Families of missing and murdered Indigenous people call for action

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Families of missing and murdered Indigenous people’s cases came forward to share their stories, and call for more action. 

The call comes days after federal and state agencies went in front of the Not Invisible Act Commission to discuss the handling of missing and murdered Indigenous people’s cases.

The names of victims rang through the courtyard of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Saturday morning. Some families came from across the country to call for action.

“There’s a total of 17 of us came from Washington to be here for the events happening, and make awareness known of the missing murdered Indigenous relatives,” said a family from Washington, D.C..

Former survivors like Kimberly Wahpepah expressed the importance of continuously telling these stories.

“If we don’t talk about it, it’s like it will be forgotten, and it’s hard. It’s traumatizing over and over again. But at the same time, it’s healing,” said Kimberly Wahpepah, a human trafficking survivor. 

Wahpepah herself is still recovering from her past. But with the support of families from these events, and her new hobby, she says she’s finding new ways to heal through cooking.   

“It’s not just salsa, it’s made out of love, it’s made out of my healing. It’s made out of the things I have gone through, it’s a dream for me,” said Wahpepah. 

Finding new ways to heal, and keeping awareness alive.