Law enforcement, motorcycle enthusiasts ride 1,000 miles to bring attention to Indigenous sex trafficking
A group of local law enforcement officers, Indigenous advocates, and motorcycle enthusiasts rode more than 1,000 miles to the Navajo Nation in Arizona to raise awareness about sex trafficking and violence affecting Native American communities.
The issue strikes at the heart of Indigenous populations. According to the National Congress of American Indians, 40% of women involved in sex trafficking identify as Native American, despite Indigenous women comprising less than 10% of the population in North America.
Through storms, they raised awareness
The ride began in the Dallas-Fort Worth area but was briefly delayed by severe hailstorms in western Texas.
"They looked up, and all you see is the black sky," said rider Janette Nunez Perez. "We finally pulled into a gas station, and that hail was just coming down."
Despite the weather, the group pressed on.
"I wanted to go home a couple of times because it was rough," Nunez Perez said. "But we went there for a purpose. We wanted to be heard, and we wanted to raise awareness."
From DFW to Navajo Nation
Retired Rowlett Police Detention Officer Brian Wilburn also joined the ride, continuing to the Navajo Nation to spotlight the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, or MMIW. The movement is symbolized by a red handprint and draws attention to the more than 5,000 Native American women who go missing in the U.S. each year, according to the National Crime Information Center.
"It's a considerable effort, especially coming from DFW—or in my case, from Arkansas," Wilburn said. "Folks came from Oklahoma, or Massimino, coming from Italy. It's a huge effort, but the people appreciate it. They've embraced us."
Heartbreak behind every missing name
One of the most recent MMIW cases is that of 14-year-old Apache teen Emily Pike, who disappeared in January. Her dismembered body was found weeks later.
"Murder is the third leading cause of death for Native American women. That's unacceptable," said Jayne Vaughn, a member of the Fort Worth Litas, an all-female motorcycle group that made the trip.
"It's heartbreaking. You go from sad to angry and wish you could do more," Vaughn said. "You wish you could get the story out."
Fighting to be seen
Gabriel Kanawite, who grew up on a reservation in the Navajo Nation, said the issue is deeply personal.
"A lot of times we almost feel as if we're forgotten," Kanawite said. "Every Indigenous community and reservation in the U.S. feels that way. We feel invisible to the world."
The riders hope their journey sparks awareness and change—and that next year's ride will be even bigger.
