Podcasts about annita lucchesi

What's really standing in the way of good science—and what does it mean for hunters? Join hosts Annita Lucchesi and Paige McMahon as they sit down with bat biologist and Artemis ambassador alum Dr. Dana Green for a candid conversation about the unseen pressures facing conservation researchers today. From fieldwork to policy battles, this episode serves as a powerful call to action for sportswomen to advocate for the protection of public lands and the scientific research essential for their future, offering a message of solidarity for women navigating careers in science. As sportswomen, we don't fit into any box or stereotype but enjoy being our full, authentic selves. There is no one definition of a sportswoman – Artemis celebrates the million ways to be one, and uplifts sportswomen as unique leaders of the sporting world and conservation. We are a nationwide community reflecting the diversity, leadership, expertise, and sisterhood of women hunters and anglers. Artemis sportswomen encourage one another in their growth and success as hunters and anglers, and role model women's leadership in caring for the lands and waters we harvest from and know so well. Join us in our work to elevate sportswomen as sporting and conservation leaders today! Learn more: https://artemis.nwf.org/ Dana's website: https://www.danagreeneco.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Trica as she chats with Annita Lucchesi, Program Manager for Artemis,  the National Wildlife Federation's outdoor women's program. You'll hear all about resources, opportunities, access, and support for women in the outdoors. You'll also learn about "Storytelling for a Purpose" and "Grumpy Grandpas!" So tune in! Find out more about Artemis: https://artemis.nwf.org/ Connect with Annita: LucchesiA@nwf.org Connect with Artemis on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtemisSportswomen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artemis_sportswomen YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@artemissportswomen      

Bringing attention to the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, Dr. Annita Lucchesi sheds light on the populations at risk, how trafficking happens, and what we can do to help. Her personal journey mirrors the geographies of her community's struggles, resulting in her interest in mapping. Today, she researches Indigenous cartography, land-based violence, and earth sciences, merging her passion for geography with her Cheyenne roots.  Dr. Annita Lucchesi is a Cheyenne researcher, geographer, and community advocate. She lives on her ancestral homelands in southeast Montana, a few miles off of the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Anita is a survivor-leader with lived experience of trafficking, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and police violence. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, a non-profit research center and service provider addressing violence against Indigenous peoples. Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Evan Mader Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang  

The Artemis Podcast is back! We're so excited to share stories with you and explore the millions of ways to be a sportswoman. Join Artemis Coordinator Paige McMahon and Artemis Ambassador Megan Plete Postol as they speak with our new program manager, Annita Lucchesi! Artemis, the sportswomen's initiative at the National Wildlife Federation, recently welcomed Annita Lucchesi as its new program manager. Lucchesi has over a decade of experience advocating for policy at the Tribal, state, and federal levels. Most recently, she served as the founder and executive director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, a community-based research institute focused on gender and sexual violence against Indigenous people. “It's an honor to serve in this role, especially as a Cheyenne woman. I am fortunate to come from a family and community full of strong advocates for land, water, and wildlife, and I believe hunters and anglers have an important role to play in safeguarding our wildlife and landscapes for the next generation,” Lucchesi said. “My people place a high value on women's leadership and a close connection to the land, and I am thrilled to honor those teachings by bringing my passion and experience to help Artemis sportswomen become some of the strongest conservation leaders in the nation.” Lucchesi holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Arizona and has nearly two decades of experience as a cartographer. She travels between her Tribal community in southeast Montana and rural northern California, where she grew up and maintains close community ties. She is an avid outdoorswoman who fishes, hikes, and harvests from the land as a way to maintain her cultural traditions as an Indigenous woman. As sportswomen, we don't fit into any box or stereotype—we embrace being our full, authentic selves. There is no single definition of a sportswoman. Artemis celebrates the million ways to be one and uplifts sportswomen as unique leaders in both the sporting world and conservation. We are a nationwide community reflecting the diversity, leadership, expertise, and sisterhood of women hunters and anglers. Artemis sportswomen encourage one another in their growth and success, modeling women's leadership in caring for the lands and waters we harvest from and know so well. Join us in elevating sportswomen as leaders in both sporting and conservation! Learn more: https://artemis.nwf.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the tapestry of your life was woven through constant change and cultural encounters? Join us for an insightful conversation with writer and poet Robert Lunday, who shares his journey of growing up as a military dependent and his impending move from Houston to the serene landscapes of Kyushu, Japan. Robert opens up about how his early experiences of frequent relocations fostered a deep curiosity and understanding of diverse cultures—skills that will surely aid him as he embraces a new beginning in Japan.Together, we navigate the sensitive subject of global disappearances, focusing on countries like Mexico, Japan, and the United States and the disappearance in 1982 of Robert's stepfather. Our discussion highlights the courage of grassroots efforts, often led by families, to find missing loved ones when official avenues fall short. From poignant artistic memorials by a Mexican shoemaker to the haunting tales of Indigenous communities, these stories underline the power of collective action and the profound impact of “missingness” on identity and community.As Robert prepares for his new, expat life in Japan, the conversation shifts to themes of cultural integration and adaptation. We explore the intriguing opportunities presented by Japan's abandoned homes and the unique challenges faced by expatriates in preserving these relics of rural history. Through the story of Robert's wife, Yukiko, and her equestrian pursuits, Robert reflects on the blend of tradition and innovation that defines life in rural Japan. Whether discussing societal norms or language barriers, Robert's insights promise to enrich your understanding of what it means to truly belong in a new place.Robert Lunday: https://robertlunday.com/Disequilibria: Meditations on Missingness by Robert LundayUniversity of New Mexico Press, 2023You can order Robert's latest book directly from his website: https://robertlunday.com/books/Chapters(00:03) Moving Along With Robert LundayRobert Lunday's childhood as a military dependent shaped his worldview, finding solace in libraries and adapting to new environments.(15:19) Studying Global Disappearances and ResponsesExploring disappearances in Mexico, Canada, Japan and the U.S., including law enforcement's role, grassroots efforts and the impact on Indigenous and Black communities.(22:07) Global Disappearances and Collective ActionIndigenous experiences, personal journeys, and collective support in navigating the complexities of missing loved ones.(27:46) Navigating Missing Persons Cases and SupportSocial media's impact on missing persons, personal experiences, verification, global research, and ambiguous loss.(42:19) Cultural Integration and New BeginningsAdapting to new environments, diversity in Houston classrooms, challenges of immigration, and the role of writing in processing experiences.(48:07) Exploring Japanese Culture and LanguageExploring Japanese culture and language, adapting as a foreigner, and considering societal norms and demographics with Robert's Japanese wife, Yukiko.(55:43) Japanese Abandoned Homes and Expatriate LifeAbandoned homes in rural Japan are being purchased by non-Japanese for vacation purposes, while cultural practices like horse sashimi and waste disposal are also discussed. CREDITSHost and creator: Christi CassidyContact: christi@movingalongpodcast.comArtwork by Phyllis BusellMusic by Eve's Blue. Show notes written with assistance from https://podium.page. LINKS:More information and to listen to past episodes: https://movingalongpodcast.comPast episodes are here too: https://moving-along.simplecast.com/Tag and like Moving Along episodes on Facebook and Instagram!

TW: rape, murder, police brutality   Stoners, we're throwing it way back to our second episode ever! The first half consists of regularly scheduled programming from High Design to Dear MTs, Baked Goods, and Munchie Moments. Plus, MT and Brandi take us behind the scenes of Cyrus vs. Cyrus. For the second half of the episode, your hosts welcome Annita Hetoevėhotohke'e Lucchesi, a Cheyenne survivor of domestic and sexual violence and the founder of the Sovereign Bodies Institute for research on missing and murdered Indigenous women. This episode was originally filmed around the time of George Floyd's murder, and Annita shares how the Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name movements intersect with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement. It is important to use this platform to give others a voice, and we hope you find Annita's story as impactful as we did.   Be sure to follow the Sovereign Bodies Institute @sovereignbodies  Thanks to our awesome sponsors for supporting this episode:      HomeChef: For a limited time, HomeChef is offering our listeners 18 Free Meals PLUS Free Dessert for Life and of course, Free Shipping on your first box! Go to HomeChef.com/STONED. Must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert.    Integra: Use code SWS at checkout for 15% off your next online purchase at www.integraboost.com      Fungies: Get 20% off with code STONED at eatfungies.com  Don't forget to rate, review, and follow the show! Keep up with us between episodes on our Instagram pages, @tishcyruspurcell, @brandicyrus and @sorrywerestoned and be sure to leave us a voicemail at 1-516-7-STONER or email videos/photos with your questions to sorrywerestoned1@gmail.com!     This podcast is brought to you by Podcast Nation  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the Second Episode in our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn Series. This podcast is focused on data and what Indigenous activists are doing to help humanize MMIW data. At the end of the day, data is a collection of stories. Stories about individuals, events, and places. Providing a window into the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. When it comes to data gathering, a difference exists between the Indigenous and the Western approach. The approaches can have a vast effect on bringing relatives home. On the episode, we'll hear from people working to decolonize data. As well as how activists are using Tik Tok to create awareness about the crisis and avoid being censored. Stories determine what percentage of cases are solved by authorities. Or in most cases, not solved. Missing person searches and murder investigations often depend on how well they are tracked and logged by various authority groups. Since 2016 there have been 5,712 reported Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases. Out of those, only a tiny number — 116 have been opened by the U.S. Department of Justice for investigation. Even when reports are filed, racism still plays a factor in the cases pursued by the authorities.  On the show you will hear from Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Crotty. Delegate Crotty spoke about decolonizing data and how the MMIW crisis is affecting the largest reservation in the US. Annita Lucchesi who is the Founder and Director of Research and Outreach at Sovereign Bodies Institute shared how she put together the first MMIW database in the US. Meghan Leinhauser spoke about Instagram, Tik Tok, and Censorship. Meghan is an ally who recently published an honors thesis at the University of Dayton. It's titled “TikTok and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People Movement.” Liz Marin who is the Program Director of Seeding Sovereignty spoke about how Instagram censored her posts on May 5, 2021 which is the National Day of Awareness of MMIW. Dr. Charlene Aqpik Apok joined the discussion from Alaska to talk about her work decolonizing data as the Executive Director and Founder of Data for Indigenous Justice. An Alaskan Native and Womxn led non-profit which is home to a database for missing and murdered Indigenous womxn, girls and relatives data. Many thanks to everyone for amplifying awareness around the MMIW crisis and indigenous data gathering. The stories are powerful and I am so grateful to Melissa Spence who was the Producer and Editor on the series. It would not exist without her care and meticulous attention to detail. Thank you to Patrick for setting up the interview with Amber Crotty. Please listen, please share, and please care.

This is the Second Episode in our Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womxn Series. This podcast is focused on data and what Indigenous activists are doing to help humanize MMIW data. At the end of the day, data is a collection of stories. Stories about individuals, events, and places. Providing a window into the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. When it comes to data gathering, a difference exists between the Indigenous and the Western approach. The approaches can have a vast effect on bringing relatives home. On the episode, we'll hear from people working to decolonize data. As well as how activists are using Tik Tok to create awareness about the crisis and avoid being censored. Stories determine what percentage of cases are solved by authorities. Or in most cases, not solved. Missing person searches and murder investigations often depend on how well they are tracked and logged by various authority groups. Since 2016 there have been 5,712 reported Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases. Out of those, only a tiny number — 116 have been opened by the U.S. Department of Justice for investigation. Even when reports are filed, racism still plays a factor in the cases pursued by the authorities.  On the show you will hear from Navajo Nation Council Delegate Amber Crotty. Delegate Crotty spoke about decolonizing data and how the MMIW crisis is affecting the largest reservation in the US. Annita Lucchesi who is the Founder and Director of Research and Outreach at Sovereign Bodies Institute shared how she put together the first MMIW database in the US. Meghan Leinhauser spoke about Instagram, Tik Tok, and Censorship. Meghan is an ally who recently published an honors thesis at the University of Dayton. It's titled “TikTok and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People Movement.” Liz Marin who is the Program Director of Seeding Sovereignty spoke about how Instagram censored her posts on May 5, 2021 which is the National Day of Awareness of MMIW. Dr. Charlene Aqpik Apok joined the discussion from Alaska to talk about her work decolonizing data as the Executive Director and Founder of Data for Indigenous Justice. An Alaskan Native and Womxn led non-profit which is home to a database for missing and murdered Indigenous womxn, girls and relatives data. Many thanks to everyone for amplifying awareness around the MMIW crisis and indigenous data gathering. The stories are powerful and I am so grateful to Melissa Spence who was the Producer and Editor on the series. It would not exist without her care and meticulous attention to detail. Thank you to Patrick for setting up the interview with Amber Crotty. Please listen, please share, and please care. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/DreamNation/support

Original Air Date 11/27/2018 Today we take a look at the literal and figurative bloody messes of the history of Thanksgiving and the identities of native peoples. This episode is the second in an ongoing series focusing on Native Peoples in North America. Other episodes include #1216 on Christopher Columbus, #1252 on Westward Expansion, #1265 on native peoples adapting to the modern world, and #1283 on (mis)representation of native peoples in popular culture. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Code Switch Thanksgiving Feast - Code Switch - Air Date 11-21-17 Exploring the conflicting narratives of American Thanksgiving. Ch. 2: Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz on Thanksgiving: "It Has Never Been About Honoring Native Americans" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 11-29-16 We speak with indigenous historian and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. She is the author of "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States" and co-author of "All the Real Indians Died Off: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans." Ch. 3: The stolen sisters Part 1 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 4: Indigenous DNA - Science for the People - Air Date 1-5-17 Kim TallBear, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples Technoscience, on her book "Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science." Ch. 5: The stolen sisters Part 2 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 6: It's not just about the blood - Code Switch - Air Date 2-6-18 If you're Native American, who or what gets to define your identity? We dive into an old system intended to measure the amount of "Indian blood" a person has. Ch. 7: Native Americans React to Elizabeth Warren's DNA Test: Stop Making Native People "Political Fodder" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 10-18-18 Native Americans across the country are criticizing Senator Elizabeth Warren's decision to use a DNA test to assert her Native American heritage. We host a roundtable discussion of Native American activists and journalists to respond. Ch. 8: Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the trivializing of native people - @Intercepted w @JeremyScahill - Air Date 10-23-18 Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the ongoing attacks on native people, voter disenfranchisement, the Red Power movement and the latest on the fight against major oil and gas pipelines.   VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: The dangers of over-secrecy - Abdul from DC   Ch. 10: Final comments on #StandWithMashpee   TAKE ACTION! Tell your members of Congress to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (H.R. 5244 / S. 2628) Learn more and find out how to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe  Share the tribe's video on social media Amplify the #StandwithMashpee hashtag EDUCATE YOURSELF The true story of the first Thanksgiving and what it meant (Opinion | Boston Globe) Mashpee Wampanoag Confront 'Loss Of Self-Governance' After Interior Department Reversal (WBUR, Here & Now) This Thanksgiving, The Trump Administration Is Taking Land From The Tribe That Welcomed The Pilgrims (Huffington Post) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  

Lena shares space with Annita Lucchesi, the Executive Director of Sovereign Bodies Institute. She is a descendant of the Cheyenne people, she is pursuing her PhD at University of Arizona, as well as, a survivor of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and trafficking. Grab your favorite cup of coffee or tea and hear how she ended up finding her life's work from her personal experiences. 

April 2021: Annita Lucchesi, founding Executive Director of the Sovereign Bodies Institute, who started the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement. This dialogue is being presented by two women with Indigenous heritage! The guest host for this special edition of International Voices, is Michelle Guzman, the Director of American Indian Student Services at the University of Montana.

In this episode, Annita Lucchesi of Sovereign Bodies Institute describes building the first-ever database devoted to missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people (MMIWG2), the far-reaching, community-based work of SBI, their recent study in Northern California, and much more. SBI’s work can be further explored and supported here. To read SBI’s Year One Report on Northern California, follow this link. Interview by Laurah Norton; Engineered by Maura Currie NuCalm: Go to FALLNUCALM.COM and get 50% off your 30-day subscription of NuCalm and their money-back guarantee Join The Fall Line on Patreon and help us fund projects! Merch can purchased here  Monthly donations are currently going to Black and Missing Foundation--please consider supporting their work!   2021 All Rights Reserved The Fall Line Podcast, LLC   Want to advertise/sponsor our show? We have partnered with AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. They’re great to work with and will help you advertise on our show. Please email sales@advertisecast.com or click the link below to get started. https://www.advertisecast.com/TheFallLine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Air Date: 11–27-2018 Today we take a look at the literal and figurative bloody messes of the history of Thanksgiving and the identities of native peoples Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991 SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Code Switch Thanksgiving Feast - Code Switch - Air Date 11-21-17 Exploring the conflicting narratives of American Thanksgiving. Ch. 2: Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz on Thanksgiving: "It Has Never Been About Honoring Native Americans" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 11-29-16 We speak with indigenous historian and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. She is the author of "An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States" and co-author of "All the Real Indians Died Off: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans." Ch. 3: The stolen sisters Part 1 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 4: Indigenous DNA - Science for the People - Air Date 1-5-17 Kim TallBear, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples Technoscience, on her book "Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science." Ch. 5: The stolen sisters Part 2 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 6: It's not just about the blood - Code Switch - Air Date 2-6-18 If you're Native American, who or what gets to define your identity? We dive into an old system intended to measure the amount of "Indian blood" a person has. Ch. 7: Native Americans React to Elizabeth Warren's DNA Test: Stop Making Native People "Political Fodder" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 10-18-18 Native Americans across the country are criticizing Senator Elizabeth Warren’s decision to use a DNA test to assert her Native American heritage. We host a roundtable discussion of Native American activists and journalists to respond. Ch. 8: Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the trivializing of native people - @Intercepted w @JeremyScahill - Air Date 10-23-18 Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the ongoing attacks on native people, voter disenfranchisement, the Red Power movement and the latest on the fight against major oil and gas pipelines.   VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: The dangers of over-secrecy - Abdul from DC Ch. 10: Final comments on #StandWithMashpee   TAKE ACTION! Tell your members of Congress to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (H.R. 5244 / S. 2628) Learn more and find out how to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe  Share the tribe’s video on social media Amplify the #StandwithMashpee hashtag EDUCATE YOURSELF The true story of the first Thanksgiving and what it meant (Opinion | Boston Globe) Mashpee Wampanoag Confront 'Loss Of Self-Governance' After Interior Department Reversal (WBUR, Here & Now) This Thanksgiving, The Trump Administration Is Taking Land From The Tribe That Welcomed The Pilgrims (Huffington Post) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  On Early Light - Cholate Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Astrisx - Bodytonic Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard Cases to Rest - Bodytonic Nuthatch - Feathers The Cast and Favor - Bayou Birds Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

This story was produced in collaboration with Al Jazeera’s Fault Lines and was supported by a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network.Tina Russell drives along one of the main roads in Kent, Washington, about a half hour south of Seattle. She’s taking me to the place where her niece, Alyssa McLemore, used to live. We speed down a street neatly lined with suburban-style homes when we make a right turn.She points to a peach house with Christmas lights hanging in the window.It's not far from where Alyssa McLemore was last seen before she went missing — a busy intersection with an entrance to state Route 167 and Interstate Highway 5 — which connects California, Oregon and Washington. It’s here that a witness saw Alyssa McLemore talking to a man in a green truck with out-of-state plates.Related: Vancouver Whitecaps accused of mishandling abuse allegations against former coachIt’s been 10 years since 21-year-old Alyssa McLemore disappeared, but Russell hasn’t given up trying to find her. She keeps flyers with Alyssa McLemore’s picture tucked in a backseat pocket of her SUV, so she can hand them out at events, fairs or wherever lots of people gather. She never stops hoping someone might have seen her.“My family needs to heal,” Russell said, wiping away tears.“Somebody knows something, and we just need them to come forward. It can be email. It can be, you know, anonymously, or whatever. Just come forward. It's 10 years; our family is still suffering.”Tina Russell“Somebody knows something, and we just need them to come forward. It can be email. It can be, you know, anonymously, or whatever. Just come forward. It's 10 years; our family is still suffering.” Tina Russell's niece, Alyssa McLemore, disappeared 10 years ago. She was 21 at the time.   Credit: Fault Lines/Al Jazeera English Alyssa McLemore, a member of the Aleut tribe, is one of the thousands of Native American women nationwide who have gone missing or been murdered over the past few decades. It’s difficult to know the exact number, but the rate of violence against Native women is disproportionately high in the US and Canada. Advocates and activists in the Native community have been raising awareness, saying cases aren’t taken seriously and families continue to suffer because of racism and years of being ignored by law enforcement who should investigate these crimes. Alyssa McLemore, a member of the Aleut tribe, is one of thousands of Native American women nationwide who have gone missing or been murdered over the past few decades.  Credit: Fault Lines/Al Jazeera English A few days before Alyssa McLemore disappeared, her grandmother, Barbara McLemore, called her to come home — Alyssa McLemore’s mother, Gracie McLemore, was dying.“In all the years her mom was sick, she might go away for like, a few hours,” said a soft-spoken Barbara McLemore from Russell’s living room. “But, she was always there. … She wouldn’t just go somewhere and not show up. She might be late, but she’d be there.”Related: A UN resolution condemning sexual violence against women should've been uncontroversialAlyssa McLemore never came home. Her mother died three days later.It was a chaotic time, and the family isn’t clear on when a missing person’s report was filed. Russell says she contacted the police. But Alyssa McLemore was 21, an adult, and the local Kent police department said they couldn’t do anything for 24 hours. But when a 911 call came that week from Alyssa McLemore's phone pleading for help, police say, they opened an investigation. So far, Russell says, it’s yielded few clues and little action.Anytime she hears about a death on the news, she gets a sick feeling.“Every single time there's a body found on the news, there's a pause. It's literally like you're dead for a moment because you have to wonder, ‘Is it Alyssa?’ I think I've called the coroner more than anybody should in a lifetime.”Tina Russell“Every single time there's a body found on the news, there's a pause. It's literally like you're dead for a moment because you have to wonder, ‘Is it Alyssa?’ I think I've called the coroner more than anybody should in a lifetime.”Over the border in British Columbia, Lorelei Williams’ family has a similar story. Lorelei Williams is a member of the Skatin Nation on her mom’s side and Sts’ailes on her dad’s. She’s part of a dance group called Butterflies in Spirit, which performs to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women. She also works for the Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Center, where she is the women’s coordinator.Related: This Canadian TV show wants to address racism. Some Indigenous people say it's doing more harm than good.Lorelei Williams’ family in Vancouver is still looking for her aunt, Belinda Williams, who is from the Skatin Nation. She went missing 41 years ago — two years before Lorelei Williams was born. Lorelei Williams says authorities didn’t open a missing person’s report until 2004. She’s not sure why, but a Vancouver newspaper says it coincided with the arrest of a notorious serial killer, Robert Pinkton. Lorelei Williams says the fact that authorities ignored her aunt’s case for years reflects racism within all areas of law enforcement.“It's all these systems … that are against Indigenous women and girls, and that's why predators know that they can target us,” she said.Lorelei Williams had a cousin, Tanya Holyk, also from the Skatin Nation, who disappeared in 1996. The family later learned that she was murdered by Pickton. Her DNA was found on his farm. Lorelei Williams says at first, Vancouver police didn’t take Holyk’s disappearance seriously, either. One officer was especially dismissive.Related: Can First Nations Court stop Indigenous women from ending up in prison?“She said horrible things. She said stuff like, ‘She's just a drug addict; she's just partying in Mexico probably. Nobody cares about her,’ and she actually told my aunt to go try to figure things out and then come back and report her [missing] again,” said Lorelei Williams.Which meant no one was looking for her in the critical first days she went missing.Provincial authorities later acknowledged failures in the Pickton investigation. And they launched an inquiry to determine what went wrong.That’s not the only inquiry Canada has undergone. In 2016, Canada launched what’s known as the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, interviewing more than 2,000 families. But many, like Lorelei Williams, are skeptical that much will come of it.The inquiry’s mandate is to look into what’s behind Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit (or LGBTQ) people going missing. One of the goals is to create a way to collect data on how many Indigenous women are going missing or being murdered. Currently, data collection neglects cultural or racial identity and gender diversity.Lorelei Williams and others cite some of the same problems Indigenous communities in the US face — especially a lack of trust in law enforcement. Families say they were given the impression that their loved ones who were murdered or have gone missing were disposable. That’s certainly how Lorelei Williams feels: “And it really is so heartbreaking that, you know, this is our country. These are our lands, and our women are going missing and being murdered at a high rate and our own mountains are not our own territories like across the board in Canada and in the states.”“And it really is so heartbreaking that, you know, this is our country. These are our lands, and our women are going missing and being murdered at a high rate and our own mountains are not our own territories like across the board in Canada and in the states.”Lorelei Williams It’s not just lack of attention. Another issue in solving these cases is the lack of hard data.Government agencies don’t have comprehensive data on how many people in the US are missing.“We can’t solve [what] we don’t check. We can’t prevent violence that we don’t bother to pay attention to,” said Annita Lucchesi, who is Cheyenne.Lucchesi says it seemed like no one was keeping track of these missing and murdered women. So, she figured she would. Lucchesi spoke from Berkeley, California, at the launch of the Sovereign Bodies Institute, which gathers data on gender and sexual violence against Indigenous people. She’s the executive director. She says the more she looked at what records were available, the more she realized how incomplete they were. Especially when it came to race. Annita Lucchesi leads the Sovereign Bodies Institute, which gathers data on gender and sexual violence against Indigenous people.  Credit: Fault Lines/Al Jazeera English  “I couldn’t afford Wi-Fi. So, I was working out of coffee shops,” Lucchesi said.“And I was sitting at a Panera, and I really thought someone had created this list. So, we assume, ‘Surely someone is doing something about it.’ [But] what I assumed was there wasn’t [there]. And I was so frustrated.”Her work at Sovereign Bodies began as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women database. The more she looked at what records were available on missing Indigenous women, the more she realized how incomplete they were.“Many law enforcement agencies still don't track race at all or don't include a signifier for Native American with any options,” she said. “They’ll just do like white, black, Hispanic, Asian and then many of the cases that do get logged into systems are misclassified because the officer looked at someone and assumed or didn't enter the information in and the system defaults to white.”The database now includes more than 5,000 names — a few going back to the early 20th century, though most are from the past 20 years.Lucchesi says she filed numerous records requests with law enforcement agencies across the United States. She also keeps track of missing women in Canada. The database now includes more than 5,000 names — a few going back to the early 20th century, though most are from the past 20 years. She says that number is an undercount.Lucchesi says the database is a keeper of names. But it’s also data about Native women and girls collected by Native women and girls. And that in itself is powerful. She calls it “data sovereignty.”She says she grew tired of hearing people say they didn’t know how to fix these problems. Lilian Howard, Mowachaht First Nations, part of Nuuchah-nulth Tribal Council; Harriet Prince, Ojibway, Sagkeeng First Nation; and Lorelei Williams, Skatin and Sts'ailes First Nations advocate, perform as part of Butterflies in Spirit in Vancouver, British Columbia. Credit: Allison Herrera/The World  “So, it becomes this excuse for people that just kind of throw their hands in the air and just say, ‘I don't know, I don't know,’” Lucchesi said.“But that's not good enough anymore. So, that's the work of the database; that's the work of Sovereign Bodies Institute is to say, ‘We're not going to throw our hands in the air anymore.’”Often when Native women go missing, she says, there is a lot of victim blaming. She says some Native women were labeled by police as sex workers putting themselves in harm’s way.“They didn't consent to live under colonial occupation; they didn't consent to have their nation and their community be displaced and experience all of this horrific violence.”Annita Lucchesi, executive director, Soverign Bodies Institute“They didn't consent to live under colonial occupation; they didn't consent to have their nation and their community be displaced and experience all of this horrific violence,” Lucchesi said.“So, the very way we think about these women and the choices they make is very victim blaming.”Lack of attention or lack of data is just one problem that prevents missing and murdered cases from being solved. In the United States, there’s also the issue of jurisdiction.When it comes to most violent crimes, tribes lack the authority to prosecute, with the exception of domestic violence.It’s federal agencies like the FBI that prosecute those crimes.And, that’s a problem, says Sarah Deer. She’s a citizen of the Mvscogee (Creek) Nation, a lawyer and an advocate for Native women who are survivors of sexual assault and domestic abuse.“I think that federal Indian law has really worked as a patchwork of different laws that kind of almost contradict each other at times, which makes everything very confusing for all involved. And so, sometimes when a crime is reported in Indian country, again depending on where you are, there is no action because everyone is in disagreement about who should be in charge. And so nobody acts at all,” Deer said.The problem goes back more than a century and has to do with the Major Crimes Act, which was passed in 1885 as part of the Indian Appropriations Act. It places certain crimes under federal jurisdiction if they are committed on a reservation.“So, if a Native woman goes missing from a reservation and there's any instinct that she's been kidnapped or assaulted or has been the victim of homicide, technically, if that happens within the territory of the tribal nation, the federal government would have that authority to come in and investigate them. And eventually, if possible, prosecute the offender. Historically, what tribal nations have all complained about is that even though the federal government has the authority, sometimes they don't respond at all.”And when they don’t respond, families end up waiting for years for answers.Meskee Yatsayte and her husband wanted to do something about the crisis of missing and murdered Navajo women and men. Yatsayte is a Navajo Nation citizen who volunteers for the Navajo Nation Missing Persons Updates. On the first Saturday of the month, she and her husband park their trucks on a main street in Gallup, New Mexico. Their trucks are plastered with banners that contain the faces of those who’ve gone missing or been murdered.They’re hoping someone happening by will recognize the faces pictured or drop a clue.Even though it’s a cold and windy day with rain clouds looming overhead, Yatsayte remains committed to giving justice to these families. She points to a few people on the banner. One of them is Leland Tso, a Navajo man and father of three. Yatsayte says Navajo men are also going missing and murdered. And she says their families deserve some peace.Tiara Shorty, who is also a Navajo Nation citizen and is Tso’s niece, says her family is heartbroken over his murder. “He was the glue that kept everyone together,” Shorty said. “He knew what was going on. What events were going on. He knew people's birthdays; he knew numbers by heart.” Leland Tso Credit: Courtesy of Leland Tso's family  Tso was last seen on July 4, 2016, in Wheatfields, Arizona, where Shorty’s family is from. Witnesses say he was getting into a white truck in Navajo, New Mexico, on his way back to Wheatfields. His body was found in a “wash,” a shallow creek, by a family having a picnic.When they first got the call that Tso’s body was found, Shorty says, her mom thought it was a joke and hung up on officer Ernest Yazzie, who is currently investigating the case. Tso’s body was found on the reservation, and so far, there have been few clues as to what happened. They’ve set up a hotline and offered a reward, but so far, few leads have materialized.Shorty knows the Navajo Nation police is short-staffed, but she is grateful for what has been done on her uncle’s case. She remains committed to getting justice for him.In the past few years, several states have passed legislation to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women. And Savanna’s Act, named for Savanna La Fontaine-Greywind, who was killed in North Dakota in 2017, has been reintroduced in Congress to set guidelines for law enforcement agencies investigating missing Indigenous women. In Canada, Lorelei Williams plans to travel to Ottawa next month to hear the conclusions of the National Inquiry. But she’s not sure how much comfort it will bring her family.“My family has been broken apart. It’s never been the same,” said Lorelei Williams.As for Russell, who still carries flyers with photos of her niece Alyssa McLemore, she says her family is frozen in time.“We don't know what happened so we can't begin to heal. Life goes on, but like I said, we’re just putting a Band-Aid over something that is really a stitcher's job. You know, until we find Alyssa and bring her home, it's going to cause generational trauma.”

Doctoral candidate, Annita Lucchesi joined Danielle Orr in studio for the KHSU Magazine to talk about her work locally and the Sovereign Bodies Institute. Lucchesi graduated with a BA in Geography from UC Berkeley in 2012 and received her MA in American Studies from Washington State University in 2016, bringing her to research interests in Indigenous and critical cartography, Indigenous feminisms, postcolonial geographies and Indigenous research methodologies. Annita maintains one of the largest databases of cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada and the United States. The data is used not only in her own work, but is also made available to tribal advocates, activists, policy makers, service providers and community leaders. You may explore the Seventh Generation Fund as well for continued education and information. For inquiries regarding the MMIWG Database , please email mmiwdatabase@gmail.com Articles Lucchesi, Annita. ""Indians Don't Make Maps":

Air Date: 11/27/2018 Today we take a look at the literal and figurative bloody messes of the history of Thanksgiving and the identities of native peoples Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Episode Sponsors: ActionHeat | ExpressVPN.com/Left| Madison-Reed.com+ Promo Code: Left Amazon USA| Amazon CA| Amazon UK| Clean Choice Energy Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show on Patreon!   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Code Switch Thanksgiving Feast - Code Switch - Air Date 11-21-17 Exploring the conflicting narratives of American Thanksgiving. Ch. 2: Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz on Thanksgiving: "It Has Never Been About Honoring Native Americans" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 11-29-16 We speak with indigenous historian and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. She is the author of "An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States" and co-author of "All the Real Indians Died Off: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans." Ch. 3: The stolen sisters Part 1 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 4: Indigenous DNA - Science for the People - Air Date 1-5-17 Kim TallBear, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples Technoscience, on her book "Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science." Ch. 5: The stolen sisters Part 2 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 6: It's not just about the blood - Code Switch - Air Date 2-6-18 If you're Native American, who or what gets to define your identity? We dive into an old system intended to measure the amount of "Indian blood" a person has. Ch. 7: Native Americans React to Elizabeth Warren's DNA Test: Stop Making Native People "Political Fodder" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 10-18-18 Native Americans across the country are criticizing Senator Elizabeth Warren’s decision to use a DNA test to assert her Native American heritage. We host a roundtable discussion of Native American activists and journalists to respond. Ch. 8: Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the trivializing of native people - @Intercepted w @JeremyScahill - Air Date 10-23-18 Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the ongoing attacks on native people, voter disenfranchisement, the Red Power movement and the latest on the fight against major oil and gas pipelines.   VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: The dangers of over-secrecy - Abdul from DC   Ch. 10: Final comments on #StandWithMashpee   TAKE ACTION! Tell your members of Congress to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (H.R. 5244/ S. 2628) Learn more and find out how to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe  Share the tribe’s videoon social media Amplify the #StandwithMashpeehashtag EDUCATE YOURSELF The true story of the first Thanksgiving and what it meant (Opinion | Boston Globe) Mashpee Wampanoag Confront 'Loss Of Self-Governance' After Interior Department Reversal (WBUR, Here & Now) This Thanksgiving, The Trump Administration Is Taking Land From The Tribe That Welcomed The Pilgrims (Huffington Post) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    MUSIC(Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  On Early Light - Cholate Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Astrisx - Bodytonic Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard Cases to Rest - Bodytonic Nuthatch - Feathers The Cast and Favor - Bayou Birds Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunesand Stitcher!

The #MMIWG (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) movement has been gaining momentum in the U.S. and Canada, as Indigenous women call for an end to targeted violence. Maria and Julio speak about this widespread issue with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women, and Jenni Monet, an independent journalist and tribal member of the Pueblo of Laguna. ITT Staff Picks The Intercept on how politicians are only now starting to pay attention to the missing Indigenous women.Annita Lucchesi's work: How a database is tracking the disappeared indigenous women (from Bustle).Jenni Monet's article for PBS, linking the women's march and to Indigenous women's rights.Check out CBC's Missing and Murdered podcast series, where Indigenous investigative reporter Connie Walker documents the stories of the community. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Annita Lucchesi, a PhD candidate at the University of Lethbridge, is creating a database of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls of North America, going back to 1900, and joins Angela Kokott to discuss the project.