LETTER: Missing and murdered Indigenous women can’t be forgotten

Published 10:30 am Wednesday, May 6, 2026

This most recent death of Kelly Hunt has hit me deeply and viscerally. Missing and murdered Indigenous women is very real. The federal and state governments have made token efforts to deal with this ongoing problem. I was a part of Operation Lady Justice, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice.

This was a collective of all law enforcement agencies, federal, state, local, tribal and city. We talked about barriers and roadblocks to dealing with the missing and murdered Indigenous women and men. In the villages, regional hubs and the cities.

We were able to make small changes in how each reported case is dealt with, when it is reported and when and how law enforcement is able to respond.

Sadly, it appears that our efforts have failed. The State of Alaska and the City of Anchorage have failed the Native people of Alaska who visit or have chosen or have been forced to relocate to the city. Our people are left vulnerable and unprotected. The leadership of our Native people has also failed.

The public outrage shown for 25 dogs found dead is more than then what is shown for our Native people and what we suffer. We deserve better.

The voice of our Native leaders has been silent on the sheer numbers of missing and murdered women throughout the state.

For example, the Alaska Federation of Natives and other Anchorage-based Native organizations are made up of tribal, regional and village corporation representatives. They have remained shamefully silent on this issue for decades.

Alaska state law enforcement responds more quickly to Natives violating fish and game regulations than they do violations occurring to Alaska Natives. Domestic violence, rape, murder occur and little to nothing is done. Or too little and too late.

I myself am a survivor of child sexual abuse, child abuse, domestic violence that almost killed me.

Women living in a village are most vulnerable where there is no law enforcement presence as is the case in much of rural Alaska. There is no one to come and save you, there is no one to hear you scream for help. If you even have trust in the system, when and if help arrives, evidence is gone, witnesses recant because of pressure from the perpetrators family or leadership. Going up against this system with no support or resources to start over is a helpless and powerless feeling. Leaving women stuck.

I challenge the Native leaders of this state to take a stand for the dead and missing. Don’t wait until this tragedy is visited upon your daughters, sons, grandchildren, your families. Every dead Native woman is a loss to the very survival of our Native people.

I suggest that a summit of Native leaders and all levels of law enforcement be called to bring this situation out into the light.

Build win-win situations based on trust and cooperation. We have lost too many already.

Gloria Simeon