A pow wow this weekend in northwest Iowa will highlight the issue of Native Americans who have had relatives killed or go missing.
The non-profit Red Sky Nation was founded by the family of Terri McCauley, who was a Native American murdered in Sioux City in 1983. Red Sky Nation executive director Trisha Rivers says native people face higher rates of violence, poverty, drug abuse and homelessness. “Why does this keep happening? Because it’s rooted in systemic racism. It is within different institutions and concepts that stem from centuries of dehumanization and degradation of Native Americans,” Rivers says.
Rivers says Native Americans face higher rates of violence, poverty, drug abuse, and homelessness, and the non-profit hopes to change that.
“Through the grassroots approach, we formed a nonprofit organization where we can start addressing some of these deeply rooted, you know, issues that have been going on for quite some time,” she says.
Terri McCauley’s cold case finally led to the arrest of Thomas Popp recently, and his trial is scheduled to start August 12th. “There are a lot of emotions going into the trial. I’m really happy to know that the family is going to finally have their day in court,” Rivers says. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Pow Wow gets started this afternoon at Riverside Park in Sioux City and continues through the weekend.
(By Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)