May 5th is
a national day of awareness
for missing and murdered
indigenous women
and relatives.
It's known as MMIW,
and families
are here at the capitol
in Madison to say the names
of their loved ones
who are victims of violence,
trafficking, abduction,
or homicide.
Sheila St.
Claire, Bad River, missing
August 2015;
Charlene Couture, Bad
River, missing 2009;
Lac du Flambeau, Ojibwe, WI,
Susan Pupart,
Lac du Flambeau, murdered 1990,
two children, unsolved;
Levon Frank,
Lac du Flambeau, 1997.
I'm Erica Ayisi, a reporter
with PBS Wisconsin.
I spoke
with Rachel Fernandez.
She's from the Menominee
Indian Tribe
and organizer
of the Red Dress Wrap
the Capitol Red MMW rally.
And she says
some Indigenous Americans
wear the red hand symbol
on this day
to shift the code of silence
to awareness
and stand with families
who want to share
their stories and truth.
Linda
Amy Dickinson.
The life
of her sister in law, Linda
Amy Dickinson, was cut short
in a murder/suicide
in Green Bay.
I also spoke with Attorney
General Josh Kaul,
who says the state
is addressing the crisis
with a task force
of indigenous activists
and families to gather data
and work in collaboration
with tribal police.
[Drumming, singing]
If you want to know
more about missing
and murdered
indigenous people
in Wisconsin
and why it's happening,
go to pbswisconsin.org
and click on the news tab.