The goal of the series is to amplify Indigenous Voices and create a broader MMIWR awareness in the mainstream media.

This MMIW series features the voices of Indigenous survivors, relatives, state patrol, tribal law enforcement, sexual assault coalition directors, senators, lawyers advocating for tribal sovereignty, environmentalists, and many more voices impacted by the MMIW crisis.

These episodes would not be possible without Melissa Spence who is a talented Audio Producer and Voice-over artist. I am forever grateful to Melissa for her talent, friendship, and knowledge.

An Anishinaabe Ojibway, Melissa is enrolled in Lake Manitoba First Nation of Canada. She is the Co-host of the Indigenous Vision Podcast alongside Souta Callinglast who is Blackfoot. You can listen to their show here.

The introduction features the “Strong Woman” song performed by Nicole Matthews, Guadalupe Lopez, and Angelica Allery. Nicole is the Executive Director of The Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition and Angelica is the Membership and Outreach Coordinator. Guadalupe is the Executive Director of Violence Free Minnesota. The song is a part of Nicole’s Tedx talk ”How Indigenous Values Can Help Sexual Violence Victims Heal.” Thank you to the women for sharing the powerful performance with the podcast.

The voices featured in the first episode are:

Mary Katherine Nagle Attorney specializing in tribal sovereignty of Native Nations and Peoples. She is also one of the country's most-produced Native American Playwrights. Mary is also the Executive Director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program.
Mary Kunesh As a Minnesota Senator, she created the MMIWG Task Force to assess and recommend solutions to the crisis in the state. Mary also developed a report on MMIW with mandates to the Minnesota legislature. Mary is a founding member of the Native American and People of Color & Indigenous (POCI) caucuses.
Amber Crotty A Council Delegate of the Navajo Nation (one of the largest Indian reservations in the US) spoke about the MMIWR crisis happening on the land. The Navajo Nation Council is currently considering legislation that would establish a task force to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.