Speaking Our Truth: Families Taking Action in the Face of MMIW
MMIW Podcast Series
In honor of the May 5 Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and the National Week of MMIW, NIWRC’s MMIW Family Advisory Group created a five episode podcast series as part of “Speaking Our Truth, Podcast for Change: Families Taking Action in the Face of MMIW.” The series features interviews with families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls who advocate for justice, safety, and healing for their loved ones and communities.
“We’ve conducted our own searches, we’ve put up posters, we’ve done webinars, we’ve put up a billboard around the Gallup area... The only thing you can do is just continue to fight and hope that the authorities really get on this, and you also hope that they arrest the perpetrator or perpetrators
and bring them to justice. That is our goal." - CHARLES GUY, DINÉ, SPEAKING OUR TRUTH PODCAST, EPISODE 2
Native victims and their families must confront and navigate a complex legal system and face extreme barriers to justice, including a lack of resources, shelters, law enforcement, and media attention; they are often forced to act as first responders, advocates, and investigators when a relative goes missing. By listening to the stories of families and survivors and learning from their experiences and recommendations for change, we can work to achieve lasting reform to protect Indigenous women and communities.
As you listen to the podcasts series, we encourage you to reflect on the powerful words of these families and answer these questions:
- WHAT DO JUSTICE AND HEALING MEAN TO YOU?
- HOW DOES YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY CHANGE AFTER YOU OR A LOVED ONE EXPERIENCES VIOLENCE?
- WHAT IS ONE CHANGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS OF MMIW?
