Honoring the work to respond to Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) is both heavy and rewarding when families can find closure or reunite. We offer sincere acknowledgement to all our relatives and communities who wake each day and lay down medicine in their own ways for their missing loved ones. According to the U.S. Department of Interior’s Indian Affairs staff, American Indian and Alaska Native people are at a disproportionate risk of experiencing violence, murder or going missing, and make up a significant portion of the missing and murdered cases. They have more such cases than any other demographic in the nation.
On May 3, tribal and experts will gather in Alpine in east San Diego County for a summit to bring attention to the difficult issues of Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Relatives and human trafficking. Across Indian Country, we have amazing tribally led organizations and collaborators working to highlight areas of focus and create strategies to restore tribal communities and families through healing and access to Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Relatives services. Understanding the work isn’t complete when someone is brought home, what exactly can the average person contribute?
Women and relatives who may not have the same systems or resources of immediate and timely care are at higher risk for falling into the Murdered Missing Indigenous Women and Relatives crises. Take note of your coping mechanisms that might be valuable to someone in hard times and creatively share them in community spaces. Think back to what habits you find yourself in when suffering in silence. Do you isolate and cut off connections so no one has the opportunity to see that you’re struggling? Are you indulging in areas that create more harm than healing? What has helped you climb out of hard places until you could reach out for and establish consistent healthy habits?
When we’re in our most delicate and desperate times, it can feel hopeless and our spirit loses momentum to fight for a brighter day. With varying lines of across our most local sectors to address systemic issues, we can contribute by raising awareness and sharing resources.
Think of the ways you pull yourself together, the routines you’ve created that add to your happiness, and mentally prepare yourself for the day. Identify local domestic violence and homeless shelters, community programs and small businesses that creatively share resources with people in need. Create a gift basket of essential items and make a contribution to these organizations knowing you are providing a lifeline in kindness for a stranger in need. During holidays, donate new or gently used books, household items, clothing, cellphones, sunglasses or readers, etc. Simple amenities can brighten a person’s day and put them at ease.
San Diego County has community-accessible Little Free Libraries with books for children to adults across varying subjects and genres. Consider connecting with a public library, small book store or educational sectors willing to donate titles that healing and wellness to add to the community library. Your gift to these libraries with a kind note, sticker, a quote or some manner of encouragement in the book will add grand value as they open the cover for the first time. These thoughtful donations could land in the hands of neighbors and community facing hard times. No matter the circumstance, know that any act of kindness and sharing resources in your community can save a life.
Wytewa is the tribal liaison at University of San Diego and lives on the unceded ancestral lands of the Kumeyaay and relatives.
