Menominee woman visits White House to discuss epidemic of violence against her people

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McKaylin Peters had thought growing up that the Menominee name given to her had been kind of an insult.

The name Osametok was given to her by her great grandmother on the Menominee Reservation and roughly translates to “she who talks a lot.”

But now, at 23, Peters realizes that description of her is actually a blessing as she’s starting to use her public speaking skills to be an advocate for her people, especially concerning the epidemic of violence against Indigenous girls and women. Those speaking skills recently took Peters to the White House.

Homicide was the third leading cause of death for Indigenous girls and women aged 15 to 24 in 2019, according to research compiled by the National Congress of American Indians.

Researchers have found some of the root causes of this include colonization, historical trauma, racism and objectification of Indigenous women and girls who are vulnerable due to lack of resources.

Researchers also have found most of the violence against Indigenous women and girls was at the hands of non-Indigenous men.

The Menominee Nation has several cases in recent years of murdered and missing Indigenous people.

Growing up, Peters didn’t know some of what she was experiencing was abuse and had caused her trauma.

The Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement aims to address the causes of abuse and violence against Indigenous women and girls.

It’s also what prompted Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to form the MMIW Task Force in 2020.

“This could have been me,” Peters said, referring to the abuse that happened to her. “I could have been a statistic.”

She also lost a sibling to suicide, but said she’s decided to take that darkness in her life and turn it into advocacy, such as for more resources on her reservation, including mental health services.

Last year, Peters found an opportunity to expand and hone her advocacy and took it.

She saw a post on Instagram from the Center for Native American Youth’s “Remembering Our Sisters” program that was accepting applications for fellowships.

Peters’ application included a short video of herself explaining who she is as a woman.

The program is meant to empower Indigenous female youth to become advocates in the MMIW movement.

Peters worked with like-minded young women from around the country via Zoom and then met with them in person at the end of the program in California.

She also created a 10-minute mini-documentary highlighting the epidemic of violence from a local level on the Menominee Reservation and on a national level.

Peters showed how not nearly enough attention and resources is given to missing and murdered Indigenous women as compared to missing and murdered white women.

The documentary “Fighting the Fight” is available on YouTube and on the Center for Native American Youth’s website.

Peters also was asked to speak about the issue recently at the White House and in Washington D.C. where she moderated a discussion panel and spoke with Vice President Kamala Harris.

She mentioned to the vice president what motivates her to be an advocate and listed some of the resources that are badly needed in Indian Country.

The 2025 applications for fellowships to the Center for Native American Youth’s “Remembering Our Sisters” program are being accepted through Jan. 15.

Applicants must self-identify as Indigenous and female and be between 18 and 24 years old.

Peters said everyone has their place in the movement and applicants should not be discouraged from applying if they feel they lack certain skills.

She said some people may find they excel at public speaking, art, photography or even planning.

“I’m not artistic, at all, but now I know I’m good at making mini-documentaries because of the program,” she said.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/loc ... 557358007/