Not Invisible Act Commission Hearing to Help Combat MMIP & Human Trafficking Issues in Blue Lake

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and human trafficking are two devastating issues still affecting Indigenous communities across the nation. Today a public hearing took place at Blue Lake Casino.

The hearing is part of the continued work by members of the Not Invisible Act Commision, to help develop recommendations to Congress and federal agencies on how to combat the MMIP and human trafficking crisis. 

“Our responsibility here is to make recommendations on how data and reporting and management can be improved,”Survivor and family member of MMIP, Annita Lucchesi said. “To better address the violence that has already occurred and to prevent future violence as well.”

“This is a lot of very heavy work that we’re all doing,” Sonia Tetnowski, the National Council of Urban Indian Health said. “We’re here doing our best to make sure that we’re taking those messages seriously and we’re looking for action items that we need. and”

This hearing will have open panel discussions and space for tribal leaders, families and friends of those lost, as well as survivors– to give testimony.

“There’s a narrow window of time and a very violent time and too many of our communities, and that’s a burden that we’ve been handed down through a legacy of colonization,” Bryan Newland, the U.S. Dept. of the Interior and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs said. “It’s not the way that we are, that’s not the way that we’ve been but this is something that’s been done to Indian People”

“it’s important that we never lose sight of the very real human impact that these cases are having,” Katherine Wawrzyniak, the Acting Criminal Chief said.

The hearing with the Not Invisible Act Commission will continue tomorrow (06/14) until later in the evening at the Sapphire Palace.

“I’m very proud to work with our brothers and sisters up here of the small work we’ve done the last couple of years,” Joseph James the Yurok Tribe Chairman said. “It’s nothing new, but we’re saying no more.”