My name is Charisse Ho and I am a senior at Spring Street International School in the San Juan Islands. I am writing to address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in Washington state.

The numbers are heartbreaking. Indigenous people go missing at a rate 10 times the national average. A 2018 report by the Urban Indian Health Institute found that Washington had the second-highest number of MMIW cases in the country. These are not just statistics, these are real women, daughters, and mothers whose disappearances are often ignored or left uninvestigated. Every person deserves safety and justice, no matter their race or background.

Of the 5,712 missing Indigenous women and girls reported to the National Crime Information Center in 2016, only 116 were logged into the Justice Department’s missing persons database. This crisis stems from centuries of colonization, racism, and harmful government policies. The systems meant to protect us have too often failed Indigenous communities, especially around tribal reservations. Law enforcement still lacks proper protocols, and inconsistent data collection makes these cases even harder to solve.

But there is still hope. Indigenous-led organizations like the Urban Indian Health Institute and the Sovereign Bodies Institute are working to track cases and support families. We must amplify Indigenous voices and demand justice, accountability, and change. It is time to stand in solidarity and ensure that these women are no longer invisible.

Charisse Ho,

San Juan Island