Tribal leaders meet in Pala to discuss missing and murdered indigenous people NBC 7 San Diego [Video]

Since the 1980s, seven people have disappeared from Indigenous tribes in San Diego County, and no ones knows where they are today. It’s a problem that’s far more widespread than people may think.

“It impacts all of us,” said Joe James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe of northern California.

Dozens of members from California’s indigenous tribes are in Pala this week for the third annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Summit. The Pala Band of Mission Indians is hosting the conference at the Pala Casino Hotel through Wednesday.

“We are trying to educate a system that was never built for us,” James said.

James said indigenous people are victims of violent crimes at a higher rate than any other ethnic group. James believes the tribes’ sovereign nations need help from state and federal governments, need better procedures in place with law enforcement and need systemic change from the top down.

“It’s critical to bring awareness, action, education,” James said.

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