Indigenous Women Strengthen Communities and Advance Safety at WEWIN Conference

Issued By Native Public Media

WEWIN Conference

On July 27, 2026, in Tulsa, OK, hundreds of Indigenous women gathered for the Women Empowering Women for Indigenous Nations (WEWIN) conference for a week of networking, sharing stories, and growing as leaders. For twenty years, these women have united as sisters and leaders, supporting and uplifting each other with warmth and strength.

This year's conference theme, "Warrior Women Creating Balance," highlighted how Indigenous women empower themselves to better support their families, communities, and future generations. Every speaker and session celebrated and reinforced this inspiring theme.

Lisa Logan from Salem, OR, works as a Gaming Inspector at the Siletz Tribal Gaming Commission and has participated in the WEWIN Conference for many years.

"The conference provides an opportunity for women to support one another in our professional roles and help us become stronger and empower each other," Logan stated. "WEWIN brings us together to share experiences and provides supportive environment to discuss our professional challenges."

Native Public Media (NPM), a non-profit organization, acknowledges the significant contributions and influence of Indigenous women within their communities. The WEWIN conference provided an excellent opportunity for NPM to share its latest policy updates on the important issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR).

NPM staff member Kyler Edsitty delivered an engaging presentation on the Missing and Endangered Persons (MEP) Alert, launched in 2025 across all 50 states. Established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the MEP Alert can be broadcast on radio and TV when someone of any age goes missing or is in danger, like the AMBER Alert. NPM played a key role in establishing the MEP Alert in response to the MMIR issue. Now that the MEP Alert is in place, Tribal communities can more swiftly broadcast vital information when someone is vulnerable, helping keep their members safer.

Edsitty's presentation also covered the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), which federal, state, and Tribal agencies use to broadcast emergency messages via radio, television, and cell phones. Currently, 16 of the 574 federally recognized Tribes are certified Alerting Authorities for their jurisdictions and are therefore qualified to use IPAWS. One of NPM's goals is to onboard more Tribes as Alerting Authorities, enabling them to control the timing and location of emergency alerts without seeking approval from other jurisdictions to use IPAWS. Tribal members are safer when the MEP Alert fully serves their communities and when their Tribe is a certified Alerting Authority.

In 2022, Manual Bayya, a Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Tribal member, disappeared. Since then, Bayya's family and community members have been searching for answers. The Tribe holds memorials and marches to bring attention to his case and other MMIR cases. Tribal Alerting Authorities and the MEP Alert are only a few solutions to the MMIR epidemic. With more tools, MMIR cases can be resolved as soon as they happen.

In her feedback on Edsitty's presentation, Logan stated, "The presentation was highly informative, and it is reassuring to know these alerts are being broadcast. I learned about the MEP Alert and IPAWS, and I can bring that information home to Siletz to implement."

The WEWIN conference was a powerful reminder that when Indigenous women come together, they build lasting strength and drive change in their communities. By sharing knowledge, building connections, and advancing solutions to issues such as MMIR, Tribal leaders are helping create safer, more empowered communities for generations to come. Together, Indigenous women and Tribal communities continue to embody what it means to be Warrior Women Creating Balance, strengthening one another today while building a safer future for those who come next.

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