May 5 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. Clair
Bad River, missing
August 2015.
Charlene Couture
Bad River, missing, 2009.
Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe
Wisconsin
Susan Poupart
Lac du Flambeau, murdered, 1990
two children, unsolved.
LaVonne 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 MMIW 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 Dickenson.
The life of her sister-in-law
Linda Amy Dickenson
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.