By Allison Sayer

Parental/trigger warning: This article discusses violence.

On April 27 2021, the Copper River Native Association (CRNA) hosted runner and activist Rosalie Fish, of the Cowlitz and Muckleshoot Tribes, to speak about “Working together as a community to protect our relatives.” Fish has used her status as an elite college athlete to publicize the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW).

More than 110 people attended in person at the Glennallen High School auditorium, with an additional 175 streaming on the CRNA YouTube channel. Counselors were standing by at every entrance, to speak to anyone who needed them. After presentations by Rosalie Fish, CRNA Native Youth Leadership Manager Lakayah Engebretson, and CRNA Behavioral Health Clinician Amanda Highfield, there was a discussion in which many Native and non-Native people asked for more information and how they can help.

Lakayah Engebretson began the presentations with Ahtna greetings: Nts’e doht’ae? (How are you (to a group)?), and Ugheli ełaen (I am fine), repeating these until the audience responded with strength (Go here for pronunciation). She then explained she did this because “language, culture, and community connection are leading protective factors in Native communities.”

Engebretson explained the term: Gaann du’ nek’enaey (This is our sibling). She said that when a baby is born in a family, its older brothers and sisters should be told, “This is our sibling,” so that they protect it. If someone asks, “Who is that?” about someone out in the community, if you say, “Gaann du’ nek’enaey,” it means: “This person is cared for in the community.” That person should be protected by you. “How can we identify people in the community and protect them?” asked Engebretson.

After a moment of silence for people in the community who had passed away, and for people still searching for their loved ones, Rosalie Fish spoke. She reviewed some of the sad statistics that indicate this issue is a crisis. Murder is the third leading cause of death of Native women, who are murdered at a rate ten times higher than white men. “We all have someone,” she said, “I grew up watching community members disappear.” It was only as she learned more that she realized it was not only her family and her tribe experiencing these disappearances, but indigenous communities across the country and the world.

Amidst this profound tragedy, Fish’s main message was one of hope. “It may seem too big to change,” she said, “but we create change when we protect each other, give a friend a ride home, check on someone who is struggling, or warn a friend who is being groomed.”

“To acknowledge a Native child is to empower them,” she said. That empowerment can make children less vulnerable to being groomed, preyed upon, and targeted. How to encourage children, especially girls? “Listen to their voice, encourage them. Let them go with things that make them light up. Pay attention to them and the activities that empower them.”

Amanda Highfield spoke more about the warning signs that someone is being groomed. She said to be particularly watchful if someone seems to be in a “secret relationship,” for example if they are on their phone a lot but will not say who they are talking to. She also encouraged people to pay attention to what is going on with the people around them, and to ask questions if something doesn’t seem right. Highfield invited anyone who wants to say something, but is scared or doesn’t know what to say to come to CRNA counselors for help.

Although some of the rising awareness of the “MMIW crisis” is new, Fish said it has been a serious problem “since before it had a name,” dating back to early colonialism. She spoke about some of the factors that contribute to it, including a lack of political representation. Crimes against Native women are often poorly investigated, if they are investigated at all, creating a lack of accountability for perpetrators. Jurisdiction issues often prevent tribes from pursuing justice on their own. Indigenous women in the United States and worldwide are even more vulnerable in places where a temporary workforce is brought in to extract natural resources such as oil, gas, or minerals.

Fish has been through difficulty in her own life, and she spoke about abusing drugs and surviving a suicide attempt. When asked how she deals with anxiety today (besides running), she said what helps her cope is “finding my traditions and what brings me back to my community. I feel strong again finding things that remind me of who I am. It’s OK even if you’re still learning about your traditions.”

Fish said she has been able to use running as her platform, but “Each of us has a platform. I am ready to hear from you.”

Disclosure: CRNA is a Copper River Record advertiser.