A Voice of Her Own

The Power of Persistence with Rosemary Deck, JD, and Julia Oliveira

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Have you ever seen the hashtag #MMIW ? Do you know what it means? Do you know why it matters?

In this episode I interview Julia Oliveira, the first dedicated Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Investigator in the state of California, and Rosemary Deck, JD, Chief Prosecutor for the Yurok Tribe, the largest tribe of Indigenous Peoples in the state of California. 

Northern California, where the Yurok reside and where this podcast is recorded, has a disproportionately large number of missing persons cases, and a very large percentage of these cases - again, hugely disproportionate - are Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (also known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.)

The statistics around violence to Indigenous and Alaska Native women not just in California but across the United States and Canada are truly alarming. But this issue doesn’t stop at the border of the reservation. It ripples across communities, further perpetuating the struggles of those who have suffered systemic colonization, violence, and the effects of historical trauma, and those of us who live on land taken by force and subjugation. 

Ultimately, this is a hopeful episode, because increasing awareness and knowledge is key to addressing this “open wound” as Julie calls it, suffered by so many families in California, and across the country. We can be good allies; we can be good neighbors. We can support the efforts of the Yurok Tribe to assist other tribes and law enforcement in bringing these women, and all missing Indigenous persons, home to their families and loved ones.

In this episode we discuss: 

  • the unique approach of the Yurok Tribe and tribal courts to restorative justice and asserting the sovereignty of the Tribe and tribal lands 
  • the alarming and disproportionate statistics surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons in California, particularly women, and particularly in Northern California
  • the federal government reports that there are currently 5000 missing Indigenous and Alaska Native women, but that number is underreported. 
  • 4 out of 5 Indigenous and Alaska Native women will experience violence, and 1 in 3 in the last year. 
  • homicide is the 3rd leading cause of death of Indigenous and Alaska Native women.
  • Indigenous and Alaska Native women are 30 times more likely to be the victims of violence than white women.
  • the pilot partnership with the US Marshal’s Office that came about due to the MMIP Summit hosted by the Yurok Tribe
  • the ripple effect of these cases and the prevalence felt in the tribal communities
  • the challenges and partnerships with state and local law enforcement under PL 280, which gives the state criminal jurisdiction over the tribal lands
  • the confusing and contradictory jurisdictional issues under PL 280 and how that affects the law enforcement response (which is already strained due to nationwide staffing shortages)
  • the historic attitudes between law enforcement and tribal communities and how positions like Julie Oliveira’s can be a bridge to better cooperation
  • the importance of preserving the Yurok language and the cultural implications of using the language
  • the To’ Kee Skuy’ Soo Ney-Wo-Chek’ program and how it was developed through the efforts of Chief Justice Abby Abinanti and Dr. Blythe George of the Yurok Tribe working with the Sovereign Bodies Institute
  • the hope to empower other tribes to do this work through the toolkit created by the Yurok Tribe
  • the case of Emmilee Risling, and the jurisdictional issues that point to the need for coordinated responses to missing persons reports
  • the scope of the issue as Julie begins work as the first dedicated MMIP investigator, and the response from the communities
  • working with the California Office of Indian Affairs to gather data and share information, which could be a template for other tribes moving forward
  • the different systems tracking missing persons and the confusing lack of communication between them
  • the challenges with the reported data and how it leads to underreporting of the issue of MMIP
  • the need for research on the outcome disparities between states with PL 280 and without PL 280 because of the maze of jurisdictional issues the law has created
  • the policy advocacy of the Yurok Tribe to address MMIP issues from a legislative perspective
  • the creation of the Feather Alert to notify law enforcement of missing Indigenous persons
  • the factors that contribute to the high numbers of MMIP in Northern California: the rural, wild areas of the state, the history of the black market economy of cannabis, the lack of mental health and social services, the historical and intergenerational trauma of colonizers and state-sanctioned cultural eradication of Indigenous peoples
  • the necessity of a trauma-informed response from law enforcement to these cases
  • the problem of a lack of services for people with a dual-diagnosis of mental health issues and substance abuse issues
  • the frustration of law enforcement dealing with mental health and substance issues without resources to address them
  • the actionable practice: native and tribal organizations to support; coming forward with information if you’re able to help resolve the wounds of the families missing loved ones, going out and learning about the issues and meeting your tribal neighbors
  • the MMIP tip-line: (833)975-6647
  • being a better neighbor and honoring the bonds of community

    • Links discussed in this episode:

    To’ Kee Skuy’ Soo Ney-Wo-Chek’ (MMIP) – Yurok Tribal Court

    Restoring Justice for Indigenous Peoples 

    Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition, Inc. 

    California Tribal Families Coalition 

    Kee Cha-E-Nar Corporation 

    Sovereign Bodies Institute 

    Stolen - The Search for Jermain 

    Yurok Tribe Salmon Festival 

    Shoutouts:

    Neurogan  

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    A Voice of Her OwnBy Deva Davisson