Graphic artist: Sarah Agaton Howes
The epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives is rooted in colonial systems. The establishment of the first statewide task force on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women by Minnesota in 2019, coupled with the 2021 Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaskan Natives, provides opportunity for change.
Join us for a day of presentations and panels to learn more from the intrepid leaders who have advocated for change at local, state, and federal levels; and to have honest conversations about what needs to be done to ensure that the policy measures taken by state and federal governments result in intentional, systemic solutions.
Friday, April 29,
8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Lunch will be provided for those who register to attend in person.
CART Captions for virtual attendees.
Program:
8:30-9:00 Registration and Tea
9:00-9:30 Opening Remarks
Humphrey School Professor Christina Ewig, Welcome
Great-grandmother Mary Lyons, Prayer
Humphrey School Dean Nisha Botchway
Jayme Davis, Words from the Organizers
Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan
9:30-9:45 Video Address: Relocation Revisited: Colonial Roots of MMIWG
Professor Sarah Deer, introduced by An Garagiola
9:45-10:45 Keynote Address: Mobilizing to Find the Missing
Lissa Yellow Bird Chase, introduced by Jayme Davis
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-12:00 Panel Discussion: State Policy Initiatives Advocating for Change
Rep. Ruth Buffalo, Sen. Mary Kunesh, Nicole MartinRogers*, Roger Smith, Sr.*
Moderator: Nicole Matthews
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-1:15 Video Address: U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, introduced by Christina Ewig
1:15-2:15 Panel Discussion: Tribal, State and Federal Strategies to Address MMIR
Brian Pottratz, Juliet Rudie, Jon Roesler, Allison Randall*
Moderator: Audrianna Goodwin
2:15-2:30 Break
2:30- 3:30 Panel Discussion: Social and Systems Change
Cary Waubanascum Hawpetos*, Greg LeBeau, Jessica Gidagaakoons Smith
Moderator: Marisa Cummings
3:30-4:00 Closing Remarks
Great-grandmother Mary Lyons
Lyz Jaakola
*denotes virtual presenter
All speakers and panels will be in the Cowles Auditorium. Lunch will be in the Mondale Commons. There will be a parallel Art and Resource Room in the Humphrey Forum (off the Mondale Commons), and a Self-Care Room in the Freeman Commons (second floor).
In the self-care room, a mental health counselor will be available for attendees who may be in need of care due to the difficult nature of this topic. Other resources will be available as well.
Speakers:
Lissa Yellow Bird Chase
Arikara Nation, Founder of Sahnish Scouts

Ruth Buffalo
Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, North Dakota District 27 State House Representative

Mary Kunesh
Standing Rock Lakota descendant, Minnesota State Senator

Greg LeBeau
MSW, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Clinical Social Worker/Social Justice & Human Rights Activist

Nicole MartinRogers
White Earth Nation descendant, Research Scientist at Wilder Research

Brian Pottratz
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Human Trafficking Investigator, Leech Lake Tribal Police Department
Roger Smith Sr.
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, District III Brookston Representative Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

Cary Waubanascum Hawpetoss, MSW, Ph.D.
Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Assistant Professor, Social Work, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Jon Roesler
Epidemiologist, Minnesota Department of Public Health

Sarah Deer
Enrolled citizen, Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma, Professor, University of Kansas

Marisa Miakonda Cummings
Umonhon/Omaha, President/CEO of the Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center

Juliet Rudie
Lower Sioux Community, Director of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office

Nicole Matthews
White Earth Band of Ojibwe descendant, Executive Director, Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition

Jayme Davis
Jayme Davis, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Circle of Nations Consulting

Allison Randall
Principal Deputy Director, Office on Violence Against Women, Department of Justice

Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan
White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota

Jessica Gidagaakoons Smith
Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, Legal advocate, Gidagaakoons Advocacy, Consulting, and Research

Mary Lyons
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Author, Humanitarian, Global Wisdom Keeper

Audrianna Goodwin
Red Lake Band of Ojibwe, Humphrey School Masters of Public Policy Student

An Garagiola
Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe, Research Assistant, Office of American Indian and Tribal Nations Relations, UMN

Lyz Jaakola
Nitaa-Nagamokwe, Musician and cultural educator, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa

This event is the second of a two-part series. The first, on March 25, is called “Leading for the 7th Generation”