UltraViolet Applauds Sec. Deb Haaland’s Announcement of New Unit Focused on Pursuing Justice for Missing or Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, April 5, 2021
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
UltraViolet Applauds Sec. Deb Haaland’s Announcement of New Unit Focused on Pursuing Justice for Missing or Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives
Women’s Group Says Haaland’s Quick Action on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Americans Highlights Why It is Critical To Have People In Power Who Understand the Communities They Serve
WASHINGTON, DC — Last week, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced the formation of a new Missing & Murdered Unit (MMU) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) to provide leadership and direction for cross-departmental and interagency work involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU will help put the full weight of the federal government into investigating these cases and marshal law enforcement resources across federal agencies and throughout Indian country.
READ MORE ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT HERE: https://www.doi.gov/news/secretary-haaland-creates-new-missing-murdered-unit-pursue-justice-missing-or-murdered-american
In reaction to the Interior Department’s announcement, KD Chavez, spokesperson for UltraViolet, a leading national women’s organization, issued the following statement, praising Haaland’s swift action to pursue justice for missing or murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives:
“Secretary Haaland’s swift action announcing a new unit focused on pursuing justice for missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives highlights why it is critical to have people in power who are representatives of and understand the communities that they serve.
“Make no mistake – this is a crisis. There are currently more than 2300 missing Native American women and girls in the United States. The Misinformation and misidentification of gendered violence as suicide, overdose, and exposure is insufferable and harmful to native communities. Urgent federal action is long overdue – but this is an important first step to ensure that these cases are given the proper attention and the resources that they deserve. We must protect our communities and create policy that centers native voices and leadership so future generations can thrive.
“We applaud Haaland’s early and decisive action to set new precedents and bring the full weight of the federal government into investigating cases and coordinating resources to address this crisis and bring our relatives home.”
Earlier this month, UltraViolet, in partnership with Protect the Sacred, ACLU South Dakota, IllumiNative, Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute, Native Organizers Alliance, Advance Native Political Leadership, and Indigenous LifeWays, commissioned a mobile billboard with messages from seven Indigenous women leaders from around the United States celebrating Haaland’s historic confirmation and talking about what her leadership at Interior means for America’s Indigenous communities, public lands, and fight against climate change.
VIEW THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dVs4Siy8Tw&feature=youtu.be
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