>>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON THIS IS A
MEETING OF THE CIVIC DEV,
PUBLIC ASSETS & NATIVE
COMMUNITIES TODAY IS WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 5 . IT IS A 2:05 PM . I AM
JOINED BY WAY LORENA GONZALEZ
AND KSHAMA SAWANT IS ON THE
WAY.
WE HAVE KRISTA FISHER HERE
TODAY.
WE HAVE JULIE KLEIN, HERE
TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE JOHN FROM THE
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WE ALSO HAVE LIZ WHO IS HERE
FROM THE SO COWLITZ TRIBE.
LET'S DO THE CHAIR REPORT.
TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL MEETING
FOR ME AND FOR THE NATIVE
AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
WITH ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
PRESENTATION OF MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS OR ACROSS THE NATION.
FOR THE URBAN INDIAN HEALTH
INSTITUTE WHICH IS A DIVISION
OF THE TRAN 28 THEY PROVIDE
PUBLIC HEALTH THEY INVESTIGATED
DISEASES OF CONCERN.
I AM HONORED TO TO HAVE THE
CHIEF RESEARCH OFFICER AND CEO
TRAN 24 AND THE CEO ESTHER
LUCERO TO PRESENT THE RESEARCH
AND FINDINGS ON THE TOPIC.
AND HOW SEATTLE IS AFFECTED.
THIS IS A SPECIAL, EMOTIONAL,
AND PERSONAL MEETING TO ME.
AS A NATIVE WOMAN AND AS A
MOTHER.
THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ON THE RADAR
IN THIS COUNTRY AND CANADA FOR
WELL OVER A DECADE I THINK WHAT
WE ARE GOING TO HEAR TODAY.
SOME OF THESE ISSUES MAY
TRIGGER, THEY DID FOR ME.
I WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
COMMENTS OF THE RECENT REPORT
THAT CAME OUT ON A MONDAY.
THOSE THAT GREW UP IN INDIAN
COUNTRY AND THAT WORKED IN
INDIAN COMMUNITIES AND KNOW THE
RELATIONSHIP OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AND THE VALUE OF NATIVE WOMEN
HAVE LIVED THIS HISTORY.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR
BEING HERE.
WHAT WE WILL DO FIRST IS GO TO
PUBLIC COMMENT.
THEN I WILL HAVE THE PRESENTERS
COME FORWARD AND INTRODUCE
THEMSELVES.
I HAVE A STATEMENT THAT I WOULD
LIKE TO MAKE AND I WOULD LIKE
THEM TO MOVE INTO THEIR
PRESENTATION.
WITH THAT WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC
COMMENT.
THE PEOPLE DO WE HAVE SIGNED UP?
FIVE PEOPLE ARE SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO ADDRESS
THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA AND THAT
IS THE PRESENTATION ON MISSING
AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND BE
MINDFUL OF THE TIME.
I HATE TO BE THE PERSON TO TELL
YOU THAT YOUR TIME IS AT.
IT'S GO AHEAD AND CALL OUT THE
NAMES.
>> FIRST IS MARGARET, AND THEN
ANITA.
>> GOOD DAY.
ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND OTHER
NATIVE PEOPLE.
I CONSIDER MYSELF BLACK.
NATIVE MAY BE.
I THINK IT IS BAD TO SEE
SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
JUST LIKE IT IS BAD TO SEE
BLACK PEOPLE'S BONES IN THE
ATLANTIC OCEAN . I AM FROM
HERE.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE I
CAME FROM.
I WAS BORN RIGHT HERE IN
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.
AND I AM A WOMAN.
THAT IS IMPORTANT, THAT THE
WOMEN CONTINUOUSLY, AND GIRLS
SPEAK OUT FOR WHAT IS HARMING
THEM.
THE DEAD CANNOT TALK.
AS LONG AS I AM AROUND I'M
GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT HAS
HAPPENED TO ME.
YOU HAVE THE INDIAN HEALTH
BOARD ON PROGRAM.
AND I WAS DISCRIMINATED AT THE
INDIAN HEALTH BOARD.
BUT YOU SAY QUEEN PEARL
URINATED THEY DIDN'T DO THAT TO
YOU.
CANCER IS A MURDEROUS.
IF YOU DON'T KILL IT IT WILL
SPREAD.
THAT IS WHY I SAID LOOK AT THIS.
IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE SAYING
THEY WERE MISSING.
BUT I DON'T COME UP MISSING
ALSO.
I HAVE NATIVE BLOOD IN ME, BUT
IT IS STILL A PROBLEM.
I HOPE YOU CAN FIX YOUR PROBLEM
JUST LIKE BLACK PEOPLE ARE
STILL TRYING TO FIX THEIR
PROBLEM OF COMING UP MISSING
AND THE DEAD AND TREATED IN
DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF THE COLOR
OF THEIR SKIN. I AM STILL
FIGHTING.
I AM A WARRIOR, I CAME A LAWYER
AND I'M GOING TO DIE A LAWYER.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL GET
EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE ASKING
FOR, FINDING OUT WHY THESE
WOMEN ARE MISSING.
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
>> ANITA FREEMAN.
>> MY NAME IS ANITA FREEMAN. I
STAND WITH WHEEL.
WOMEN IN BLACK.
WHEN SOMEONE DIES BY VIOLENCE
OR HOMELESSNESS WE HAVE STOOD
FOR NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN,
INCLUDING DIVINA GARRISON WHO
WAS MURDERED IN 2005.
MURDER IS STILL UNSOLVED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DURING
THE STUDY.
WE WANT JUSTICE FOR THESE WOMEN.
WE WANT JUSTICE FOR SANDRA,
DIVINA, AND OTHERS THAT WE
DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IS
HAPPENED TO THEM.
THANK YOU.
>> WELCOME SALLY BAGSHAW.
>> MY NAME IS LINDA.
AND I AM PART OF THE GREAT
NATION OF WASHINGTON STATE.
I AM THANKFUL FOR THE INTEREST
THAT YOU HAVE.
IN THE TIME THAT YOUR GIVING TO
THE MISSING AND MURDERED WOMEN.
WHEN THIS STARTED GOING GLOBAL,
AND CANADA IT IS BECOMING A LOT
MORE AWARE.
I HAVE A CLOSE FRIEND WHO IS
CONCERNED I WENT AND DID MY OWN
RESEARCH.
WE HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF
MURDERED AND MISSING INDIGENOUS
WOMEN.
THE MEN AND BOYS ARE TWICE AS
LIKELY TO BE MISSING AND
MURDERED. THAT'S HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
WHEN I ARRIVED HERE TODAY I
ASKED THE ASSISTANT TO PUT
THESE IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THE REASON I DID THAT WAS
TO POINT OUT THAT JUST PRIOR TO
THIS. WE HAD A SILENT VIGIL
ACROSS THE STREET FOR ANOTHER
HOMELESS DEATH.
WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT OVER
THE YEARS, HOW MANY HAVE BEEN
FOUND MURDERED OR WHATEVER THE
CAUSE OF THEIR DEATH.
IN MY HEART I KNOW FOR MY OWN
EXPERIENCE THAT A HIGH NUMBER
OF THOSE HOMELESS DEATH ARE
NATIVE AMERICAN.
I KNOW THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING
MY STREET OUTREACH.
UNSPONSORED AND ALONE SINCE
1999.
WE WERE MARRIED IN 2012.
AND THAT IS OUR MARRIAGE
MINISTRY.
WE OFTEN ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHO
ARE SUFFERING OUT THERE.
ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF
THE PEOPLE THAT WE STAND SILENT
VIGIL FOR. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE DEATHS.
THE MURDERED AND MISSING.
IT TEARS AT MY HEART.
SO MANY OF THEM ARE STILL
MISSING.
AND THE MEN AND THE BOYS IN THE
UNITED STATES AND CANADA.
THANK YOU.
>> RANDY AND THEN JOEY GRAY.
>> MY NAME IS PASSED DOWN FROM
THE NAZ PIERCE ANCESTORS..
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF CONTACT
WE HAVE HAD THIS TROUBLE OF
MISSING WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
NOW IT IS BOYS. IF WE CAN
BRING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE
WE ASK YOU.
PLEASE THAT WE NEED YOUR HELP.
WE NEED TO BRING THIS OUT IN
THE OPEN SO THAT IT STOPS. I
HAD SISTERS TAKEN AWAY FROM UP
IN CANADA TO CALIFORNIA. THEY
GOT A HOLD OF THE ROYAL COUNTY
MOUNTED POLICE AND GOT AWAY
FROM IT.
THIS IS HAPPENING EVERY DAY TO
FAMILIES. WE LOST LOVED ONES.
WE NEED YOUR HELP.
WE PLAYED WITH YOU.
WE NEED YOUR HELP. TOO MUCH
SORROW, TOO MUCH PAIN. USUALLY
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T TO
ATTENTION. THEY HIDE IT AWAY.
AND PEOPLE ARE HURTING.
FAMILIES ARE HURTING.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE COUNTRY.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS.
>> HI I AM JOEY GRAY.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS
IMPORTANT ISSUE TO THIS BODY IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE MY NAME IS
JOEY GRAY.
MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN SEATTLE
SINCE THE 1920S AS A GUEST MY
AUNT GAVE ME THIS LETTER FROM
2001 THAT I HAD NOT HEARD OF
UNTIL THEN IT'S FROM MY UNCLE
TO MY DAD THEIR FAMILY WAS FROM
THE OAKEN NOGGIN. THIS LADY WAS
THE DAUGHTER OF A YOUNG CLAN.
ONE THAT MY GRANDMA WOULD REFER
TO.
SHE WENT TO LOS ANGELES AND THEN
SEATTLE AND DISAPPEARED FROM
VIEW.
SHE HAD A DAUGHTER WHO IS SENT
BACK TO OUR GRANDFATHER WHO
RAISED HER SHE DISAPPEARED NO
ONE FOUND OUT WHY OR HOW.
AND THEIR ANTI-CERTAINLY
REMEMBERS THAT MOTHER. THEIR
MOM TALKING IN THE SAME TONES AS
OUR MOM ABOUT THE MISSING
SISTER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A
HINT OF SCANDAL IN THIS MATTER.
THIS WAS IN 2001 THAT THIS WAS
TALKED ABOUT IN OUR FAMILY. IT
HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE
CONTACT.
THANK YOU FOR RAISING THIS
ISSUE AND BRINGING THE MOST
UNCOMFORTABLE TOPICS TO THIS
PUBLIC LIGHT AND DEALING WITH
IT.
>> THANK YOU.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT NEEDS
TO SPEAK BEFORE WE CLOSE PUBLIC
COMMENT.
WITH THAT WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC
COMMENT AND MOVE ON TO THE
AGENDA.
AND I HAVE YOU READ INTO THE
RECORD.
GO AHEAD WHY DON'T YOU READ
INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM AT 1.MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS.
>> MADAM CHAIR THANK YOU FOR THE
INVITATION TO ATTEND.
I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE A LITTLE
EARLY.
I APOLOGIZE IF I LEAVE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> I'M IN A DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I NORMALLY
DO I'M GOING TO ASK THE
PRESENTERS IF THEY CAN BRIEFLY
SAY WHO THEY ARE.
AND THEN I WANT TO MAKE A
STATEMENT AND TURN IT OVER TO
YOU TO GO AHEAD.
I SHOULD'VE SAID YOUR NAME
EARLIER.
I WANT TO GET YOU ON THE RECORD
FIRST AND THEN PUT THIS INTO
CONTEXT.
IF I CAN HAVE YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF, YOUR TRIBAL
AFFILIATION OF COURSE.
AND AS YOU KNOW MY NAME IS HOLY
MOUNTAIN WOMAN IN BLACK FEE.
I DID NOT GET MY NAME OFF THE
INTERNET.
THERE WAS A HOLE THREE LONG
CEREMONY.
IF I CAN HAVE YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF I WILL MAKE SOME
STATEMENTS AND HANDED OVER.
>> MY NAME IS ESTHER LUCERO.
I AM DINE.
AND I'M THE CEO FOR THE TRAN
20.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE AMONGST
FRIENDS.
IT'S WONDERFUL
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MY NAME IS
TRAN 24.
I'M A CITIZEN OF THE PAWNEE
NATION.
IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN HONOR
TO BE HERE WITH MY FRIEND AND
LOVED ONE. THANK YOU FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR
COMMUNITY OF AND OFFER A
SOLUTION.
>> MY NAME IS AREN SPARCK.
I AM THE GOVERNOR AFFAIRS
OFFICER FOR THE TRAN 20.
I BELONG TO THE CUP'IK TRY . I
AM THE FATHER OF TWO YOUNG
NATIVE GIRLS.
I DON'T NORMALLY GET EMOTIONAL
BUT THIS IS VERY CLOSE TO HOME.
THANK YOU FOR BEING A CHAMPION
FOR MMIWG .
>> FOR THOSE OF US THAT WERE
RAISED IN INDIAN COUNTRY.
BEFORE I MAKE MY COMMENTS.
IT'S BEEN A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO
MAKE THIS TRANSITION FROM WHAT
I USED TO DO TO BE IN A CITY
COUNCIL.
AND HOW WE DO THINGS.
I WOULD LIKE TO DO IT IN OUR
TRADITIONAL WAY.
WE DON'T CALL IT A PRAYER BUT
WE HAVE A MOMENT WHERE WE ASK
THEM CREATOR TO MAKE US MOVE
FORWARD IN A GOOD WAY.
THAT WE WILL HAVE GOOD WORDS
THAT COME FROM A GOOD PLACE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY WE WILL
ALL BE HEALED.
WITH THAT WANT TO MAKE SOME
COMMENTS.
IF YOU CAN BEAR WITH ME I WANT
TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT AS TO
WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.
I WILL ALLOW THE EXPERTS SHARE
WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.
THE MISSING AND MURDERED
INDIGENOUS WOMEN & GIRLS IN A
HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL AND
CULTURAL CONTEXT IS WHAT I
WANT TO ADDRESS.
AS I WAS SHARING WITH MY
COLLEAGUES BEFORE THE
MICROPHONES WERE TURNED ON.
THE ROOT OF THIS IS
COLONIZATION.
THIS WAS MORE THAN JUST THE
TAKING OF OUR LAND AND
RESOURCES.
IS A GOVERNMENT POLICY OR LAW
IT TOOK OUR LIVES, HEALTH,
CULTURE, LANGUAGE, LAND,
CHILDREN, SPIRITUAL PLACE, THEY
EVEN TOOK OUR HAIR.
UNDER SUCH SCRUTINY AND
ATTEMPTS TO ERASE US THERE WAS
NO COLLECTIVE ATTEMPTS AT
HUMANITY TO FIND US, PROTECT US
AND VALUE OUR LIVES.
WE ARE STILL HERE TODAY.
THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT, I CAN
DO FEDERAL HISTORY INDIAN LAW
101.
BUT I CAN SHARE THE HISTORY
THAT BRINGS US HERE TODAY RIGHT
UP TO 2019.
I WANT TO GO BACK IN TIME AND
PUT INTO CONTEXT WHAT ARE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
ALL OF NORTH AMERICA HAVE BEEN
DEALING WITH.
IN 1783 PRESIDENT GEORGE
WASHINGTON IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO
PURCHASE OUR LAND BEFORE WAR
AND TREATY TIME.
WE WERE SEEN AS A WILD BEAST.
WE WERE SAVAGES.
SAVAGES THE WOLF.
THEY DIFFER IN SHAPE.
IN 1824 THE INDIAN AFFAIRS WAS
IN THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
OUR POLITICAL GENESIS AND OUR
OWN COUNTRY BEGAN IN THE WAR
DEPARTMENT WITH THE MILITARY
OCCUPATION OF OUR LAND AND
PEOPLE IT WASN'T UNTIL 1849
THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
TOOK OVER THE INDIAN PROBLEM OR
ISSUE.
THERE WAS A HUGE PUSH TO PUT
INDIANS BACK INTO THE WAR
DEPARTMENT FOR MORE MILITARY
OVERSIGHT.
SOME OF THE HISTORY THAT I HAD
TO GO BACK TO WAS VERY PAINFUL.
EVEN THOUGH I AM ON A CITY
COUNCIL.
WHEN I PRACTICE LAW AND
REPRESENT TRIBAL ALLY I AND SEE
ALL THESE ISSUES I CAN TELL YOU
THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH OVER
500 YEARS OF COLONIZATION.
IN 300 YEARS OF TRIBAL
RELATIONS.
WE ARE DEALING WITH A LAWS
WHERE THE POLICY WAS TO
EXTERMINATE US.
AND WE KNOW OUR HISTORY.
THESE COLONIAL ROOTS RUN DEEP
AND ARE TANGLED IN THE
BLOODSHED OF OUR PEOPLE.
THAT IS NOT HYPERBOLE.
THAT IS TRUE HISTORY.
A HISTORY OF LEAD SHED, WAR,
AND GREED.
IN A HAS NOT CHANGED.
IF WE FAST-FORWARD TO 2019.
WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE THERE
ARE TWO REPORTS.
WE ARE PROUD OF THE REPORT THAT
CAME OUT AND WITH THE WORK OF
TRAN 24 AND ESTHER LUCERO.
THAT SEATTLE HAS THE HIGHEST
NUMBER OF A MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS.
WE HAVE A SECOND REPORT THAT
CAME OUT ON MONDAY.
THE CANADIAN REPORT.
A 1200 PAGE DOCUMENT.
AND IT BLAMES THE
DISPROPORTIONATE VIOLENCE ON
DEEP ROOTED COLONIALISM, AND AN
ACTION.
THOSE ARE POWERFUL WORDS. I
WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING WITH
YOU.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE A COPY OF THIS.
THE RECENT MEMO STARTED IN 2016
AND WAS FINALIZED JUST THIS
MONDAY.
THAT FINAL REPORT IS 1200
PAGES.
THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY IS ALL
HUNDRED AND 70 PAGES.
THERE ARE TWO THINGS I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT.
ABOUT ABORIGINAL PEOPLE IN
CANADA THAT ACCOUNTS FOR 4% OF
THE POPULATION BUT THEY SUFFER
FROM THE HIGHEST RATES OF
CRIME, POVERTY, AND ADDICTION.
THE ROOT CAUSES ARE A PATTERN OF
AN RACIAL ABUSES.
THEY ARE DESIGNED TO DISPLACE
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE FROM THEIR
LANDS, SOCIAL STRUCTURES, AND
GOVERNMENTS.
AND TO ERADICATE THEIR
EXISTENCE.
THAT WAS FROM THE CHIEF
COMMISSIONER.
THERE ARE KEY PRINCIPLES IN THE
REPORTS THAT CALL FOR JUSTICE.
TO REAFFIRM BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.
TO HAVE TRAUMA INFORMED
SERVICES HAVE A REGIONAL FOCUS
AND AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
CULTURE AND LANGUAGE ACROSS THE
NATION.
AND THE IDENTITIES WITHIN THOSE
TRENDS.
WITHOUT GOING INTO THE
DIFFERENT AREAS I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THEY
HIGHLIGHTED THE GOVERNMENT'S
OBLIGATIONS.
, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO ALL
15.
IT COINCIDES WITH YOUR
PRESENTATION.
I THINK THEY DID IT RIGHT.
WHAT I REALLY LIKE IT WASN'T
JUST ABOUT INFORMATION.
THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE
DELIBERATE IN ADDRESSING WHY
THEY HAVE SO MANY MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS AND NOBODY DID ANYTHING
ABOUT IT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY
UNDER INTERVIEWED FAMILIES,
THEY WENT THROUGH THE COUNTRY
TO GATHER THE EVIDENCE PICK
SOMETHING THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS
YET TO DO.
WE TALK ABOUT THIS NEW TERM OF
COLONIZING.
IT MEANS HISTORICAL TRAUMA.
IT MANIFESTS ITSELF THROUGH
MANY GENERATIONS. I KNOW THAT
ABIGAIL, ESTHER AND AREN SPARCK
WILL SPEAK MORE ON THIS.
I WANT TO AND WITHIN AN ANALOGY
THAT IS COMPLEX AND PAINFUL.
HISTORICAL TRAUMA IS LIKE A
FLOODED RIVER.
WHEN IT FLOODS IN REACHES ITS
BANKS.
THE PAIN LIKE WATER CANNOT BE
CONTAINED IN A HAS TO GO
SOMEWHERE.
IT HAS TO SETTLE IN SIT
SOMEWHERE.
WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY IS TO
DISCUSS THAT PAIN, THE
HISTORICAL TRAUMA AND WHAT WE
WILL DO ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
I'M GLAD I HAVE MY COLLEAGUES
HERE TODAY.
THESE ARE THE WOMEN WHO ARE
GOING TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO
ALL OF US TO ADDRESS THIS.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.
WHAT LEGISLATION WERE GOING TO
PASS TO PROTECT OUR WOMEN. IT
IS SAD TO SAY THAT SEATTLE HAS
THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF MISSING
AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS IN THE COUNTRY.
IT'S NOT A FACT THAT WE ARE
PROUD OF.
BUT I ASSURE YOU IT IS
SOMETHING WE ARE GOING TO FIX.
WITH THAT I WILL HANDED OVER TO
THE EXPERTS IN THIS AREA AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
WE ARE OFTEN IN FORMS LIKE
THIS.
WE COME HERE WITH HER FEARS
FACES AND WEARING OUR SUITS.
AND THEN YOU HIT US WITH A
NATIVE OPENING IN A GOOD WAY.
AND WHEN YOU DO THAT WE HAVE TO
COME AS WHOLE PEOPLE.
AND WE CARRY EMOTION.
I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT IT WAS
EXPRESS.
BECAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN IMPACTED
BY THIS PROBLEM AND CHALLENGE.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WOULD
ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I
APPRECIATE YOU MAKING SPACE FOR
ALL OF US HERE.
WE DO EVERYTHING AS A TEAM.
AND I COUNT ON THE EXPERTISE OF
MY TEAM MEMBERS TO CARRY THIS
MESSAGE FORWARD.
LET ME JUST SAY SOMETHING ABOUT
THE SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH
BOARD.
THEY ROSE FROM A SOCIAL JUSTICE
MOVEMENT IN THE 1960S. WE ARE
SERVICE ORGANIZATION THAT IS
COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE BEST KNOWN FOR HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES.
WE ARE AND URBAN INDIAN HEALTH
PROGRAM.
ARE AUTHORITY LIES IN THE
INDIAN HEALTHCARE ACT.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE
OFTEN FAMILIAR WITH THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE A LEGACY OF
ADVOCACY.
WE HAVE ONE OF 12 TRIBAL
EPICENTERS IN THE NATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND FOLKS
THAT 71% OF AMERICAN INDIANS
LIVE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.
WE WERE ONE OF THOSE CORE SITES.
WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU AN
EXTENSION OF WORK THAT STARTED
AS A GRASS ROOTS ORGANIZATION.
WE ARE COMMITTED AND WE CENTER
OURSELVES IN THE CULTURE.
WE ARE COMING FORWARD TO OFFER
OUR GIFTS TO THIS MOVEMENT.
THEY ARE GROUNDED IN RESEARCH
AND UNDERSTANDING HOW POLICY
AND ADVOCACY WORKS.
IT'S NOT TO OVERSHADOW THE
MARCHES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OR
THE VOICES THAT ARE CARRIED
THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS
RECENTLY.
I WANT TO HAND IT OVER TO THE
EXPERT IN OUR ORGANIZATION THAT
WE DEPEND ON TO CHAMPION THIS
WORK FOR US.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH ESTHER
LUCERO.
WE ARE A TEAM . HAVING HER
LEAVE THIS ORGANIZATION HAS
BEEN INTEGRAL TO DOING RESEARCH
AND DATA COLLECTION IN A GOOD
WAY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DECOLONIZING
DATA PEOPLE ASK WHAT THAT MEANS.
I THINK ABOUT MYSELF NOT AS A
RESEARCHER FROM A WESTERN
ACADEMIC MODEL.
I SEE MYSELF AS A STORYTELLER.
STORIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WHO WE
ARE IN OUR COMMUTE.
BUT WHEN YOU GET INTO WESTERN
SCIENCE THERE'S AN IDEA THAT HER
STORIES ARE MEANINGLESS.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT
MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS, WE
ARE NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY
TO GATHER OUR OWN NUMBERS AND
TELL OUR OWN STORIES.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE WORK WE
HAVE DONE REGARDING VIOLENCE
AGAINST INDIGENOUS GIRLS.
IT'S THE WAY WE GATHER
INFORMATION, NUMBERS, AND
STORIES.
AND WE ARE DOING IT FOR
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BY INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE.
WE WILL BE THE ONES SHAPING THE
STORIES AND SOLUTIONS.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY.
WE ARE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU
STORIES THAT ARE HARD TO HEAR.
STORIES OF FAMILIES HAVE SHARED
WITH ME.
NUMBERS THAT YOU MAY HAVE NEVER
SEEN BEFORE.
BECAUSE OF THE SILENCING OF
THEM THROUGH WESTERN RESEARCH
AND THE NON-GATHERING OF OUR
STORIES.
IT JUSTIFIES THE TAKING OF OUR
LAND, THE KILLING OF OUR PEOPLE
IN THE BLOODY GENOCIDE IN WHICH
OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND
BUREAUCRACIES CURRENTLY ARE.
WE ARE GOING TO RECLAIM OUR
STRENGTHS AND POWER.
AND BEING HERE AT THE TABLE IS
PART OF THAT.
YOU ARE PART OF THE
DECOLONIZING DATA.
WELCOME TO A JOURNEY.
IT REQUIRES US TO THINK
DIFFERENTLY AND MAKE DIFFERENT
CHOICES. IT IS IN ON GOING
GENOCIDE AGAINST OUR PEOPLE.
AS WE LOOK AT THE MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS . NATIVE WOMEN ARE TWO
TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE
SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THAN THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE
RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS? WHY
ARE THEY MORE LIKELY TO BE
VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT?
THIS IS A QUESTION THAT MANY
PEOPLE HAVE NOT EVER ADDRESS.
IN MY HEART WHEN I LOOK AT THIS
DATA.
I'VE DONE RESEARCH WITH MORE
THAN AN HUNDRED 50 TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES I KNOW ARE STORIES
TELL THAT THIS ISN'T NEAR THE
NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN
SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. I
IDENTIFY WITH A WOMAN WHO HAS
BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AND I
AM NOT THE ONLY ONE.
WHEN I STARTED AT THE SEATTLE
INDIAN HEALTH BOARD ONE OF THE
FIRST THINGS WE MOVED TO DO
WAS RELEASE A STUDY OF THE WOMEN
LIVING IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF A
SERIES THAT WE TITLED 'OUR
BODIES, OUR STORIES'.
IN THIS STUDY WE FOUND THAT
HUNDRED AND 48 NATIVE WOMEN, 94
% HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
IN THEIR LIFETIME.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPHIC.
WILL THERE IS A REASON WHY WE
USE THIS IMAGERY.
THIS WOMAN IS WEARING A RIBBON
SKIRT.
WHAT WE WANTED TO REPRESENT IS
THE STORIES, THESE BEAUTIFUL
VOICES AND SHARE THE STORY EVEN
THOUGH THEY'VE HAD THESE
RIBBONS OF TRAUMA THEY ARE HELD
WITH PRAYER AND WITHIN THE
HANDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND
THE ALLIES WHO HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT
THE TRAUMA DOES NOT CONTINUE.
I'M GOING GO BRIEFLY OVER THE
FINDINGS OF THE STUDY. WE
TALKED 248 NATIVE WOMEN LIVING
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
AND 94% HAD BEEN SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED IN THEIR LIFETIME.
THIS IS HIGHER THAN THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE IN MORE THAN
WHAT IS REPORTED IN KING COUNTY
HEALTH.
THIS IS DAVID HAD NEVER BEEN
SEEN BEFORE.
AND WHY WERE THEY WILLING TO
TELL US?
IT WAS DONE BY INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
THOSE WHO DID THE INTERVIEWS AS
WOMEN SHARED.
FOR HOURS CRYING, WEEPING, WHY
WOULD YOU RELIVE THAT TRAUMA.
THEY DID IT BECAUSE THEY WANTED
THEIR STORIES TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.
THEY DIDN'T WANT THE NEXT
GENERATIONS TO EXPERIENCE THE
SAME KIND OF TRAUMA.
THE TRAUMA THAT THEY EXPERIENCED
ARE THINGS THAT YOU DEAL WITH
EVERY DAY. WE FOUND THAT 42%
OF THE WOMEN IN THIS STUDY HAD
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN THEIR
LIFETIME.
AND 53% LACKED PERMANENT
HOUSING.
WHAT IF WE CHANGE THE DIALOGUE
ON HOMELESSNESS AND THOSE WHO
CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE HOUSING
OR COUCHES TO SLEEP ON OR SAFE
SPACES ON THE STREET.
WHAT IF WE CHANGE THAT FROM A
NARRATIVE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED EXTREME TRAUMA.
AND THEY ARE JUST WORKING TO
SURVIVE.
34% OF THEM IN THE STUDY WERE
BINGE DRINKING OR USING
OPIATES.
THEY ARE TREATING THEIR TRAUMA
THEY ARE TREATING THE TRAUMA
THAT NOBODY EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED
EXISTED.
WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS
OF THE PEOPLE THAT REPORTED IT
TO POLICE.
8% OF THE CASES REPORTED
ACTUALLY SAW A CONVICTION OF
THE PERPETRATOR WHEN WE LOOKED
AT THE DATA OF THOSE THAT WERE
SALTED OVER THE AGE OF 18.
THE PRIMARY RACE OF THOSE
ASSAULTING THEM WERE WHITE MEN.
THIS IS A PROBLEM IN THE CITY
OF SEATTLE.
ARE WOMEN ARE BEING ASSAULTED
AND THEY ARE NOT REPORTING.
WHY ARE THEY NOT REPORTING?
LACK OF TRUST WITHIN THE SYSTEM
. WHY WOULD THEY REPORT?
WE FOUND THAT THOSE WHO DID
TELL SOMEONE THE PRIMARY PERSON
THAT THEY WERE TALKING TO WAS
FAMILY AND FRIENDS WE KNOW THIS
TO BE TRUE AMONG ALL WOMEN WHO
EXPERIENCE SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
HOW ARE WE PREPARING FAMILY AND
FRIENDS TO TALK WITH HER LOVED
ONES WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT.
DO YOU THINK SOME MAINSTREAM
ORGANIZATION WHEN APPROACHED BY
AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES ARE
THEY PREPARED TO TALK ABOUT THE
TRAUMA AND WHEN WE LOOK AT
HUNDRED 48 NATIVE WOMEN.
86% INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED BY HISTORICAL
TRAUMA. I'M GOING TO DEFINE
HISTORICAL TRAUMA.
IT IS DEFINED IT IS A CUMULATIVE
MASSIVE IMPACT ON A POPULATION.
NOT ONE GENERATION BUT ONGOING.
THE THINGS THAT MIGRATE
GRANDMOTHER EXPERIENCE ARE
AFFECTING ME.
WE ASKED IF THEY FEEL THE LOSS
OF LAND?
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FEEL THAT
LOSS WHEN YOU WAKE UP EVERY
MORNING, BUT I DO.
I KNOW THAT THAT IS UNIQUE.
WE ASKED THEM QUESTIONS LIKE
DID YOU ARE A MEMBER OF YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY REMOVED AND
PUT INTO THE BOARDING SCHOOL
SYSTEM?
WE KNOW IN THIS AREA OF
WASHINGTON STATE THAT THERE WAS
A TIME IN THE GOVERNMENT'S
HISTORY WHERE THEY TOOK OUR
NATIVE CHILDREN, NOT BECAUSE
OUR FAMILIES CANNOT PROVIDE FOR
THEM.
THEY TOOK THEM BECAUSE OUR
FAMILIES WERE PROVIDING TOO
MUCH FOR THEM.
TOO MUCH LOVE, SUPPORT,
CULTURE, CONNECTION.
THEY TOOK THEM BECAUSE THAT
CONNECTION IN THE GOVERNMENT'S
EYES COULD NOT CONTINUE THIS WAS
A MODEL OF A MAN NAMED RICHARD
PRATT.
KILL THE INDIAN AND SAVE THE
MAN.
THE INTENTION, THEY DIDN'T SHUT
DOWN UNTIL THE LATE 1990S WAS
TO TAKE OUR CULTURE, CUT OUR
HAIR, REMOVE OUR LANGUAGE AND
DISCONNECT US FROM EACH OTHER
AND OUR CULTURE ASSIMILATING US
INTO MAINSTREAM SOCIETY WHERE
WE WILL BE MOLDED INTO THE
PERFECT WHITE MAN.
86% OF THOSE WOMEN WHO
PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY HAVE
BEEN AFFECTED BY HISTORICAL
TRAUMA. WE THINK ABOUT THE NEED
TO INVEST AND ENSURE THAT THE
TRIBES KNOW HOW TO SERVE OUR
PEOPLE.
WE KNOW BECAUSE WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT
COLONIALISM.
I'VE EXPERIENCED THIS EXACT
SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE THAT WAS
PERPETRATED AGAINST ME.
HAPPENED IN ALASKA AS A RESULT
OF THE BARRIERS OF WHAT EXISTS
BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
I NEVER SAW JUSTICE.
NOBODY CARED ABOUT LITTLE
INDIAN GIRL THAT HAD BEEN
REPETITIVELY SEXUALLY SALTED.
I KNEW IT, MY FAMILY KNOW, AND
MY COMMUNITY KNEW IT.
I AM ONE OF THE VERY FEW
STORIES THIS WAS ON THE FRONT
PAGE OF THE SEATTLE TIMES.
AFTER THAT I WAS INUNDATED ON
EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM I
HAVE.
WITH HUNDREDS, I CAN EVEN TELL
YOU THE NUMBER OF MESSAGES FROM
WOMEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO
TOLD ME THEIR STORIES OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT.
WHAT WAS SURPRISING WAS THIS
LINE IN THE BOTTOM.
THEY SAID I JUST WANTED TO TELL
SOMEBODY WHO WOULD UNDERSTAND.
WE ALL WANT TO TELL SOMEBODY,
WE KNOW WE LIVE IN A CULTURE
THAT BLAMES US FOR OUR SEXUAL
ASSAULT.
THE JUDGE IS WHAT CLOSE WE
WORE, WHAT STREET WE WERE ON.
WHAT WE DID FOR WORK.
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT ME
BEING NATIVE IS NOT A RISK
FACTOR.
I AM NOT AT RISK BECAUSE I AM A
NATIVE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BEAT THE ODDS.
I DON'T WANT MY CHILDREN AND
NIECES TO HAVE TO BEAT THE ODDS.
WHY ARE WE NOT CHANGING THE
ODDS?
WE NEED TO LOOK BEYOND THE
INDIVIDUAL SYMPTOMS, WHAT IS
THE LARGER ISSUE THAT ALLOWS
FOR THIS VIOLENCE TO CONTINUE?
IN THIS CITY WE HAVE AN
EPIDEMIC OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS
THIS AND ENSURE THAT THESE
VOICES AND STORIES ARE HONORED?
>> I DID A LOT OF INTERVIEWS
DURING THIS TIME.
I HAD ONE REPORTER IN THE
SEATTLE TIMES ARTICLE.
MY SISTER WHOSE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE CHIEF SEATTLE
CLUB.
SHE IS QUOTED AS SAYING AT THE
VERY LEAST THEY HAVE ONE SEXUAL
ASSAULT REPORTED EVERY WEEK.
MANY WEEKS THERE ARE MORE.
I WAS SURPRISED BY THE LACK OF
OUTCRY FROM THE COMMUNITY AS A
WHOLE.
WHEN WE SAW THAT THERE IS ONE
SEXUAL ASSAULT A WEEK. I
SHARED THAT WITH THE REPORTER.
I SAID I GO TO LA FITNESS, I
PAY MY $20.
WHAT IF I HAD MY LA FITNESS,
THAT STAFF WAS HEARING THAT
ONCE A WEEK ONE OF THEIR
MEMBERS WAS BEING SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED? THE NEWS CREWS WOULD
BE THERE, THE POLICE WOULD BE
THERE.
THERE WOULD BE A BIG PUBLIC
OUTCRY.
I WAS SHARING THIS WITH A
REPORTER WHO LOOKED AT ME AND
SAID I DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE
THAT COMPARISON BECAUSE AT LA
FITNESS THEY PAY.
I SAT THERE, I HAD JUST TOLD
HER THAT I WAS A VICTIM OF
SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE
CALLOUSNESS THAT WE EXPERIENCE
AS WOMEN OF COLOR, AND
MARGINALIZED. IT WENT BACK TO
THE ECONOMICS.
ALL YOU ARE WORTHY NOT TO BE
RATES BECAUSE YOU PAY $20 PER
BUT ALL THOSE HOMELESS WOMEN
WHO EVERY DAY GO INTO THE CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB TO TAKE A SHOWER
AND CONTACT THEIR RELATIVES AND
GET THAT MEAL.
THEY DESERVE TO WALK INTO THAT
ORGANIZATION EVERY SINGLE DAY
AND NOT HAVE BEEN DRAPED
SEXUALLY ASSAULTED 24 HOURS
BEFORE.
I HAVE BEEN QUITE SURPRISED
THAT I HAVE GOTTEN MORE
COMPASSION WHEN I TALK ABOUT
HEART DISEASE AND WHEN I TALK
ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE
SEEN.
I KNOW THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE
COUNCIL THAT SAID ON THIS.
KING COUNTY HAS CREATED A SUB
GROUP THAT IS SPECIFICALLY
ADDRESSING SEXUAL VIOLENCE.
AND I'M ONE OF THE COCHAIRS OF
THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS ON
SPECIFICALLY.
IS A DIRECT RESULT OF RACISM
THAT MAKES SEXUAL VIOLENCE
OKAY.
IF YOU ARE NOT PROSECUTING IT,
NOT ADDRESSING IT, NOT
MOBILIZING THE COMMUNITY YOU
ARE COMPLICIT IN THE SEXUAL
VIOLENCE THAT CONTINUES. I
EXPECT TO SEE SOME THINGS COME
OUT.
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF
PEOPLE.
IT HAS TO BE DONE AND WE NEED
TO SHIFT THIS NARRATIVE.
PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT IS THIS
REPORT.
BUT IS IT HAVE TO DO WITH
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN.
THE REASON WE STARTED THIS.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF OUR SERIES
WAS THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT
ONE CITY.
WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HOW OUR
NATIVE WOMEN BEING AFFECTED IF
WE CAN BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN
THE STREETS.
AND NEVER SEE JUSTICE. IF
WE'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY
HISTORICAL TRAUMA THAT IS
ONGOING AND CONTINUING.
IF WE CAN SEE THESE BEHAVIOR
HEALTH ISSUES AS A RESULT OF
THIS TRAUMA.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?
WE RELEASE THE NEXT REPORT AND
NOVEMBER 2018.
AND I WANT TO START WITH THE
STATISTIC.
DID MURDER IS THE THIRD LEADING
CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG NATIVE
AMERICAN WOMEN.
I THINK THAT STATISTIC IS
WRONG.
THE DATA IS NOT BEING CAPTURED.
FOR WHAT DATA THERE IS
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.
WE KNOW THAT MURDER IS A THIRD
USING LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH.
I BELIEVE IT IS NUMBER ONE.
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS EXCEPT FOR
OUR COMMUNITIES. THIS ONGOING
VIOLENCE DIDN'T START AT 10
YEARS AGO IT STARTED 500 YEARS
AGO.
I CAN TELL YOU HISTORICAL
STORIES THAT ARE SO PARALLEL IN
WHAT HAS HAPPENED THAT IT IS
INCREDIBLE THAT IT IS STILL
CONTINUING WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC
OF MURDER AND OF OUR WOMEN
GOING MISSING.
AND THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE REPORT
THAT WE SHOWED IS SO INVISIBLE.
NO ONE HAS LISTENED, VERY FEW
PEOPLE HAVE CARED OUTSIDE OF
OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR REPORT WAS TITLED MISSING
AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS IT IS AVAILABLE ON
WWW.UIHI.ORG.
WE DID THIS REPORT FOR ONE
REASON AND ONE REASON ONLY.
THESE WOMEN'S VOICES DESERVES
TO BE HEARD.
THERE IS BEEN INCREDIBLE WORK
IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
CREATING THE ONLY DATABASE OF
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN & GIRLS.
IT WAS DONE BY A DOCTOR
ORIOLES STUDENT THAT WASN'T
BEING PAID.
I REACHED OUT TO HER TO SUPPORT
HER WORK.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING CRIES FROM
ACROSS THE COMMUNITY THAT
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN & GIRLS WAS HAPPENING.
OVER MY YEARS WORKING WITH
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP BETWEEN THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, I WOULD
SEE TRIBAL LEADER AFTER TRIBAL
LEADER GET UP AND SAY OUR WOMEN
ARE GOING MISSING AND BEING
THAT MURDER.
WHY ARE YOU NOT WORKING WITH
US, WHY IS THIS BEING
ACKNOWLEDGED?
WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS THAT THEY
HEARD?
IT'S GOING TO COST TOO MUCH
MONEY.
WE WOULD NEED ALLOCATION FROM
CONGRESS.
THE DATA SHOWS US THAT IT IS
NOT A PROBLEM.
IT DOESN'T SAY THAT THERE ARE
VERY MANY THAT HAVE GONE
MISSING OR MURDER.
WE HEARD TRIBAL LEADERSHIP
BEING TOLD IT'S YOUR PROBLEM,
IT'S HAPPENING ON YOUR
RESERVATIONS.
THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR YOUR
PEOPLE.
YEAR AFTER YEAR, DECADE AFTER
DECADE THE TRIBAL LEADERSHIP
HAS CALLED FOR SOMETHING TO BE
DONE.
WITH THE WORK THAT ANITA WAS
DOING.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AS THE
URBAN INDIAN HEALTH INSTITUTE ,
SAYING NOW IS THE TIME.
WERE NOT GOING TO WAIT ANYMORE.
I'M NOT WAITING FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE STEPS
OURSELVES.
WE START THIS PROJECT 100%
UNFUNDED.
AND WE ENDED THE PROJECT 100%
UNFUNDED.
IN FACT THE $20,000 THAT PAID
FOR THIS GROUNDBREAKING REPORT,
THAT IS BEEN USED A SHAPE
FEDERAL LEGISLATION WAS
ACTUALLY FEES THAT MY TEAM AND I
CHARGE FOR SPEAKING SERVICES.
THAT IS HOW WE PAID FOR IT.
WE DIDN'T NEED AN ALLOCATION OF
CONGRESS.
THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT THEY
DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE THE MONEY
WASN'T THERE.
THEY DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE THEY
DIDN'T CARE.
OR NOT BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR
NOT CARING.
THEY JUST DID NOT DO IT. WE
DECIDED WE WOULD DO IT IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH ANITA.
WE SUBMITTED PUBLIC RECORD
REQUESTS ACROSS THE UNITED
STATES.
AND ONE TO THE STATE OF ALASKA
AS A HOLE.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT ALASKA HAS
SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBERS.
WE GET THE DATA WE ARE LOOKING
FOR, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ALASKA
IS THE EPICENTER OF MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS . WE SUBMITTED PUBLIC
RECORDS REQUEST TO SEATTLE,
TACOMA, AND SPOKANE.
THE CITIES THAT WE IDENTIFIED.
WE WERE UNFUNDED AND COULD NOT
DO EVERY CITY IN THE UNITED
STATES.
THESE ARE CITIES THAT WE
PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
TO.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE HIGH
POPULATIONS OF URBAN INDIANS
AND ALASKA NATIVE.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO ORIGINALLY
WAS TO ESTABLISH A BASELINE.
THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING
NATIONALLY ONCE WE RECEIVE THE
DATA.
OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR WE
REALIZE THAT I CANNOT TELL YOU
WHAT IS HAPPENING NATIONALLY.
BECAUSE THE DATA IS SO BAD.
IN FACT THE 506 CASES THAT WE
FOUND OF MISSING AND MURDERED
INDIGENOUS WOMEN & GIRLS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY IS SUCH A GROSS
UNDERCOUNT THAT I CAN'T EVEN
ESTIMATE HOW BAD THOSE NUMBERS
ARE IN TERMS OF NOT TRULY
REPRESENTING.
ARE THE NUMBERS TRUE?
100%.
ARE THEN UNDERCOUNT? YES.
PERSONALLY I THINK THAT IT IS
QUADRUPLE IF NOT MORE. WE HAD
128 CASES OF MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS.
280 WERE CASES OF MURDERED
WOMEN AND I DAY WERE IN AN
UNKNOWN STATUS.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL WHAT
HAPPENED WITH THE SPECIFIC
CASES.
WHEN WE GOT THIS INFORMATION,
WHAT WE EXPERIENCED WAS WHAT
OUR PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WORKING
WITH BUREAUCRACY AND
GOVERNMENTS.
WE WERE STOPPED BY PEOPLE WHO
DIDN'T RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC
RECORDS REQUEST.
THEY DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE
REQUESTS AT ALL.
WE HAD OTHERS THAT DID COMPLY
BUT THEY WANTED TO CHARGE US A
BUNCH OF MONEY TO ACCESS THE
DATA.
IF I HAD $4000, I WOULD'VE HAD
DATA FROM SIX MORE CITIES.
THE DATA THAT SHOULD BE PUBLIC
INFORMATION WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE
BECAUSE OF THE FEES THAT WERE
CHARGED.
WE CAME ACROSS POLICE
DEPARTMENTS OF SAID WE CAN'T
DIFFERENTIATE BECAUSE WE DON'T
CAPTURE THE RACE OF AMERICAN
INDIANS.
WE FOUND A CITY LIKE THAT SANTA
FE, NEW MEXICO.
THE PRIMARY POPULATION OF
MINORITIES ARE HISPANIC,
LATINO, AMERICAN INDIAN. WHY
WOULD THEY NOT DO THAT?
IF YOU ARE NOT CAPTURING THE
DATA AND INFORMATION YOU CAN
EFFECTIVELY HIDE IT. AND YOU
ARE NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO IT.
THERE WERE OTHER CITIES WHERE
THEY WERE DEFAULTING IN THEIR
DATA TO WHITE IF AMERICAN
INDIAN WAS NOT CAPTURED.
RACE IS NOT A DEFAULT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT PROGRAMMER OR
CITY MADE THAT DECISION.
IT'S IN OUR REPORT, FARGO,
NORTH DAKOTA IS ONE OF THEM.
NEXT TO MAJOR TRIBAL LOCATIONS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT WHITE AS A
DEFAULT. THAT IS THE
WHITEWASHING OF AMERICA.
YOU HIDE WHAT IS HAPPENING.
TO ME IT IS AN ABSOLUTE
ILLUSTRATION AS TO WHY AND HOW
WHITE SUPREMACY IS PLAYING OUT
IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
WE ARE NOT DEFAULTED INTO
WHITE.
WE SHOULD NEVER BE DEFAULTED
INTO WHITE.
YET IT IS HAPPENING ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW AND WHY
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMS
AND STRUCTURES IN ORDER TO
BREAK DOWN THESE BARRIERS.
WE FOUND THAT NOT EVERYBODY WAS
ENTERING THE RACE AND
ETHNICITY.
AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICERS WERE NOT BEING HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR CAPTURING RACE
AND ETHNICITY. I KNOW YOU
SEEING IN WALMART AND OTHER
PLACES.
AMBER ALERT.
ONE OF THE DESCRIPTORS IS THE
RACE AND ETHNICITY OF MISSING
INDIVIDUALS.
WHY ISN'T THE THE SAME FOR
EVERYONE?
HOW DO WE FIND OUR PEOPLE? AND
YET WE KNOW IT IS HAPPENING.
153 CASES THAT WERE NOT
ACCOUNTED FOR. THIS NUMBER IS A
SHOCKING.
153 WHERE DID WE FIND THESE?
FROM THE FAMILIES. FROM THE
COMMUNITY. FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
WHERE THEY HAD PUT UP A MISSING
PERSONS NOTICE WHEN THE POLICE
WOULD NOT TAKE IT BECAUSE IT
YOUR DAUGHTER RUNS AWAY. WEIGHT
A FEW WEEKS.
THESE ARE FOR MURDERS THAT HAVE
REMAINED COLD CASES THAT NO ONE
HAS BOTHERED TO LOOK AT AGAIN.
MANY OF THE POLICE DIDN'T HAVE
THEM THERE IN THEIR SYSTEMS
THEY ARE NUMBER OF MADE OF ALL
WOMEN THAT ARE GRACIOUS
MISCLASSIFIED.
I'LL TELL YOU OF ONE CASE
SPECIFICALLY IN A MINUTE.
THESE STORIES ARE HERE, AND WE
HONOR THEM DESPITE THE NOT
BEING IN THAT DATA.
WE HONOR THEM AS THOSE
COMMUNITIES AND THOSE LOVED ONES
AS A LOSS TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
FOR MOTHERS WHO WEEP, TO
CHILDREN'S WHO CRY FOR THEM.
THEY DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTED
AND THEY DESERVE TO BE
REPRESENTED BY THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN ENTRUSTED TO PROTECT AND
SERVE THEM.
THE TOP 10 CITIES WITH MURDERED
WOMEN.
WE DIDN'T GET INFORMATION FROM
ALL THE CITIES.
I KNOW THAT MANY OF THOSE
CITIES INFORMATION IS IT WRONG.
I WILL TELL YOU WHEN WE LOOK AT
THAT HIGH NUMBER OF A 45 FOR
SEATTLE WE KNOW THAT THOSE 45
ARE MISSING ARE MURDERED IN
SEATTLE.
THE NUMBER THAT WE RECEIVED
WHEN WE GOT THE DATA BACK WAS
33.
THEY PROBABLY SEE A DISCREPANCY
THERE AND THERE ABSOLUTELY IS.
WE KNOW THAT THE DATA WE DID
NOT RECEIVE AS A DIRECT RESULT
OF RACIAL MISCLASSIFICATION.
THE FACT THAT THERE LISTED AS
OTHER RACES.
WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE AMERICAN
INDIAN OR ALASKA NATIVE.
I ALSO KNOW THAT SEATTLE HAS
MORE THAN 45. ABSOLUTELY MORE
THAN 45.
EVERY ONE OF THESE CITIES HAS
MORE.
THIS IS A GROSS UNDERCOUNT.
WE KNOW THAT MANY OF OUR PEOPLE
ARE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
SOME OF US LIVE AND WORK IN
DIFFERENT PLACES.
ME BEING NATIVE SHOULD NOT BE A
RISK FACTOR.
I SHOULD BE AT RISK BECAUSE I
AM A NATIVE.
HOW ARE WE NOT GOING TO BEAT
THE ODDS BUT CHANGE THEM.
WASHINGTON STATE RANKED SECOND,
WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS WE KNOW
THAT WE HAVE SEEN STATE LEVEL
LEGISLATION THAT HAS INCREDIBLE
LEADERSHIP MEETING WITH THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON AND PUSHING
FOR ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE FACT
THAT WE ARE NUMBER TWO FOR
MISSING AND MURDERED WOMEN.
THOSE EFFORTS WE SAW A REPORT
RELEASED ON FRIDAY FROM THE
WASHINGTON STATE PATROL.
FOR THE FIRST LEGISLATION THAT
WAS PASSED THIS IS A PICTURE
THAT CAME FROM THE SEATTLE
TIMES.
AN ARTICLE THAT WAS DONE ON
NICOLE WESTBROOK.
THE REASON I WANT TO TELL YOU
THE STORY IT WAS DETAILED IN
THE SEATTLE TIMES AND IT SPEAKS
TO THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE
EXPERIENCING. NICOLE WAS
KILLED IN 2012 AND PIONEER
SQUARE.
SHE WAS SHOT WHILE COMING BACK
FROM AN EVENT WITH HER
BOYFRIEND.
SHE ONLY LIVED HERE FOR A
COUPLE OF WEEKS SHE CAME HERE
TO SEATTLE TO GO TO CULINARY
SCHOOL.
SHE WAS ENROLLED AND THEY HAD
BOUGHT HER THE SUPPLIES.
SHE HAD COME TO MAKE A BETTER
LIFE FOR HER FAMILY, HER
CHILDREN, AND HER COMMUNITY.
SHE WAS THE VICTIM OF RANDOM
GUN VIOLENCE IN DOWNTOWN
SEATTLE.
WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE ARE A
LOT OF ARTICLES THAT WERE DONE,
NEWS STORIES POLICE INTERVIEWS.
HER FAMILY CAME FROM THE NAVAJO
NATION.
SHE WAS SO LEFT.
I READ THIS ARTICLE WHERE HER
MOTHER TALKS ABOUT HOW SHE
WASN'T KILLED IMMEDIATELY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE HER TO
HARBORVIEW WHERE SHE WAS ALIVE
AND ABLE TO SAY GOODBYE FOR HER
FAMILY.
HER FAMILY TALKS ABOUT HOW SHE
WASHED AND BRAIDED HER HAIR.
AND I THINK ABOUT THAT. AS A
NATIVE WOMAN WHO UNDERSTANDS
WHAT THAT MEANS.
ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING MEMORIES
I HAVE OF MY SONS IS A BRAIDING
THEIR HAIR.
FOR MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES ARE
HERE HOLDS A DIFFERENT MEANING.
I KNOW AS A PAWNEE A WOMAN IT'S
MY RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE
OF MY CHILDREN.
WHISPERING THOSE PRAYERS AND
SINGING THOSE SONGS.
AS I BRAIDED HIS HAIR I TOLD
HIM WHO HE WAS AND I THINK
ABOUT THAT MOTHER WHO DID THIS
FOR HER DAUGHTER NICOLE
WESTBROOK.
SHE BRAIDED HER HAIR AND THEN
SHE BURIED HER DAUGHTER. NICOLE
NAMED IN THE REPORT. T WAS
WE DIDN'T WANT TO CAUSE HARM TO
THE FAMILY OR THE CASES.
WHEN THE REPORT CAME OUT IN
2018 REPORTER FROM THE SEATTLE
TIMES SPOKE TO A SERGEANT AND
ASKED THEM TO VERIFY SOME OF
THE CASES.
WHEN THE SERGEANT PULLED HER UP
HER FAMILY CAME FROM THE NAVAJO
NATION.
ARTICLES EVERYWHERE TALKING
ABOUT HER BEING IN INDIGENOUS
PERSON.
THEY TALKED TO THE NATIVE
PEOPLE WHO STOOD AND HELD HER A
MEMORIAL AND SING MOST SONGS
AND RECOGNIZED THAT SHE FELL ON
INDIGENOUS LAND.
IN THE DATA FROM THE SEATTLE
POLICE DEPARTMENT SHE IS LISTED
AS A WHITE WOMAN.
I HAD HOPED THAT I WOULD'VE HERE
HEARD FROM SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
IS SHE STILL LISTED AS A WHITE
WOMAN TODAY?
IT'S LIKELY THAT SHE IS.
THE WASHINGTON STATE PATROL THE
INTENTION OF THE LEGISLATION WAS
TO ESTABLISH THE PROBLEM AND TO
CONDUCT A DATA ANALYSIS.
I WENT TO SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH
MY TEAM AND I LISTEN TO TRIBAL
LEADERS TELL STORIES AND DEMAND
JUSTICE.
THIS REPORT CAME OUT ON FRIDAY.
I MANAGED TO FIND A COPY.
IT WAS BURIED.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND THE
ACTUAL REPORT.
WE ARE SEEING NEWS REPORTS
WHERE PEOPLE ARE APPLAUDING AND
PATTING THE STATE ON THE BACK.
THE MAJORITY OF THEM FROM
YAKIMA AND KING COUNTY WHAT
THAT REPORT DOES NOT SAY IS
THAT THERE IS RAMPANT MISS
CLASSIFICATION.
IT'S WITH NO MEANINGFUL ANALYSIS
AS A STORYTELLER, THIS IS NOT A
STUDY.
THIS IS PUBLISHING MEETING
NOTES WHERE THE COMMUNITY DID
SHARE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE
MADE.
THEY ARE TO BEGIN
COLLABORATIONS WITH THE TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS.
I AM SURE THAT COUNSEL WOMAN
DEBORA JUAREZ CAN TELL YOU THAT
IT'S MEANINGFUL TO HAVE
RELATIONSHIPS.
TELLING US EVERYTHING WE NEED
TO DO.
I AM TIRED OF BEING HANDED THE
CRUMBS. THIS IS NOT A CHECK
BOX.
WE WENT AND LISTENED.
THIS IS A TIME FOR ACTION AND I
HAD EXPECTED TO SEE SOME KIND
OF ACTION AND THERE IS NONE.
THE ONLY THING THAT HAS
HAPPENED IS A LEGISLATION THAT
HAS ALREADY PASSED TO ESTABLISH
TWO LIAISONS, THAT IS NOT THE
ANSWER.
TWO LIAISONS IS A BEGINNING.
WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY TO
DO A REPORT THAT IS MEANINGFUL
THAT IS A NOT AN ANALYSIS
ALWAYS THINK ABOUT MY
ACCOUNTABILITY WHETHER THEY ARE
PRIVATE OR FEDERAL.
THEY ARE HELD TO A CERTAIN
STANDARD.
I'M GOING TO HOLD THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON TO THE SAME
STANDARDS.
THEY WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO DO
MORE THAN GIVE ME SOME MEETING
MINUTES AND SAY WILL GIVE YOU
TWO LIAISONS AND ESTABLISH
RELATIONSHIPS.
WE HAVE TO DO MORE.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR ACTION.
WE ARE NOT A CHECKBOX. I AM
NOT GOING TO BE CRUMBS AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE TABLE. IF WE
ALLOW THIS TO BE INVISIBLE
AGAIN WE ARE COMPLICIT IN THE
VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIGENOUS
WOMEN. AND WE WILL TREAT THE
SYMPTOMS, THE HOMELESSNESS, THE
SUBSTANCE ABUSE, THE OPIOID
CRISIS.
UNTIL WE ADDRESS THE SYSTEMS
THAT WILL NOT CHANGE.
HERE WE SEE A FAMILY THAT
MOURNS, A MOTHER THAT BRAIDED
HER DAUGHTER'S HAIR, WHO WANTED
TO KEEP BRAIDING HER DAUGHTER'S
HAIR.
THAT IS ALL WE WANT.
FOR THE LIVES OF OUR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS TO BE VALUED . WE WILL
SING AND PRAY FOR THEM.
AND WE WILL FIGHT FOR THEM.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT NATIVE WOMEN
. WE ARE GENERATIONS WHO HAVE
SURVIVED IN A TIME THAT WE WERE
SUPPOSED TO BE ELIMINATED.
IF THE GENOCIDE HAD WORKED I
WOULD NOT BE HERE.
I AM A TANGIBLE MANIFESTATION
OF MY ANCESTORS RESILIENCY.
SOMEONE ASKED ME HOW HARD IS IT
TO SEE ALL THESE NATIVE WOMEN
AS VICTIMS.
I AM NOT A VICTIM. WE ARE
FIERCE WARRIORS.
WHEN THEY WOULDN'T LET US SING
OUR SONGS WE WHISPERED THEM.
WHEN THEY WOULDN'T LET US STAY
IN OUR LAND WE TOOK HANDFULS OF
DIRT AND SEEDS WITH US.
WE ARE FIERCE, STRONG, AND WE
REFUSE TO BE COMPLICIT IN THE
VIOLENCE AGAINST US.
THE ADVOCATES, THE GRASSROOTS.
THOSE WHO HAVE STOOD MEMORIAL,
THOSE LIKE PATSY OF THE YAKIMA
NATION.
OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT FOUGHT
FOR SO LONG.
WE STAND ON THEIR SHOULDERS, IN
THEIR FOOTSTEPS.
THEY HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR
THIS FOR MANY YEARS.
WE DID THESE REPORTS NOT
BECAUSE MY COMMUNITY NEEDED TO
KNOW.
BUT BECAUSE YOU NEEDED TO KNOW.
WE DID THIS REPORT SO THAT
NOBODY CAN SAY YOU DON'T HAVE
THE DATA.
THIS IS A TOOL, AN ARROW. THIS
IS US GOING TO BATTLE.
WE WILL NOT LET THIS VIOLENCE
CONTINUE.
DIMINISHER ONE MORE STORY AND
THEN PASS IT ON TO MY
INCREDIBLE TEAM. YOU HAD TO DO
WITH THE DATA RE-RECEIVED FROM
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE GOT AN INITIAL SET AND THEN
ANOTHER ONE.
AND I WAS WANTING WHY DO WE GET
TWO DIFFERENT DATA SET FROM THE
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BECAUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE TOLD
US THAT THE HOMICIDE UNIT FOUND
IN THE DATA, HOW THEY WERE
SORTING THE DATA THAT IT WAS
BEING USED UNTIL THE EARLY
1980S BY THE SEATTLE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AS RECOGNIZING THE
LETTER AND FOR HER KNEE GROW
AND THE LETTER AND FOR NATIVE
AMERICAN.
THEY WERE HIDING WHAT WAS
HAPPENING TO THESE WOMEN.
THIS DATA, I CANNOT TELL YOU
WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THAT WORD
HAS NOT BEEN USED SINCE THE
CIVIL RIGHTS.
AS WE LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF
CITIES IN SEATTLE.
HERE'S HOW IT WAS PLAIN OUT.
WHY WERE WE NOT USING MODERN
DATA COLLECTION TO ENSURE THAT
THAT WORD WAS NOT USED, AND
INSTEAD AFRICAN-AMERICAN WAS
USED.
THIS HAPPENED SPECIFICALLY IN
SEATTLE, I DIDN'T HEAR THAT
FROM OTHER CITIES.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
WE HAVE ACTION TO TAKE.
IN FACT AS THE SEATTLE INDIAN
HEALTH BOARD WE HAVE BEEN DOING
THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT WORKING
WITH THE KING COUNTY BOARD OF
HEALTH.
AND ON THE STATE AND FEDERAL
LEVEL TO LOOK AT POLICY
LEGISLATION, TO MAKE SURE WE
ARE WORKING WITH HER
COMMUNITIES AND GETTING THEM
THE INFORMATION, ENSURING THE
SAFETY OF OUR WOMEN AND GIRLS.
THEY ARE OUR FUTURE.
I'M GOING TO PASS THIS ON TO
AREN SPARCK.
>> THANK YOU ABIGAIL.
WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE PIECE OF
THIS.
A MINUTE SKIP AROUND.
LET'S START AT THE STATE LEVEL.
RIGHT NOW ABIGAIL MENTIONED 16
STATES.
THE EPIDEMIC TO RECOGNIZE
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN & GIRLS HAS MANIFESTED
ITSELF IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT
WAYS.
UNFORTUNATELY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN
IN THE FORM OF LEGISLATIVE
TEETH.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN
PROCLAMATIONS SAYING THAT
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN & GIRLS IS A THING.
NOT THAT I'M GOING DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
16 STATES HAVE DRAFTED BILLS
AND INTRODUCE THEM INTO THEIR
LEGISLATURE.
THERE'S 10 STATES, AND ONLY SIX
HAVE PASSED TWO BILLS.
WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO THE
POINT WHERE WE ARE NOT JUST
SAYING THAT WE UNDERSTAND
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN & GIRLS , WE ARE SAYING
THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING
DONE ABOUT IT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT UP
THE REPORT FROM THE HIGHWAY
PATROL.
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THERE WERE
THREE PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
WE HAVE SAVANNAS ACT, LOOKING
AT THE DATA COLLECTION THAT WE
HAVE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
INCREASING TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY.
AND BETTER STANDARDS TO COLLECT
THIS DATA.
>> ON THE SAVANNAS ACT, I SAW
YOU LOBBYING IN WASHINGTON,
THAT PASS THE SENATE BUT NOT
THE HOUSE?
>> THAT IS RIGHT.
THIS CONGRESS IT DIDN'T PASSED
EITHER CHAMBER.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO ADDRESS THE
WELL? CE AGAINST WOMEN ACT AS
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT IS NEXT.
IT HAS NOT PASSED, THEY HAVE
EXPIRED.
THE FUNDS ARE STILL BEING
RELEASED, BUT WE HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THE END DATE IS.
>> WE HAD SOME INTERESTING
CONGRESSIONAL DISAGREEMENTS
THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
WHERE THE MAIN DEFENDANT WAS A
WHITE MAN.
IT CAME DOWN TO JURISDICTION
ISSUES.
PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT A MEMBER OF
THE TRIBE FELT LIKE THEY SHOULD
NOT BE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM OF A SOVEREIGN NATION
EVEN THOUGH THEY PERPETRATED A
CRIME AGAINST A NATIVE OLD
WOMAN ON THE BOUNDARIES OF THE
RESERVATION. IT CAME DOWN TO A
POLITICAL ARGUMENT.
NOT HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING THE
NATIVE WOMEN ARE BEING SEXUALLY
ASSAULTED AND KILL.
AND WHEN WE HAVE A WHITE MALE
DEFENDANT, THE FED SOMETIMES
DECLINE IT.
THAT'S WHAT IT CAME DOWN TO.
I WAS SO DISHEARTENED TO SEE
THAT.
>> THEY DISC LINE TO PROSECUTE?
>> THERE WAS NO ACTUAL AREA OF
JURISDICTION TO WORK WITH.
IF IT WAS A CAUCASIAN
PERPETRATOR, THEY CAN SAY YOU
CANNOT HOLD ME HERE.
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH
INDIAN COUNTRY.
AT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT
WAS HELD UP IS BECAUSE YOU
COULD BE PROSECUTED. EXTENDING
TRIBAL POWERS.
THERE ARE OTHER PIECES LIKE THE
BOYFRIEND LOOP.
THERE'S A TOXIC MASCULINITY
PIECE.
THAT'S WHY IT IS BEEN HELD UP.
WE ARE NOT SEEN IT INTRODUCED.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO
PAST.
IT WILL PASS THE HOUSE BUT NOT
NECESSARILY THE SENATE.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ADD ONE MORE FAX.
NOT JUST FOR THE LAWYERS BUT
THE NONLAWYERS.
ANOTHER PROUD MOMENT IS WHAT IS
HOLDING THAT UP IS THE ALL A
FOND CASE THE MAIN ISSUE WAS
THAT TRIBES WANTED THE ABILITY
TO PROSECUTE NON-MEMBERS FOR
HARMING OUR WOMEN.
THAT IS STILL A GOOD LAW TODAY.
>> IT'S UNFORTUNATE TRYING TO
ADDRESS THESE THINGS AT A
FEDERAL LEVEL.
THERE IS A THIRD PIECE,
REVIEWING LAW ENFORCEMENT AT
THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
THAT IS LITERALLY THEN NAME OF
THE ACT IN THE SENATE.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE THINGS WE
NOTICE THAT THE URBAN COMMUNITY
IS COMPLETELY LEFT OUT.
72% LIVE IN URBAN AREAS.
THAT'S UP TO 74% IN THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON THAT'S ALMOST 3
OUT OF THE FOUR OF US.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THESE
PIECES OF LEGISLATION WHICH WE
FULLY SUPPORT WE ENDORSE THE
INTRODUCTION.
THEY ARE NOT BEING RESPECTFUL
TOWARDS THE URBAN COMMUNITY.
THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HERE TO
TALK ABOUT.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS A
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO
LEARN FROM THE FAILURE OF THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY TO ADDRESS
THIS AND THEY WERE GOING PUT
SOME TEETH BEHIND THIS.
WERE TO LOOK AT LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND HOLD TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE HIGHEST
LEVEL.
THAT MEANS INCLUDING THE ENTIRE
NEIGHBOR COMMUNITY.
WE DO THAT IN FOUR WAYS.
THE FIRST IS REFERENCING
COMMUNITIES AND FINDINGS.
AT ALL FALLS ON TRIBAL PEOPLE.
WE COME FROM SOVEREIGN
AUTHORITY.
BUT WE LIVE IN URBAN AREAS.
THERE IS NO INDIAN LAND IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON SAY THIS IS
NOT INDIAN LAND.
WE ARE TRYING TO SAY THAT THIS
IS INDIAN LAND.
AND PAY ATTENTION TO OUR ENTIRE
COMMITTEE.
THE OTHER PIECE IS ADDING THE
OTHER POLICY TO THIS.
WE TALK ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUST
RESPONSIBILITY ON THE FACT THAT
YOU HAVE A TRIBAL CONSULTATION.
THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY FOR AN
URBAN CONFER.
AND WE WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR
THAT AT A FEDERAL LEVEL.
WE ARE IN AN URBAN AREA.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS IN SEATTLE
KNOWING THAT YOU ARE THERE AND
WE WILL GET TO THAT PLACE WE
CAN BE THE BLUEPRINT FOR THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY AND DO THIS
RIGHT.
>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
FANFARE I HEARD IT ON NPR THAT
AG FERGUSON SAID THAT WHEN I
DIE DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING TO
CHECK WITH THE TRIBES.
AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT'S BEEN
THE LAW WELL BEFORE CLINTON AND
EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE IS SUCH
A BIG FANFARE.
BECAUSE THEY SUCCESSFULLY SUED
AND MADE IT CLEAR.
THIS IS INDIAN COUNTRY.
AND WE ARE NOT RESTRICTED AND
NEITHER ARE OUR RIGHTS.
>> I AM GLAD THAT PEOPLE ARE
SEEING THIS.
USES VERY NATIONAL TEAM.
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON SAYS
THAT WE HOLD CONSULTATION WITH
THE FEDERAL PEOPLE.
WHY HE HAD TO BE ANNOUNCED
AGAIN I'M NOT QUITE SURE.
I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT TOO
MUCH FURTHER BUT IT ALREADY
EXISTS AND WE THINK THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON FOR UPHOLDING
THAT.
WE DO ENJOY A MEETING WITH THE
GOVERNOR WHEN WE GO TO
CENTENNIAL COURT.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO REITERATE.
WE ALWAYS SUPPORT SOVEREIGNTY.
A LOT OF THE WORK IS A FANTASTIC
WE DO NEED THAT WORK IN OUR
TRIBAL COMMUNITY.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO CALL
ATTENTION TO IS THAT WE HAVE
NEEDS IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THE
CITY OF SEATTLE TO DO THIS
DIFFERENT.
NOT TO GENERATE ANOTHER
PROCLAMATION BUT LEGISLATION
THAT HAS RESOURCES SO THAT WE
CAN CREATE TO CHANGE.
WE CAN STAY ON THE CHALLENGES
OR STAY ON SOVEREIGNTY.
WE ARE TRYING TO EXPAND THIS TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL AMERICAN
INDIAN PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF
WHERE YOU LIVE.
WHAT WE ARE SHARING TODAY IS
THAT WE ARE ASKING GOVERNMENT
SYSTEMS TO TAKE A STAND WHEN IT
COMES TO ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
AND THAT YOU GIVE US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A VOICE.
AND THAT IS WHAT IT WOULD ALLOW
US TO DO.
>> IS THAT A NEW TERM THAT CAME
OUT THEY CREATED TRIBAL
CONSULTATION WHICH LIVES IN ALL
GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS AND THEN
THEY HAD AN URBAN CONFER SO
THAT TURBINES COULD BE INCLUDED
IN THE CONVERSATION.
>> WERE ONE OF FEW AREAS WHERE
THE AUTHORITY TO ADVOCATE
EXISTS.
WE HAVE THAT UNDER THE INDIAN
HEALTH CARE IMPROVEMENT ACT.
WE ARE ALLOWED AT THAT TABLE.
>> WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE HAVE
LIVES HERE, AND OTHERS WHO HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A BRICK
AND MORTAR BUT PROVIDE THE
SERVICES FOR THOSE FOLKS.
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT ON THE
TRIBAL TRUST LAND.
YOU CAN THINK OF YOURS TRULY
FOR THAT LAWSUIT.
>> IT'S A VERY BIG DEAL AND WE
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE EXIST BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY
CAN DO THAT THAT IS STILL IN
OVERHEAD COSTS.
TRYING TO GET MONEY YOU'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO PASS AWAY
BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.
WE NEED TO CARVE OUT WHAT WERE
TALKING ABOUT.
THOSE FEDERAL PIECES.
WORD ASKING FOR CARVE OUTS WHEN
MONEY IS GOING TO THE STATE,
COUNTY, OR CITY.
WE CAN BE THE BEACON FOR THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY.
FOR THE CITY OF SEATTLE SAYS WE
ARE GOING TO DO THIS WE ARE
GOING TO RECOGNIZE OUR URBAN
COMMUNITY MAKE SURE THAT THEY
ARE INCLUDED IN THIS.
>> THE DOLLARS TRICKLE INTO THE
STATE AND IN THE COUNTY
SYSTEMS.
AND THEN THERE TASKED WITH
SERVING OUR PEOPLE.
WHAT DO THEY DO?
A KNOCK ON MY OFFICE DOOR AND
SAY HOW CAN WE SERVE YOUR
PEOPLE BETTER. MY ANSWER IS
YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
WE ARE DOING IT JUST FINE.
WHY ARE THOSE RESOURCES GOING
TO YOU?
WHEN THEY SHOULD BE GOING TO US.
GIVEN OUR SITUATION IN SEATTLE
WHERE WE HAVE CITY AND COUNTY
WORKING VERY CLOSELY.
FROM AN ADMINISTRATIVE
PERSPECTIVE YOU CAN MAKE
CHANGES.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE
INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT CAME OUT
OF THE CANADIAN INQUIRY.
THAT IT CALLED IT GENOCIDE THEY
HAVEN'T GOT THEIR PRIME
MINISTER TO SAY IT HE'S
AVOIDING IT.
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
SAY IT IS NOT TRUE.
IT'S AN ISSUE WHERE PEOPLE
DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD THAT
RECOGNIZES THAT THEY HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY AND THAT IT IS
ONGOING.
I THINK FOR THE COMMISSION TO
DO THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
I THINK I'VE SEEN IT PRINTED
TWICE.
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO PRINTED IN
THEIR NEWSPAPERS.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR THE CITY
OF SEATTLE TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT.
AS SUCH WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
THIS ACTION.
WERE GOING TO CORRECT THE MISS
REPRESENTATION TO REPRESENT
WHAT IS BEEN GOING ON IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE.
AND CORRECT THOSE AFRICAN
AMERICAN WOMEN WHO DESERVE TO
BE RECOGNIZED IN THAT DATA
ALSO.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO PARTNER TO
ENSURE THAT OFFICERS ARE
TRAINED CORRECTLY.
THAT WHEN AN ARTICLE COMES OUT
THIS IS YOU HAVE BEEN
MISCLASSIFIED YOU REACH OUT TO
THE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BUILT
THAT.
A PROCLAMATION IS GREAT BUT
IT'S JUST PAPER.
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR IT
ANYMORE.
MY PEOPLE ARE DYING.
I GET EMAILS EVERY SINGLE DAY
FROM PEOPLE WHO'VE LOST THEIR
LOVED ONES AND ARE EXPERIENCING
TRAUMA THEY SHOULD NEVER
EXPERIENCE.
THE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TAKE
ACTION NOW.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT THE KING
COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH IS
DOING.
ADDRESSING SEXUAL OF VIOLENCE BY
LOOKING AT THE INSTITUTIONAL
RACISM THAT ALLOWS FOR THOSE OF
VIOLENCE CONTINUES.
THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING.
NOW IS THE TIME.
>> WE WANT TO AVOID THE
SITUATION THAT CAME OUT FROM
THE STATE REPORT FROM THE HIGH
PATROL.
THEY DIDN'T GET ANYTHING WITH
IT.
WE TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING
HAPPEN IF THEY DIDN'T WORK WITH
US.
THAT IS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN.
ABIGAIL CREATED THE METHODOLOGY
TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEY IGNORED ALL OF THOSE.
SOMETHING HAS TO COME OF THIS.
AND THE CARVEOUTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE TRIBES THAT CREATED
THIS METHODOLOGY ARE LEADING
THIS.
WHEN IT COMES TO INDIAN COUNTRY
AND DIXIE INN ISSUES IT'S NOT
GOING TO HAPPEN WITH SOMEBODY
FROM OUTSIDE OF INDIAN COUNTRY.
WHEN IT HAPPENS TO US ITS
FAILURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO
POINT.
THE VERY LAST THING THAT WE
WANT TO SAY WE DO HAVE THE
DEFINITIONS.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU WRITE THEM.
IF ARE GOING TAKE FEDERAL
DOLLARS, YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE
CODES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
THERE.
ALL OF THIS IS ON OUR WEBSITE
ON THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PAGE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUES IF THEY HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS I DON'T
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BUT I WANTED
TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO ALL
OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE
BEEN DOING THERE WERE MULTIPLE
TIMES WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING AND
SHARING SOME OF THE STORIES OF
THE WOMEN AND FAMILIES IMPACTED
THAT WERE VERY EMOTIONAL FOR ME.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO MY
GRATITUDE TO YOU ALL FOR THIS
VERY HARD WORK THAT IS RE-
TRAUMATIZING BY VIRTUE OF
HAVING TO DO IT.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THIS SO
SERIOUSLY.
I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS
EXISTED FOR A LONG TIME IN YOUR
COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO
CREATE SPACES AND HAVE THIS
KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT IS
REAL AND RAW.
AND I WANT TO EXPRESS MY
GRATITUDE FOR CHAIR DEBORA
JUAREZ FOR DEDICATING THE
MEETING TO HAVE THE TIME AND
ATTENTION.
WE KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN ON
THE FRONT OF INDIGENOUS FOLKS
MINDS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE SPACE
AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LEARN MORE AND LISTEN AND WORK
IN PARTNERSHIP AND
COLLABORATION ON FIGURING OUT
HOW SEATTLE CAN LEAD THE WAY.
WE ARE IN GOOD HANDS IN TERMS OF
ADVANCING AN AGENDA THAT WILL
SHOW THE WAY TO MANY OTHERS.
I AM ORIGINALLY FROM YAKIMA
COUNTY.
I HAVE GROWN UP AROUND
INDIGENOUS FOLKS ALL MY LIFE
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
AMOUNT OF COMMONALITY THAT I
SHARE WITH THE INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY'S.
IT'S PERSONAL YOU CAN FEEL THE
HEAVINESS OF THE CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE DEEP DISTURBING
REASONS FOR THAT.
I APPRECIATE YOU CALLING THEM
OUT AND GIVING US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT.
>> IT IS WONDERFUL TO HAVE
COUNCILMEMBER LORENA GONZALEZ
ON THIS COMMITTEE.
WHILE YOU ARE DOING YOUR
PRESENTATION SHE DID LEAN IN
AND SAY SOMETHING.
SHE SAID THIS GOES BEYOND
MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS
WOMEN & GIRLS , THIS IS ABOUT
GENOCIDE THAT'S BEEN GOING ON
FOR 500 YEARS. THERE WAS A
POLICY TO KILL OUR WOMEN AND
CHILDREN FIRST.
WE HAVE THE INSIGHT OF SOMEBODY
THAT BELIEVES IN JUSTICE.
SHE IS A CO-HER CHAIR AND WAS
ON THAT COMMITTEE.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT
THE TABLE.
WHEN WE PUT OUR MINDS TO DOING
SOMETHING.
WE WILL DO IT.
THAT IS THE KIND OF WOMEN WE
ARE.
COUNCILMEMBER SALLY BAGSHAW.
>> I GAVE HER A BUMPER STICKER
THAT SAID SHE IS 'BAD ASS'.
>> LET ME START OVER.
THIS IS NOT EASY FOR ME.
IT'S NOT EASY SITTING HERE.
I AM THE ONLY WHITE WOMAN HERE.
THAT BEING SAID.
THE HURT THAT YOU DESCRIBED
JUST KILLS ME.
I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE
SEPARATION OF CHILDREN FROM
FAMILIES, WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED
OVER THE LAST HUNDRED AND 50
YEARS AND WHAT OUR COUNTRY HAS
DONE.
WE CAN RAISE WHAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
THE SOLUTIONS.
PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY PICTURE
WHILE I'M SITTING HERE WEEPING.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU
HAVE RAISED.
I KNOW HOW MUCH I CARE FOR
ABIGAIL SISTER AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN DO FOR THE CHIEF
SEATTLE CLUB.
TO TAKE THE LAND THAT YOU HAVE
LOST.
AND RESPECT THAT IT WAS THE
LAND THAT YOU LIVED ON FOR SO
MANY GENERATIONS AND TURN IT
INTO RESPECTFUL ACTION THAT IS
I AM THANKFUL THAT THE POLICE
ARE HERE IN THE
REPRESENTATIVES.
ALL OF YOU HAVE THE STATE MEANS
A GREAT DEAL TO ME.
IS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HERE TO
SPEAK?
WE ARE NEVER GOING TO SEE MONEY
FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
PICKS WE HAVE TO DO IT
OURSELVES.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
THE GOVERNOR HAS A LOT TO DO
BUT AT LEAST THEY ARE SAYING
THE WORDS I'M GOING TO MARCH
NEXT TO MY SISTER I HAVE SO
MUCH RESPECT FOR YOU AND THE
FACT THAT THE COMMITTEE IS
NAMED WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
AND THAT WE CARE ABOUT THIS.
I'M VERY RESPECTFUL.
THANK YOU
>> I WANT TO THANK COUNCILMEMBER
DEBORA JUAREZ FOR PUTTING THIS
MEETING TOGETHER.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY.
IT'S NOT EASY.
BRINGING THIS TO LIGHT I WANT
TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND SAY THANK
YOU
>> I'M GOING TO WRAP UP
BRIEFLY.
I KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE
A TOUGH DAY.
I WAS DREADING IT THIS MORNING.
I DID MY PRAYERS AND I GOT TEXAS
TEXTS FROM COLLEEN.
AS A VICTIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT I
KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE ON A
RESERVATION AND NOT BE HEARD.
STARTED THIS WITH THE HISTORICAL
CONTEXT AND WHAT IT HAS DONE TO
OUR PEOPLE I WASN'T TRYING TO
BE PROVOCATIVE OR SIMPLISTIC
WHEN I SAID THAT OUR FIRST
PRESIDENT REFERRED TO OUR
PEOPLE AS WILD BEASTS OF PREY.
THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE TODAY
THAT REFER TO US AS THAT.
I WANT TO MAKE THIS COMMITMENT
TO YOU.
AND I'M GLAD THAT I HAVE THESE
STRONG WOMEN AT THIS TABLE.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, THE
SUMMARY OF THE CANADIAN REPORT.
IT IS PHENOMENAL. WHEN THEY
CALL THE CALL FOR JUSTICE THOSE
ARE ACTIONABLE THINGS THAT THEY
ARE PHYSICALLY GOING TO DO.
WE WILL BE TEEING UP
LEGISLATION TO WORK WITH YOU I
ALSO HAD A WONDERFUL
CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF AT
SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU
MEAN WHEN IT'S SAYING
DECOLONIZING THE DATA.
WE DON'T WANT A REPUTATION FOR
HAVING THE MOST MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN &
GIRLS.
CERTAINLY NOT BE NUMBER TWO IN
THE NATION WITH THAT SAME TITLE.
I PLAN TO HAVE A FEW MORE
FOLLOW-UP MEETINGS ABOUT WHERE
WE ARE GOING BEFORE WE LEAVE ON
RECESS.
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO ABIGAIL
HAS BEEN TRAVELING EVERYWHERE.
WE ARE RUNNING IN AND OUT OF
THE SENATOR MURRAY'S OFFICE.
I TOOK A PICTURE OF THE SEATTLE
DRUM THERE.
WE WERE ALL LOBBYING FOR THE
REAUTHORIZATION. I WANT TO
SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE HOPE TO
TEA AT THAT LEGISLATION, AND
HAVING THE CANADIAN REPORT COME
OUT WAS A BLESSING I CAN
PHYSICALLY LOOK AT IT AND SAY
THAT THERE'S A LOT HERE THAT WE
CAN DO ALSO.
I THINK THE STATE LAW IS
IMPORTANT IT'S A GOOD STEP
FORWARD. BUT I HAVE A NEED OF
MORE THAN TWO LIAISONS.
I WAS THANKFUL.
AS YOU ALL KNOW AS WE ARE
MOVING THESE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENTS FORWARD.
YOU DON'T GET IT ALL THE FIRST
SWEEP.
SOMETIMES THE WORLD DOESN'T
WORK LIKE THAT.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO ROLL UP
OUR SLEEVES AND JUST KEEP
MARCHING.
THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS
NATIVE PEOPLE.
IF WE BOUGHT INTO THE
HISTORICAL TRAUMA.
WHEN I DO SPEECHES THE OTHER
SIDE OF TRAUMA IS RESILIENCY.
WE HAVE THAT.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE STILL HERE
DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT WAS
DONE TO OUR PEOPLE WE ARE STILL
PHYSICALLY HERE WITH THAT I
WANT TO THANK YOU.
I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES
FOR SHOWING UP AND BEING HERE.
I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE MORE
EMOTIONALLY CHARGE.
WERE NOT SITTING HERE ARGUING.
NOT TO SAY.
I AM GLAD THAT I HAVE MY
COMMUNITY AND OUR COMMUNITY IN
THIS COMMITTEE.
WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS DONE.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU
WANT TO SAY BEFORE WE ADJOURN?
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ADD.
>> I JUST LIKE TO SAY ONE
THING.
I'M A STORYTELLER.
NATIVE WOMAN THAT I HAD
PRESENTED WITH.
CAME UP TO ME AND SAID HOW THE
WOMEN IN HER FAMILY HAD DIED.
THEY BURY THEM ALL WITH
BRUISES.
THEY HAD ALL BEEN VICTIMS OF
VIOLENCE.
SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD GOTTEN
USED TO DOING THAT AND THAT IT
WAS NORMAL.
SHE SAID WE CANNOT LET THIS BE
NORMAL SHE COVERED MY FACE AND
WAS BREATHING THIS AND SAID WE
HAVE TO KEEP TALKING.
I'VE BEEN TRAVELING.
AND MY TEAM HAS BEEN TRAVELING.
THIS HAPPENED. THIS REPORT JUST
CAME OUT FROM CANADA AND THE
ONE WAS JUST RELEASED FROM
WASHINGTON STATE PATROL.
WE HAVE OTHER THINGS FOR US TO
USE TO PUSH FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS
COMMITTEE AND FOR DOING THINGS
IN THE RIGHT WAY AT THE RIGHT
TIME AND ALLOWING US TO TELL
OUR TRUTH AND RECOGNIZE THAT
THIS LAND RECOGNIZES WHO WE ARE
AND IT IS HOLDING OUR MEN WOMEN
AND L GB TQ WOMEN TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE
ACTION.
AND I FEEL IT.
AND I KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT THING
IN THE RIGHT EYE MOVING
FORWARD.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS PLACE
AND SPACE.
>> ANYTHING ELSE WITH THAT.
I THINK EVERYBODY.
AND WE STAND ADJOURN.