In Sacramento, California —
Nearly $20 million in funds have been distributed to tribes in California to assist with the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous persons (MMIPs), according to an announcement made Thursday, July 11, by the office of Governor Gavin Newsom.
A news statement from the governor’s office states that 18 Native American tribes in California will receive $19.58 million in grants to help them deal with the situation.
Governor Newsom stated,
There is still no word on what happened to the several Native American women and girls who went missing. Every case of an Indigenous person who goes missing or is murdered has a community and family grieving the loss of a member. These funds will assist tribal governments in their efforts to alleviate the suffering of those families and put an end to this terrible scourge.
In the 2022 budget, the MMIP Grant Program was formed to offer competitive funds to tribal nations in California. The Governor’s Office announced that the second round of awards had been approved by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).
The goals of the grant programs are to build stronger responses to human trafficking, create culturally appropriate support services for victims and their families, and enhance communication and cooperation among federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies regarding jurisdictional issues.
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According to the governor’s office, the Hoopa Valley Tribe was one of the recipients of a $1 million grant from the second round of MMIP funding.
Through the promotion of cultural engagement opportunities, trauma-informed practices, and support for access to education, the Hoopa Tribal Education Association will enhance its internal ability to disrupt systems of violence within the Hoopa community.
A full-time Cultural Coordinator will be hired as part of the planned project. Opportunities for community training and wellness will be provided to encourage trauma-informed practices. Additionally, equal youth education access will be supported.
With the $1 million allocated to the Pit River Tribe, the Tribal Victim Witness department will implement MMIP programs that provide culturally sensitive assistance to families dealing with the loss of a loved one.
The most vulnerable members of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian tribe will have a place to live that is both safe and respectful of their culture thanks to a half-million dollar grant that the tribe will utilize to build a tiny home village.
With the $980,035 that the Pechanga Band of Indians have received, they intend to employ a human trafficking coordinator, a master’s-level social worker with extensive experience in commercial sexual exploitation, and a trained law enforcement investigator to deal with cases of missing persons, juvenile runaways, and possible victims of human trafficking.
In order to offer competitive grants to Indian tribes in California that have been recognized by the federal government, the MMIP Grant Program was created by the Budget Act of 2022.
According to the Governor’s Office, the MMIP grants will get an additional $13.25 million in the 2024–2025 state budget. Additionally, later this year, the BSCC is expected to release another Request for Proposals.