SGI Global, LLC (SGI) reflects on this May 5th in honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day, a day used to raise awareness for the thousands of unsolved cases of missing and murdered indigenous persons across the United States. Homicide is a leading cause of death among indigenous peoples in the US, with the rate of violent crime against indigenous peoples being twice as high as the rate among the general US population. In particular, indigenous women make up a large proportion of the missing and murdered individuals. The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates that there are over 4,000 missing and murdered cases that have yet to be solved.
For generations, Indigenous persons, including American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians, have been forced to mourn a missing or murdered loved one without the answers and support they deserve. On Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, we remember these victims and their families. SGI is honored to play a part in this effort and commit to working with Tribal Nations and Native communities to achieve justice and healing.
On this day, SGI pays special thanks to the work of one of our own, Ms. Ingrid Cumberlidge, who serves as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Coordinator supporting the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), District of Alaska. As the District of Alaska’s MMIP Coordinator, Ms. Cumberlidge reviews available data to identify MMIP cases connected to Alaska; conducts outreach with tribal communities to assist in the creation and implementation of community action plans; coordinates with tribal, local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in the development of protocols and procedures for responding to and addressing MMIP cases; and promotes improved data collection and analyses throughout Alaska.
Ms. Cumberlidge has also helped to stand up the Alaska MMIP Working Group – a multi-disciplinary team comprised of all levels of law enforcement, Alaska Native Tribes, and victim service representatives. A priority of the Working Group is participating in listening and consultation sessions with Tribes across Alaska. So far, the group has collaborated with more that 180 of Alaska’s 229 federally recognized Tribes in 11 Regions.
For more information on SGI’s MMIP support, please contact us at: contact@sgiglobal-llc.com
