Meet a lawmaker raising awareness about Calif.’s MMIP crisis
The passage of ACR-25, which designates May as Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Awareness Month, in California’s Assembly and Senate earlier this month is the latest in a series of bills pushed by Assembly Member James Ramos to secure resources for the state’s MMIP crisis. Ramos, a member of the Serrano/Cahuilla tribe, told Native News Online that he will continue to advocate for Indigenous issues despite obstacles. He says more work is needed to address the MMIP crisis and ensure the safety of California's Native American population. In 2020, Ramos sponsored a bill that provides law enforcement with training on missing and murdered Native Americans. He also sponsored a bill that created the Feather Alert program, which is similar to Amber Alerts.Read more here →
Hundreds gather at Navajo Nation forum to help victims of Ariz.’s Medicaid scam
Last week’s newsletter featured reporting from Native News Online about an ongoing investigation into Arizona's Medicaid scam, in which more than 100 healthcare providers allegedly defrauded the system, targeting Native Americans and costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. The outlet also reported that the Navajo Nation held a public forum to announce "Operation Rainbow Bridge," which aims to locate and assist victims displaced by fraudulent sober living homes. Officials at the forum said they will assist people in finding a behavioral health provider in "good standing" or in returning home to their families. Since 2019, the state’s attorney general office estimates that it has seized or recovered more than $70 million related to the scam.
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Finding joy in wellness and movement at every age
In today’s world, celebrities, beauty brands and pop culture can put a lot of pressure on people to change and manipulate their bodies. In the latest episode of Our Body Politic, award-winning journalist, creator and host Farai Chideya speaks with two guests about how to cultivate joy and wellness within ourselves. The guests also discuss how they're using this approach to grow their own businesses and communities.
Meet the Game Changers
Highlighting the innovators transforming health outcomes in our communities
James C. Ramos (D) currently serves in the California State Assembly, representing the 40th Assembly District, which encompasses many communities in Bernardino County. He is the first Native American and Native Californian elected to the State Assembly
Plus: Tune into our URWell video series
Interested in more nuanced and fresh health journalism from URL Media and our network of independent Black and Brown publishers? Visit our Instagram feed to watch our third URWell video dispatch focusing on a common misconception about Black people within the medical community. Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to stay tuned for more bite-sized video reports on Wednesdays across our social media feeds.