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Dozens of tribal leaders and state legislators gathered on the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento this morning to demand justice and legislative action to address California’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis as a part of the second annual MMIP Day of Action. 

Yurok Chairman Joe James and Vice Chair Frankie Myers were among today’s speakers, along with Wilmut Rancheria Chairman Jesus Tarango, Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Assemblymember Jim Wood, Assemblymember James Ramos, Yurok Tribal Police Chief Greg O’Rourke, Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal, and family members of MMIP victims and survivors.

Yurok Chairman Joe James | Screenshot

“MMIP is nothing new to indigenous people,” James said. “It’s been going on for decades – all the way back to boarding schools, and then some. … We’re here today for a call of action with our brothers and sisters … because it’s going to take a family to move the needle. It’s going to take all of us here in attendance, all of us watching. We have made great strides but we still [have] a lot of work to do. We have a responsibility as people to keep providing change and move the needle for indigenous people.”

California has the fifth highest number of MMIP cases in the United States, the vast majority of which involve young women and girls. In recent years, tribal leaders have pushed for legislation to reduce risks to indigenous children through bills such as AB 273, introduced by Ramos, which was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year.

“We have tribal leaders, tribal members and advocates speaking out on the MMIP crisis … and now we call on the state of California to follow suit and declare a state of emergency,” Ramos said. “When you’re number five of all states in the nation … there has to be a cry for action, a cry for help and a cry to start to set the boundaries to make sure that these things are being taken from the highest level down. … Today is about reaching out to legislators to increase their awareness about this issue and about proposed legislation that builds upon previous success.”

McGuire called for state legislators to “invest in native communities in every corner of the Golden State,” through education, housing, economic development and greater access to health care. 

“We’re going to keep pushing forward to get these [MMIP] cases solved [to] ensure that no one is forgotten,” he added.