- Details
- By Kaili Berg
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is hosting an event with a group of Indigenous female motorcyclists, Medicine Wheel Ride, dedicated to raising awareness about the high rates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
The “We Ride For Her” event will take place on Thursday, July 25, at the Tribal Hall on the Santa Ynez Reservation in Santa Barbara Country, California. This event, organized by the Behavioral Health Department at the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic, is free and open to the public.
The Medicine Wheel Ride group and their allies will be welcomed at the Tribal Hall to participate in the event. Following their arrival, there will be a screening of the group’s documentary, “We Ride For Her,” which highlights the group’s work in bringing attention to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) across Indian Country.
MMIWR is a movement dedicated to ending violence against Native women and raising awareness about the alarming rates of disappearances and murders among
According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) over 5,700 missing and murdered Indigenous women were reported missing in 2020 alone. In California, the Urban Indian Health Institute reported that 105 Indigenous women went missing or were murdered in 2019, ranking the state among the highest for such cases.
“The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians is proud to partner with Medicine Wheel Ride for this important event that brings attention to this serious issue in Indian Country,” Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, said in a press release.
Medicine Wheel Ride has been instrumental in raising awareness and providing support to the families of MMIW. The group’s advocacy and fundraising efforts have significantly contributed to locating missing individuals and supporting affected families.
By collaborating with local law enforcement and using their network to spread awareness, Medicine Wheel Ride has helped resolve several cold cases and brought closure to families. Their advocacy work has been recognized by the Phoenix Indian Center, which awarded them the Volunteer Organization of the Year Award for Excellence in Leadership.
In a legislative effort to address the crisis, California introduced Assembly Bill No. 1314, known as the “Feather Alert'' bill. Approved by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 23, 2024, the bill functions similarly to an Amber Alert, issuing a Feather Alert when an endangered Indigenous person is reported missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances.
Introduced by Assemblymember James C. Ramos, California’s first and only Native American legislator, the bill aims to alert the public and solicit tips and leads swiftly, when time is of the essence.
The introduction of the Missing and Murdered Unit within the BIA, under the leadership of Secretary Deb Haaland, has been a significant step in addressing these cases. This unit focuses on coordinating interagency efforts to investigate and resolve cases involving MMIP.
For more information about the event or to learn more about the efforts to combat MMIWR, please visit the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ website or contact the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic’s Behavioral Health Department.
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