Content warning: domestic violence, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives

On May 5, crowds gathered throughout the day at the Oregon Convention Center Plaza in Portland to bring attention to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives and create space for remembering those who have been impacted.

Red shirts, ribbon skirts and red handprints filled the plaza square as people began to make signs with phrases such as “We are their voices,” “Honor their spirit,” and “Justice for MMIR.” 

Early in the day, a bald eagle flew overhead, a rare sighting in the middle of the city. As people paused to point it out, a hawk joined it. To many, this seemed like an offering of a blessing from the two birds.

Across the country, May 5 is a National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and People (also referred to as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives or MMIR for short). 

American Indian and Alaska Native women are murdered at a rate of 10 times higher than the national average, and more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime, according to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center.

Two Spirit and trans Indigenous relatives also face disproportionate rates of violence, which is part of the push to change the name to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives to acknowledge the reality that Indigenous people of all genders are impacted by the MMIR crisis, according to Polimana Joshevama, Hopi, research and evaluation mode lead for Future Generations Collaborative.

MMIR Day of Awareness and Action is a day to raise awareness, demand justice, take action and create space for healing.

“I think that the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action that we’re having today has two parts to it. I think there’s the external, bringing awareness,” Joshevama said, mentioning the importance of wearing red and holding signs out in public. 

“[And secondly] just a space to be able to come together and hold space for those memories and the thoughts and the prayers that we have for all those people,” she added.

Together in ceremony

Creating a space for both education and healing during a particularly intense day, organizers of the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action grounded the occasion with opportunities for ceremony.

After a free lunch provided by Sisters Fry Bread, Shalaya Williams, Cayuse from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, asked those gathered to come together in a circle. 

Williams led more than 50 people in a breathing exercise, acknowledging that MMIR Day of Awareness brings up trauma for many people. Williams talked about how their grandmother taught them how to release that stored, intergenerational trauma and called on those in need of healing to step forward. 

“Whoever has a heavy heart today, who needs extra prayer, come join me in the middle,” Williams said. 

People stepped forward to form a smaller circle in the center around an abalone shell filled with burning sage. The smaller group held hands while Williams offered a song and prayer, encouraging those in the larger circle to do the same.

Later in the day, community members marched to the Willamette River to take part in another ceremony, joined from the water by the 7 Waters Canoe Family at the Duckworth Memorial Dock.

Around 50 people walked the three quarters of a mile to the dock, including women pushing strollers and elders pushing walkers. People raised their signs high in the air with phrases such as “No more stolen sisters,” “Gone missing but still in our hearts,” and “Search the landfills.” Cars honked their horns in support all along the way.

Angela Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, spent the walk to the river reflecting on her sister, Tina Spino, who went missing two years ago.

“My daughter has never been the same since,” Polk said.

Two weeks after Tina went missing, she was found dismembered, Polk said. She has lost other loved ones as well to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, including her nephew Casey Lillie.

“The importance for me is to release the pain we carry,” Polk said, reflecting on MMIR Day of Awareness and Action. “I pray for the children and I pray for my family.”

Once at the river, those standing at the dock welcomed the 7 Waters Canoe Family with war whoops.

“We’re happy to be here, happy to pull our canoe in prayer,” said skipper Lukas Angus, Niimiipuu and Cayuse on his father’s side and Tlingit and Haida on his mother’s side. “When we paddle, we’re praying. We’re offering our strength. We hope that you can pray with us.”

Event organizers handed out flowers to those gathered on the docks, to take part in a “letting go” ceremony. One by one, community members were invited to step forward and add their flower to a growing pile on a wool blanket at the front of the canoe, sending with it a prayer of something that they need to let go of. 

After everyone stepped forward, the 7 Waters Canoe Family pulled back out into the center of the river. The two paddlers in front gently threw the flowers into the river, one by one. 

Silence fell over the dock, as people watched the canoe family release their prayers into the river through the flowers. Out of the silence, a man’s voice rose, sharing a song. 

Gaps in data

When it comes to the actual numbers of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives across the country, and specifically in Portland, it is hard to know the true reach of the crisis, according to Joshevama.

“We know there are so many gaps in data,” she said. “There is no official data for the City of Portland.”

One of the reasons there is such a gap in data has to do with racial classification, as Indigenous people are often misclassified, according to Joshevama. 

Acknowledging the gaps in data, Joshevama is working with Future Generations Collaborative on creating a database to track MMIR cases in the Portland Metro area. The hope is to engage with the community and officially launch the database in 2027.

In Oregon, secrecy and data issues seem to be impeding progress on MMIR cases, as Noeledrich reported in August 2024. 

Family members and grassroots groups are leading the way when it comes to advocating for and searching for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, such as the MMIW Search and Hope Alliance based in Oregon.

The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center created a guide as part of its MMIR toolkit for what to do in the first 72 hours after a loved one goes missing. Some state legislators in Oregon are calling for further action to improve the state response to the MMIR crisis. 

This legislative session, state Reps. Tawna Sanchez, Shoshone-Bannock, Ute and Carrizo, and Annessa Hartman, Haudenosaunee, championed House Bill 3198. If passed, the bill would allocate staff within the Oregon Health Authority to lead prevention efforts, provide victim services and collect statewide data on MMIR cases. 

“For years, we’ve heard from families and community members who’ve done this work alone because state systems weren’t built to support them,” Sanchez said in a press release about the bill. “This bill is a response to that call. It invests in the prevention, coordination, and healing our communities have asked for.”

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‘Release the Pain We Carry:’ Scenes from MMIR Day of Awareness and Action

by Nika Bartoo-Smith, Underscore + ICT and Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich
May 7, 2025

<h1>‘Release the Pain We Carry:’ Scenes from MMIR Day of Awareness and Action</h1> <p class="byline">by Nika Bartoo-Smith, Underscore + ICT and Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich <br />May 7, 2025</p> <p><em>Content warning: domestic violence, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives</em></p> <p>On May 5, crowds gathered throughout the day at the Oregon Convention Center Plaza in Portland to bring attention to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives and create space for remembering those who have been impacted.</p> <p>Red shirts, ribbon skirts and red handprints filled the plaza square as people began to make signs with phrases such as “We are their voices,” “Honor their spirit,” and “Justice for MMIR.”&nbsp;</p> <p>Early in the day, a bald eagle flew overhead, a rare sighting in the middle of the city. As people paused to point it out, a hawk joined it. To many, this seemed like an offering of a blessing from the two birds.</p> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter" data-effect="slide"> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container"> <ul class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper"> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6030" data-id="6030" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_2989-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Dozens gathered at the Oregon Convention Center plaza on May 5 for the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6054" data-id="6054" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Whitney-Watson-1-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Whitney Watson, Iñupiaq, Policy Mode Lead for Future Generations Collaborative, introduced speakers during the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6053" data-id="6053" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Shalene-Joseph-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Shalene Joseph, A'aniiih and Athabaskan, wore a red hand print earring that she beaded. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America) </figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6029" data-id="6029" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Prayer-circle-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5996" data-id="5996" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3027-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6017" data-id="6017" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Angela-Polk-03-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Shalene Joseph, A'aniiih and Athabaskan, paints a red hand print over Angela Polk's mouth during the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action in Portland, on May 5, 2025. Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, has had loved ones that have been murdered. She said she attended the event in their honor. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5990" data-id="5990" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Signage-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Attendees made signs with phrases like "No more stolen sisters" during MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6034" data-id="6034" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_2981-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">JR Lilly, Diné, Director of the Office of Community Involvement at Multnomah County, spoke to attendees of the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6006" data-id="6006" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/P1106101-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6025" data-id="6025" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/No-More-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6057" data-id="6057" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Polimana-Joshevama-1-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Polimana Joshevama, Hopi, Research and Evaluation Mode lead at Future Generations Collaborative, posed for their photo during the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action event in Portland on Monday May 5. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5995" data-id="5995" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/P1106204-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5999" data-id="5999" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/P1106113-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6028" data-id="6028" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/P1106221-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6007" data-id="6007" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/P1106259-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6024" data-id="6024" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/P1106243-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6011" data-id="6011" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3158-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Dozens gathered at the Oregon Convention Center plaza on May 5 for the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6015" data-id="6015" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3207-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5992" data-id="5992" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3224-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6010" data-id="6010" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3318-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Photo from the May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk Noeledrich, / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6004" data-id="6004" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3203-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Jeidah DeZurney, Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Native Youth and Family Support Program Manager at Multnomah Education Service District and Co-Founder of Siletz Regalia Sharing Closet, holds a sign that reads "No more stolen sisters. MMIW," during the walk to the river. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America) </figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6016" data-id="6016" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3308-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6027" data-id="6027" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3243-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6009" data-id="6009" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3261-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6001" data-id="6001" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3328-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5993" data-id="5993" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3365-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5998" data-id="5998" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3375-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5994" data-id="5994" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3352-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6012" data-id="6012" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/092384u502934-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Angela Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, spent the walk to the river reflecting on her sister, Tina Spino, who was reported missing in the summer of 2020. Spino was 58 years old at the time of her disappearance. Her remains were discovered in 2021 in a remote location on the Warm Springs Reservation. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6021" data-id="6021" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3382-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6023" data-id="6023" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3398-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6002" data-id="6002" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3516-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5989" data-id="5989" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3609-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Photo from the May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6048" data-id="6048" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Chenoa-Landry-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Chenoa Landry, Puyallup, Education Mode Lead for Future Generations Collaborative, took a moment to explain why she handed out flowers to those gathered on the docks and how the flowers would be used in “letting go” ceremony. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6049" data-id="6049" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Elder-holding-sign-1-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Dozens of people wearing red shirts, ribbon skirts, and red handprints painted over their mouths walked the three quarters of a mile to the Willamette River at the Duckworth Memorial Dock, where they part in a ceremony, joined from the water by the 7 Waters Canoe Family. People held signs with phrases like “Stand for those who can’t,” “We are their voices,” “Honor their spirit” and more. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America) </figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6050" data-id="6050" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Greeting-Canoe-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">At the Duckworth Memorial Dock along the Willamette River, MMIR Day of Awareness and Action dozens of attendees raised their hands as they greeted the 7 Waters Canoe Family. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6013" data-id="6013" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3612-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-5991" data-id="5991" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3466-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6032" data-id="6032" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3492-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Photo from the May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6008" data-id="6008" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3589-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">The May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6047" data-id="6047" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Amber-Kay-Ball-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Amber Kay Ball, citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, makes a prayer as she tosses a rose atop the pile of flowers on the wool blanket at the front of the 7 Waters Canoe Family's canoe. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America) </figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6056" data-id="6056" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Placing-Flowers-in-Canoe-1-683x1024.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">A woman adds a rose to the growing pile of flowers on the wool blanket at the front of the 7 Waters Canoe Family's canoe, which were used as offerings for the "letting go" ceremony. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6033" data-id="6033" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3619-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Photo from the May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6005" data-id="6005" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3632-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Lukas Angus, who is Niimiipuu and Cayuse on his father’s side and Tlingit and Haida on his mother’s side, serves as the skipper for the 7 Waters Canoe Family. He posed for his portrait after the "letting go" ceremony on May 5, 2025. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6052" data-id="6052" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Red-Handprint-Pullers-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Youth pullers of 7 Waters Canoe Family painted red handprints over their mouths and wore red shirts under their lifejackets. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> <li class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide"> <figure><img alt="" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-6031" data-id="6031" src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MG_3604-1024x683.jpg" /><figcaption class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption">Photo from the May 5 MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. (Photos by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> </li> </ul> <p><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white" role="button"></a><a aria-label="Pause Slideshow" class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause" role="button"></a></p> <div class="wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white"></div> </div> </div> <p>Across the country, May 5 is a National Day of Awareness and Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and People (also referred to as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives or MMIR for short).&nbsp;</p> <p>American Indian and Alaska Native women are murdered at a rate of 10 times higher than the national average, and more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime, according to the <a href="https://www.niwrc.org/mmiwr-awareness">National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center</a>.</p> <p>Two Spirit and trans Indigenous relatives also face disproportionate rates of violence, which is part of the push to change the name to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives to acknowledge the reality that Indigenous people of all genders are impacted by the MMIR crisis, according to Polimana Joshevama, Hopi, research and evaluation mode lead for <a href="https://fgcpdx.org/about/">Future Generations Collaborative</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Prayer-Circle-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6051" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">On May 5, crowds gathered at the Oregon Convention Center Plaza for the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee. Attendees held signs of missing loved ones, like Jermain Charlo, also known as Jermain “Liz” Morigeau, who was last seen in Missoula, Montana on June 16, 2018. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> <p>MMIR Day of Awareness and Action is a day to raise awareness, demand justice, take action and create space for healing.</p> <p>“I think that the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action that we're having today has two parts to it. I think there's the external, bringing awareness,” Joshevama said, mentioning the importance of wearing red and holding signs out in public.&nbsp;</p> <p>“[And secondly] just a space to be able to come together and hold space for those memories and the thoughts and the prayers that we have for all those people,” she added.</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Together in ceremony</strong></h3> <p>Creating a space for both education and healing during a particularly intense day, organizers of the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action grounded the occasion with opportunities for ceremony.</p> <p>After a free lunch provided by <a href="https://www.sistersfrybread.com/">Sisters Fry Bread</a>, Shalaya Williams, Cayuse from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, asked those gathered to come together in a circle.&nbsp;</p> <figure class="wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Shalaya-Williams-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6037" style="width:400px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shalaya Williams, Cayuse from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, opened up the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action event on May 5 with a prayer before leading the group of dozens of attendees with breathing exercises to help ground them for the day ahead. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> <p>Williams led more than 50 people in a breathing exercise, acknowledging that MMIR Day of Awareness brings up trauma for many people. Williams talked about how their grandmother taught them how to release that stored, intergenerational trauma and called on those in need of healing to step forward.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Whoever has a heavy heart today, who needs extra prayer, come join me in the middle,” Williams said.&nbsp;</p> <p>People stepped forward to form a smaller circle in the center around an abalone shell filled with burning sage. The smaller group held hands while Williams offered a song and prayer, encouraging those in the larger circle to do the same.</p> <p>Later in the day, community members marched to the Willamette River to take part in another ceremony, joined from the water by the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/7waterscanoefamily/?hl=en">7 Waters Canoe Family</a> at the Duckworth Memorial Dock.</p> <p>Around 50 people walked the three quarters of a mile to the dock, including women pushing strollers and elders pushing walkers. People raised their signs high in the air with phrases such as “No more stolen sisters,” “Gone missing but still in our hearts,” and “Search the landfills.” Cars honked their horns in support all along the way.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/March-to-Water-front-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6045" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dozens of people wearing red shirts, ribbon skirts and red handprints painted over their mouths walked the three quarters of a mile to the Willamette River at Duckworth Memorial Dock, where they took part in a ceremony, joined from the water by the 7 Waters Canoe Family. People held signs with phrases like “Stand for those who can’t,” “We are their voices,” “Honor their spirit” and more. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)&nbsp;</figcaption></figure> <p>Angela Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, spent the walk to the river reflecting on her sister, Tina Spino, who went missing two years ago.</p> <p>“My daughter has never been the same since,” Polk said.</p> <p>Two weeks after Tina went missing, she was found dismembered, Polk said. She has lost other loved ones as well to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, including her nephew Casey Lillie.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Angela-Polk-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6040" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Angela Polk, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and a Yakama Nation descendent, spent the walk to the river reflecting on her sister, Tina Spino, who was reported missing in the summer of 2020. Spino was 58 years old at the time of her disappearance. Her remains were discovered in 2021 in a remote location on the Warm Springs Reservation. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> <p>“The importance for me is to release the pain we carry,” Polk said, reflecting on MMIR Day of Awareness and Action. “I pray for the children and I pray for my family.”</p> <p>Once at the river, those standing at the dock welcomed the 7 Waters Canoe Family with war whoops.</p> <p>“We’re happy to be here, happy to pull our canoe in prayer,” said skipper Lukas Angus, Niimiipuu and Cayuse on his father’s side and Tlingit and Haida on his mother’s side. “When we paddle, we're praying. We’re offering our strength. We hope that you can pray with us.”</p> <figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lukas-Angus-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6055" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lukas Angus, skipper for the 7 Waters Canoe Family, guided the canoe full of Indigenous youth from the middle of the Willamette River to Duckworth Memorial Dock. Angus, who is Niimiipuu and Cayuse on his father’s side and Tlingit and Haida on his mother’s side, emphasized the importance of prayer while pulling the canoe, especially for the “letting go” ceremony. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> <p>Event organizers handed out flowers to those gathered on the docks, to take part in a “letting go” ceremony. One by one, community members were invited to step forward and add their flower to a growing pile on a wool blanket at the front of the canoe, sending with it a prayer of something that they need to let go of.&nbsp;</p> <p>After everyone stepped forward, the 7 Waters Canoe Family pulled back out into the center of the river. The two paddlers in front gently threw the flowers into the river, one by one.&nbsp;</p> <p>Silence fell over the dock, as people watched the canoe family release their prayers into the river through the flowers. Out of the silence, a man’s voice rose, sharing a song.&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Gaps in data</strong></h3> <p>When it comes to the actual numbers of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives across the country, and specifically in Portland, it is hard to know the true reach of the crisis, according to Joshevama.</p> <p>“We know there are so many gaps in data,” she said. “There is no official data for the City of Portland.”</p> <p>One of the reasons there is such a gap in data has to do with racial classification, as Indigenous people are often misclassified, according to Joshevama.&nbsp;</p> <p>Acknowledging the gaps in data, Joshevama is working with Future Generations Collaborative on creating a database to track MMIR cases in the Portland Metro area. The hope is to engage with the community and officially launch the database in 2027.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Red-Handprint-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6046" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashleigh Coon, Diné,&nbsp; Early Childhood Program Co-Director for Future Generations Collaborative, waits patiently while another attendee paints a red handprint over her mouth, which visually symbolizes the silencing of missing and murdered women, as well as the lack of law enforcement and media attention to the epidemic. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> <p>In Oregon, secrecy and data issues seem to be impeding progress on MMIR cases, as Noeledrich <a href="https://noeledrich.com/justice/secrecy-and-data-issues-impede-progress-on-missing-and-murdered-indigenous-people/">reported</a> in August 2024.&nbsp;</p> <p>Family members and grassroots groups are leading the way when it comes to advocating for and searching for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, such as the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1666249690878841/">MMIW Search and Hope Alliance</a> based in Oregon.</p> <p>The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center created a <a href="https://www.niwrc.org/sites/default/files/files/reports/mmiw_when-a-loved-one-goes-missing_guide_2024.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR7lQHukeTynaUvgMBMkfQDtO5qd3Cwu6P47eIDsNGwwgdmg9kgeS92AuI2Kbg_aem_lGaidVOOGvqB5ZcxDYu73g">guide</a> as part of its MMIR toolkit for what to do in the first 72 hours after a loved one goes missing. Some state legislators in Oregon are calling for further action to improve the state response to the MMIR crisis.&nbsp;</p> <p>This legislative session, state Reps. Tawna Sanchez, Shoshone-Bannock, Ute and Carrizo, and Annessa Hartman, Haudenosaunee, championed <a href="https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB3198">House Bill 3198</a>. If passed, the bill would allocate staff within the Oregon Health Authority to lead prevention efforts, provide victim services and collect statewide data on MMIR cases.&nbsp;</p> <p>“For years, we’ve heard from families and community members who’ve done this work alone because state systems weren’t built to support them,” Sanchez said in a press release about the bill. “This bill is a response to that call. It invests in the prevention, coordination, and healing our communities have asked for.”</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Group-Shot-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6036" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dozens of Indigenous community members and allies gathered at the Oregon Convention Center Plaza in Portland for the MMIR Day of Awareness and Action hosted by the Portland MMIR Committee on Monday May 5, 2025. (Photo by Jarrette Werk, Noeledrich / Report for America)</figcaption></figure> <p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://noeledrich.com/justice/release-the-pain-we-carry-scenes-from-mmir-day-of-awareness-and-action/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://noeledrich.com&quot;&gt;Noeledrich&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/noeledrich.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cropped-siteicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;&lt;img id=&quot;republication-tracker-tool-source&quot; src=&quot;https://noeledrich.com/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=5985&quot; style=&quot;width:1px;height:1px;&quot;&gt;&lt;script&gt; PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: &quot;https://noeledrich.com/justice/release-the-pain-we-carry-scenes-from-mmir-day-of-awareness-and-action/&quot;, urlref: window.location.href }); } } &lt;/script&gt; &lt;script id=&quot;parsely-cfg&quot; src=&quot;//cdn.parsely.com/keys/noeledrich.com/p.js&quot;&gt;&lt;/script&gt;</p> Copy to Clipboard

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