For many in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, the crisis of unsolved missing and murdered Indigenous people’s cases is personal. And on Monday, May 5, a group of 50 residents marched along Bethel’s main highway in honor of the national day of awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP). Listen to voices from the fourth annual Bethel march organized by regional tribal organization the Association of Village Council Presidents in conjunction with the Tundra Women's Coalition.
Rose "Sugar" Henderson: My name is Rose Henderson, also known as Sugar, and it's my honor to serve as your mayor, and an honor to be here presenting this today. I have a proclamation from the City of Bethel, and it's on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People [Awareness] Day. May 5, 2025, whereas the city, that city of Bethel, joins with other local organizations and governments in supporting the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. Whereas many missing and murdered indigenous people from within our community, region, state, and nation shall not be forgotten, and in their honor we shall stand together to strengthen our responses to these crimes.
Irma Goodwine: My name is Irma Goodwine. I have family members that have passed on due to domestic violence, and when I first came to Bethel I was one of the advocates at the Tundra Women's Coalition, and we got to see firsthand the many violence that our sisters and brothers [experienced]. I'm here to support them. I'm here to support my cousin because my cousin's daughter was murdered and the case was never solved. So I'm here as her voice that we care and all our lives matter. I really believe having a committee that has all the key players to talk about the justice system, how it's failed so many of us, our people you see all over the news when something happens, they don't put enough attention to the case. So I think coming together like this, especially with the [Alaska State Troopers], and the Bethel Police Department, and all the different agencies here. But when, if they do come together, they can come up with a safety plan for each community, just like emergency plans. So I think this is a good start.
Darlene Anvil: Darlene Anvil. I'm walking for my cousin who went missing in September 2011. His name is Aaron Amik.
Diane Achee: My name is Diane Achee. I am from Kwigillingok, and my sign has Gina Martin from Kipnuk, who passed away in 2011, and Kayla Kugtsun from Kwigillingok, who was murdered 2023, and this walk is in remembrance of them. I think we just need more healing support after the tragic incidents, and I think an event like this, coming together is healing.
Brian Wassman: My name is Brian Wassman. Unfortunately, these types of calls and investigations fall into some of the work that we do, and we're all very committed to this cause, investigating these types of crimes, too, to bring resolution to them. Pretty much 75 to 80% of the troopers in this area have showed up today. Everybody was on duty. They took time out of their day to come out and support this cause. So we're very much behind it, and very, very proud to be out here with everybody.
Angie: Angie. You know, it isn't due to UFOs or aliens. There's a local reason, and I think it would behoove law enforcement and the city of Bethel, and the [State of Alaska], and the whole country to listen to people when they say they're concerned with their missing family member. That's like claiming the law states ‘you'll be punished for murder, except, comma, except if it's against a Native person we will ignore it. It's as if the law says that. The law to protect people doesn't have that comma and says, ‘except if you're a Native person,’ so yeah, it's a huge issue.
If someone goes missing, law enforcement says that you do not need to wait any amount of time to report them. Call 911 or the Alaska State Trooper line at 907-543-2294.
Find information on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Tribal Community Response Plans and resources for training and educational material by contacting Alaska’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator Ingrid Cumberlidge at Ingrid.Cumberlidge@usdoj.gov or 907-306-0669.
