Chino Y Chicano Podcast: Washington State's Alert System for Missing Indigenous Women

by Enrique Cerna and Matt Chan

On March 31st, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into a law a bill that created the first in the nation statewide alert system for missing Indigenous people. State Rep. Debra Lekanoff sponsored the bill. Lekanoff is a Democrat, who represents the 40th legislative district.

She joins the Chino Y Chicano podcast for a powerful conversation about the importance of the legislation for Native women. The alert system will be similar to the state's "silver alert" for missing vulnerable adults. It will help identify and locate missing Indigenous people, especially women, that go missing at disproportionately high rates and face higher rates of violence and murder compared to other ethnic groups in the U.S.

Enrique Cerna is a multimedia journalist. He has anchored current affairs programs, moderated statewide political debates, produced and reported stories for national PBS programs as well as local documentaries on social and juvenile justice, civil rights issues, the environment and Latinos in Washington State. Enrique has earned nine Northwest region Emmy awards and numerous other honors. In June, 2013, he was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Northwest Chapter's Silver Circle for his work as a television professional.

Matt Chan has worked in every facet of the industry, from operating television stations to running national television series. In 1998 he started his last business Screaming Flea Productions and over 14 years grew it to national prominence. His work created hits like A&E's HOARDERS, and landed him a spot as one of the very few people of color on the Hollywood Reporter's Top 50 Reality Power Producers list. His newest passion is giving back to new generations of journalists and storytellers for the new world of media.

Featured image is attributed to the Howl Arts Collective under a Creative Commons 2.0 license.