The F-M Community Marches For Missing And Murdered Indigenous People

A indigenous man spoke about a family tragedy that changed his life.

FARGO, N.D.- Native Americans in the region want their voices to be heard.

“That’s why we’re crying out to the community, that’s why we’re trying to get awareness going, is there really is no real solid statistics. The closest thing that we have to statistics right now is in 2016 there was over 6,000 murdered, missing indigenous people and only 113 of those were documented,” says Amanda Vivier, A member of the local task force.

Over 200 community members marched with banners around downtown Fargo singing and dancing.

“Not only raising the awareness, and getting the government to step up, but to ask community members to step up as well, to start developing programs, to source for funding for structured building, maybe some land, and start revitalizing the traditional knowledge and culture. And also educating our people and preparing us in case epidemics like such take place here in the Fargo Moorhead area,” she says.

Shayne Cook is a member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, who spoke at the event about a family tragedy.

“My niece was murdered by her biological father nine days after her second birthday, ” Cook says.

He says although he struggled for many years because of this traumatic experience, his message is to spread positivity and love.

“To stand together, to help one another, to walk with love, compassion and respect. Don’t be so quick to judge, condemn or criticize anyone,” he says.