BOIS FORTE — On a cold, gray Tuesday, community members gathered at the Bois Forte government center at Nett Lake and the Vermilion Social Center to mark National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Day, joining in a shared observance connected by live video between the two sites.
Organized locally by Bois Forte Victim Services, the event brought together residents, families, and advocates for a day centered on remembrance, reflection, and the ongoing work of addressing violence in Indigenous communities. Opening songs and remarks prepared participants for their walks in their respective locations, honoring those who have been lost.
“This is how we bring awareness to the community,” said Tamika-Jo Andy, one of two invited speakers from MMIW 218. “This is also a place of healing.”
Andy’s remarks focused less on statistics and more on the deeper roots of the crisis. She spoke about how violence against Indigenous women and relatives is tied to broader systems, including historical trauma, gaps in resources, and inconsistent responses from institutions meant to protect communities.
“We all have our reasons for coming,” she said, pointing to the shared experiences that bring people to events like Tuesday’s gathering.
Andy also emphasized the importance of community spaces where families can gather, speak, or simply be present.
“Families need that space,” she said. “We all need that healing.”
Her co-presenter, Audrianna Goodwin, built on that message by placing the issue in a broader historical context, describing how patterns of violence are rooted in colonization and the disruption of Indigenous communities.
“It’s really important to understand the history,” Goodwin said, noting that the effects of displacement and systemic inequities continue to shape present-day realities.
She described the work of addressing missing and murdered Indigenous relatives as both reactive and preventative, with gatherings like Tuesday’s event playing a role in strengthening community connections.
“Every time we gather in community … that’s prevention,” she said.
Goodwin also encouraged those in attendance to focus on unity and mutual support.
“We have to be the ones to pull our communities together,” she said.
The themes raised by both speakers took on added weight as participants heard from Kim Day, whose daughter Amanda Boshey was killed in a hit-and-run crash near Fortune Bay Resort Casino in December 2024.
Day described the night her family learned of her daughter’s death, the uncertainty that followed, and the long, often frustrating process of navigating the legal system.
“It’s been really hard,” she said.
Her account echoed several of the concerns raised earlier in the day, including delays in the court process and a sense that her family’s experience had not always been treated with urgency or care.
“We feel like because she was Native, the courts kept on pushing it off,” Dehn said.
She also spoke about the ongoing impact on her family, particularly Boshey’s children, who continue to struggle with the loss.
“We all need support,” she said.
Following the presentations, participants stepped outside for the walks, bundled against the cold as they moved along their respective routes. At Nett Lake, participants followed the circular road along the lake, while those at Vermilion walked along Bois Forte Road before turning back.
Each step, organizers said, was a way of remembering those who are missing or gone, while also affirming the strength of those still here.
Bois Forte Tribal Chair Carlos Hernandez and a member of the Bois Forte Police Department also offered brief remarks during the program, underscoring the importance of community involvement and continued awareness.
By the time participants returned indoors, the tone remained steady, somber but resolute. The gathering, like others held across the country on May 5, served as both a memorial and a reminder that the work is ongoing.
As Goodwin told the group, the goal is not only to honor those who have been lost, but to build a future where such gatherings are no longer needed.