Oliviah Walker (she/her) highlights "healing-centered approaches" to public health based on her work with Indigenous communities in this conversation with co-hosts Eva Bighorse and Davina Two Bears. She also shares insights about impacts of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) on her and her family. Oliviah is a citizen of the Meskwaki Nation and a health and racial equity advocate. She most recently served as the Health Equity Officer for Iowa Health and Human Services and is starting a new role with the State of Minnesota. Oliviah’s experience includes roles in tribal, local, and state government. Her interests span the intersections of youth work, institutional change management, policy and advocacy, and workforce development, with a dedicated interest in Indigenous governance and capacity building. She serves on various advisory boards and committees including Meskwaki Inc., University of Iowa’s Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the State of Iowa’s Justice Advisory Board. She likes to spend free time reading, baking, and foraging.

Additional resources:

Profile of Missing Person: Rita Janelle Papakee
"Meskwaki citizen among Iowa’s missing Indigenous women" (2022)
RISE Resources
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Murdered or Missing Indigenous Persons Office for Victims of Crime State Resources
Four Directions Summer Research Program (FDSRP)
Native Youth Workers Circle Facebook page
Fundamental Requirements for Healthy Youth Development

Oliviah Walker and Healing-Centered Public Health