
- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
#MMIP: To recognize, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, on Thursday May 5, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco will host a virtual event to highlight the Not Invisible Act Commission.
The Departments of the Interior and Justice are working to implement the Not Invisible Act, sponsored by Secretary Haaland during her time in Congress. The law established the Not Invisible Act Commission, a cross jurisdictional advisory committee composed of law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and most importantly — survivors.
In addition to Secretary Haaland and Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the event will feature three panelists who will discuss the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis and the importance of the Not Invisible Act Commission in the collaborative efforts to address the crisis.
Whitney Gravelle, Chairwoman, Bay Mills Indian Community
Fawn Sharp, President, National Congress of American Indians
Lucy Rain Simpson, Executive Director, National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center
The live event will begin at 2:30 PM ET on Thursday, May 5. Members of the public may view the event at the Interior Department’s website.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Read the Text of President Trump's Address to Nation on US Bombing Iran
Otoe-Missouria Project Releases Historical Marker Audit, Community Surveys
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher