In honor of Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day and to support the efforts to fight this crisis, the City of Portland Tribal Relations Program sponsored “Strengthening the Safety Net: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Week” from May 3-8, 2020.  During this week, the City of Portland’s Tribal Relations Program invited the AMBER Alert in Indian Country program to participate in their Educational Panel during its May 7th Law Enforcement Day.

Panel members included, Tim Simmons, Tribal Liaison for the Oregon United States Attorney’s Office; Sarah Sabri, Oregon Department of Justice; and Tyesha Wood, AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program – AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC). The event was moderated by Laura John, Tribal Relations Director for the City of Portland.

Throughout the panel, members provided an overview on the complexities surrounding missing and murdered indigenous women, including the dynamics of enforcement in tribal protection orders, a review of Operation Lady Justice, and additional resources available to assist programs in the City of Portland in addressing this issue. AATTAP-AIIC team member Tyesha Wood also provided a presentation on the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018 and ongoing efforts to assist tribes with missing and exploited children programs in their communities.

To learn more about this event and view the recording, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/TribalRelationsPDX/videos/233727178063153/

Group Photo from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Event in Oregon, May 2020