Oregon's Governor Tina Kotek has taken a decisive step to highlight the overlooked issue of missing and murdered indigenous persons in the state. Kotek officially set aside May 5, as a day to raise awareness about the disproportionately high number of Indigenous individuals, particularly women, who become victims of violent crimes. She made the announcement yesterday, signaling a governmental push to take on the crisis that has long plagued native communities.

According to a proclamation obtained by the Oregon government newsroom, Governor Kotek stated, "For far too long, the unsolved deaths and disappearances of Indigenous persons, especially women, have not seen justice." The declaration coincides with a growing movement calling for more resources and attention to what activists see as an epidemic of violence against Indigenous people.

The crisis has been rooted in complex socio-economic factors, including poverty, systemic racism, and a lack of proper law enforcement resources on tribal lands. Still, cases have often gone cold or have been outright ignored. Governor Kotek's commitment to this day arose from a need to confront these underlying causes openly and to work towards dismantling the barriers that have hindered the pursuit of justice for Indigenous victims and their families.

As part of the observance, various state agencies and local organizations held events and educational sessions to bring to light the MMIP issue. Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day aims to instill a broader understanding of the epidemic and, importantly, to commemorate the lives lost to this ongoing tragedy. "On Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, we recommit ourselves to addressing the root causes and systemic obstacles contributing to this crisis," Governor Kotek added, acknowledging there needs to be an acknowledgment of past failures before moving forward meaningfully.