Stepping Into Truth: Conversations on Race, Gender, and Social Justice
Talking About Fighting for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women with Rosalie Fish
Season 2 Episode 16
Rosalie Fish
In this remarkable conversation 19 year old activist Rosalie Fish and I discuss the current epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
A member of the Cowlitz tribe, Rosalie comes to this subject with deep personal knowledge and an unshakeable commitment to giving a voice to these women.
This was a hard conversation for many reasons, not the least of which is that no one should have to be fighting this battle, certainly not at 19. But these women need a voice and Rosalie gives these missing and murdered women the attention they deserve and asks that we all do the same.
I had known of this situation before, but talking with Rosalie gave me an understanding I didn't previously have. I think she's amazing. I think you'll agree.
Rosalie Fish is an 19-year-old member of the Cowlitz Tribe and a competitive runner from the Muckleshoot Reservation in Auburn, Washington. She graduated in 2019 from the Muckleshoot Tribal School, where she represented her school in the Class 1B Washington State Track Meet, earned three gold medals, a silver and a sportsmanship award, and used that platform to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW). Her passions include running, youth empowerment, indigenous visibility, upholding and practicing native traditions, as well as uplifting and advocating for native communities and native women. She is a two-time TedX speaker and has worked with countless news networks to raise awareness for the MMIW epidemic. Recruited for her running ability and proven leadership Rosalie attends Iowa Central Community College where she has continued her career as a athlete and MMIW activist.
Resources Mentioned in this Episode:
Rosalie’s 3 action suggestions:
1) Encourage the youth around you, especially young women, to speak up about the issues of concern to them. Remind them that they have power if they choose to exercise it.
2) Support reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act which, at the time of this writing, was stalled in the Senate.
3) Educate yourself and others about stereotypical biases that exist against Native Americans. Notice the ways in which we perpetuate the false narrative of Native Americans as savages, as drunks, as uneducated, etc… and then when you witness this stereotyping, speak up.
In our conversation Rosalie mentioned Selena Not Afraid, a young Native woman recently found dead in Montana. Here’s a link to the NY Times article on Selena and many other young missing and murdered Native women.
Connect with Rosalie:
https://www.instagram.com/rosaliefishx/
urban indian health institute: https://www.uihi.org/
Written Transcript:
If you want to share this episode with a deaf or hearing impaired person (or you just want to read it) here’s the link.
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Credits:
Harmonica music courtesy of a friend