This episode is in collaboration with Tucson Indian Center (TIC). Staff member Drew Harris, Community Cultural Specialist, is the organizer of the TIC Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Awareness Virtual Run. In honor of Indigenous People’s Day we are highlighting this topic to hear what local officials and grassroots people are doing to advocate on behalf of the victims and their families. This interview features guests Arizona State Senator Sally Ann Gonzales representing District 3 and April Ignacio, founder of Indivisible Tohono. Both, are members of the Arizona Study Committee for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). Senator Gonzales shares her political knowledge and experiences covering this very topic and other related issues in regards to indigenous/native people. During the interview with April Ignacio, she describes how her work on the Tohono O’odham Nation in regards to MMIWG provided her the knowledge to assist in the overall process. Our discussion reveals the challenges and inequalities that impact people of color and native communities within the political process.
Although, House Bill 2570 is a small win for indigenous people, party politics can create roadblocks in the progression of issues related to native communities. Tune in to hear more on this conversation.
