWRC
• Closing Remarks, President Shannon Holsey (Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of
Mohican Indians), Co-Chair, NCAI Task Force on Violence Against Women
Register for this briefing here
*Artwork by Danielle Fixico.
This briefing is made possible by Grant Number 90EV0452 from Administration of Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.