Notice
This episode is not recommended for children due to the violent nature of the issue we cover. I strive to make each episode appropriate for family viewing – “for people of all ages…” Nonetheless, the issue presented in this episode is such a large one in indigenous communities that it calls out to be addressed. It would be better for young children to bypass this episode and go on to enjoy the next one. They’ll learn about Indian Pow Wows.
Welcome
Welcome to Ramping Up Your English! This is Episode 123. In this episode, We look at the tragedy of missing and murdered Native American Women and Girls.
Watching Episode 123
Click here to watch Episode 123 of Ramping Up your English on archive.org as seen on RVTV – Rogue TV – in Ashland, Oregon.
Episode Summary
This episode in mostly comprised of video clips from other producers interwoven with comments from a discussion with Southern Oregon University students about their knowledge of missing and murdered Native American women. Drawing from family stories and the national tragedy of poorly investigated acts of violence, participants share how this has touched so many of their own lives.
SOU Native American Studies Chair Brook Colley delves into this wide-spread problem and steps that Oregon is taking to address the issue. Specifically, the Oregon legislature enacted a law – HB 2625 -that sets up a law enforcement database that tracks cases in Oregon. The hope is that action will follow the data – action that is sorely needed according to Colley. The issue is complex, and tribal relations with law enforcement is part of that complexity.
This episode includes the stories of several victims’ families in the United States and Canada. These are the portions that are the work of other producers. The stories are linked together by a video entitled Song For Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman – Children of the Setting Sun Lummi Nation directed by Mark Nichols and conposed by Anton George for West Shore Canoe Family.
We feature a speech by Secretary Deb Haaland when she was a U.S. House of Representatives member from Now This. We also feature an interview about the Violence Against American Women Act changes on Democracy Now. Another video production entitled Unseen: A California Crisis is a production of KPIX TV station. It follows the loss of a Yurok Tribe member and her unsolved case.
From Canada, we use segments of VICE Canada‘s production Searchers on the Highway of Tears. Portions of a video by the Minnesota House of Representatives shares a vote to begin addressing the issue in the form of the Violence Against Indigenous Women Bill.
My interview with Brook Colley and four Native American Studies students at SOU give local perspective on the issue and addresses Oregon House Bill 2625 when it was passed by the Oregon Legislature and signed by Governor Kate Brown in 2019.
Videos Used Episode 123
As noted above, most video content in this episode was produced by other artists. The featured video as seen in Episode 123 can be viewed by clicking here. This video was edited to have it fit in the timeframe. It includes a segment on Indigenous Women Keep Going Missing in Montana by Vice Media Center. Click here to watch it.
Click here for entire video of the Song For Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman by the Lummi Nation. Click here for the speech of then-Congresswoman Deb Haaland about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. Click here for the entire TV investigation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in California. The focus report is from KPIX, the CBS affiliate. Click here to watch the Minnesota House of Representative pass a bill to address violence against Indigenous Women. Click here for Searchers on the Highway of Tears by VICE Canada.
Links to Related Videos
Let’s start with a reminder that videos on You Tube often com with ads. These in no way indicate endorsement or any connection with Ramping Up your English.
Click here on Secretary Haaland’s reflection on her years as Secretary of the Interior Department. Click here for a VICE Canada production about Why Are Indigenous Women Disappearing Across Canada.
Language Practice
Watching the featured video, viewers get a pretty clear picture of cause and effect. We’ve practiced this before in previous episodes. Here’s a good change to practice more. Blow are a few words for use in communicating Cause and Effect.
As a result of….
Since….
Because….
Results in…. (has resulted in, often results in….)
One possible cause is….
Among various factors is…….
There’s a connection between…..
You can go further and infer what current actions could make a change in the future.
Will likely result is…..
Could begin to….
Is likely to…..
Next Episode
Our next episode focuses on Pow Wows. Click here to watch Episode 124 on the Episode 124 page of Ramping Up your English.