In honor of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) Awareness Month and MMIIP Awareness Day (MMIP), Rising Indigenous Voices Radio interviewed Charlene Apok (Iñupiaq), the Director of Gender Justice and Healing at Native Movement. She unveiled the layers of significance embedded within MMIGS Day, shedding light on why this annual observance is crucial for igniting awareness and catalyzing action.

Can you share with us the significance of National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) and why it’s essential for raising awareness?

Raising awareness is such an important part and a foundational part that translates awareness into action, right? So, without people knowing you have no people doing anything and so without that recognition, people also don’t, aren’t being held responsible for any pieces of this work and any of the causes and so awareness raising is really important. It often starts with the communities and the people who are most impacted by this. And again, it becomes our collective story. That’s another part of raising awareness is that so many people on this issue of missing and murdered indigenous peoples for a long time, we just thought it was just happening to us or it was only in our family, and as people share their story, it becomes our collective story and we raise awareness and say, hey, this is really happening to us. This is what’s going on, this is our truth and this is the change that needs to happen. But without that recognition and without raising awareness, there’s no accountability and responsibility, so it’s an important part for, you know, people switching from not knowing, to having awareness, to wanting to take actions.

As the Director of Gender Justice and Healing at Native Movement, how does your organization contribute to addressing the issues faced by MMIWG2S individuals and communities?

Native Movement does incredible work in supporting grassroots organizing across the state. And this issue of MMIWG two s really falls within the area of work of gender justice, right? We see disproportionate rates of feminine, identifying people being impacted by violence experiencing violence over time and so we support grassroots organizing families and people coming together and organizing to address this issue and the other part that is important is the intersectionality of this, right? So the things that happen to the land happen to our bodies, the things that happen to the water happened to our bodies and we know that we have to protect the sacred right? Defend all things sacred, including our lands, our waters and our bodies. We know that the same values of extraction, the practices of non-consent.Those are the things that permeate into lands, being stolen and bodies being harmed and so we work to undo that work and we see the intersectionality of protecting our lands our waters and our bodies and specifically at Native Movement. Again, there’s grassroots organizing across the state. We train up people to learn how to organize and how to take action on the issues that they’re facing in their communities.

What are some of the challenges faced by Indigenous communities in addressing the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals?

The first thing that comes to mind is just the heavy grief, right? As communities as indigenous peoples, we have faced and gone through intergenerational, many forms of grief and loss through the impacts and from the impacts of colonization, both historically and ongoing and those that are most impacted are often people of color and feminine identifying people, so that would be indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people. So the heaviness of grief and processing grief I think is one of the most challenging parts, but I think the most important part of this work is also intergenerational healing. We’re learning to come together, we’re learning and passing on our ways of healing. We’re reclaiming ways that are that things that were stolen from our peoples. And we’re using that to heal and come together and we’re becoming stronger together and we’re recreating our systems of care. That’s another piece of this work. There were so many ways that are families and communities were woven together in a way where it kept us safe. And through the impacts of colonization, those things were stolen or they were banned or they were criminalized, right? And we’re starting to reclaim those things, our language, our crafts, our arts, our so many things being on the land, our plant knowledge, and those are the things that keep us well and bring us back together.

So there are many many hard challenges being faced by indigenous communities and the issue of addressing MMIWTS, but also I think the biggest thing is that we should also acknowledge and talk about the ways that we are intergenerationally healing together collectively through this work. And I think that that’s a important piece that we should be sharing more and saying what we’re doing. What is our strategies for healing, not just for addressing injustice, right? But what are the ways that we are caring for one another and becoming stronger through this work? Right.

In what ways does the intersectionality of gender, race, and culture impact the experiences of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals in the context of violence and injustice?

We know that intersectionality is really important to talk about in many framings of injustices because we are not singular mono people, no one is right. We are multifaceted. We have intersectional identities. And when it comes to violence, we know that people of color and feminine-identifying people, women, girls and two spirit, people are the ones who face the highest impact because we’re targeted, right? Those are the identities in a dominant society in Western society that are targeted and whose power have been taken. And so when we talk about intersectionality of gender, race and culture and violence, we know that we need to acknowledge that these things come together in our lived experiences, we embody these differences. And then we also see unfortunately that these identities are the ones that face higher injustices. And that the root causes of these issues are because Western society colonization targeted these powerful identities being feminine and being too spirit.

And you know, those were not areas or identities that were less than anyone else in our indigenous communities. And that became a threat to outside, into white supremacy and outsiders, right? And so those are the groups that we know were then targeted and broken apart in efforts of colonization. But as we all know, we are still here, we are still here. And so indigenous women, girls and two spirit individuals and in our communities, those are the ones who are often still carrying this work. We still exist. And these are the people who also should be on the front lines of doing this work and leading to solutions because we are the most impacted. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need allies, right? We need everybody. It doesn’t mean that they should brunt the burden of the work. But that, that is the leadership that should be supported when addressing this work. And I think intersectionality and talking about that is so important so that we can see the many lenses and the many ways that we are impacted by this. I think the other part besides intersectionality of identity is also that this issue is not singular, right? The violences that we face are not just gender-based violences, they are related to climate justice, and environmental justice, right? Overmilitarization in our communities. So we can also use the word intersectionality to not just understand issues that impact different identities and that intersectionality of who we are as human beings. But also on a societal level of seeing these as intersectional issues that are being disproportionately faced also by indigenous communities and often feminine identifying people.

What actions can individuals and communities take to support MMIWG2S awareness and justice?

There are so many, you know, a lot of people often ask, well, I’m not in a working group or I don’t work at an org that does this and there is still room for everybody to be a part of the solution. When we talk about systemic issues, that means that we need systemic solutions and that means we need everyone in every sector doing their part, right? So one of the things I let people know is what are your skills and talents is, you know, what are your skills and talents? Can you donate those skills and talents to an event? You know, can you raise funds and donate them using your arts and crafts, you know, or maybe, you know, you have legal background, how can you help with the analysis of this and give that to the movement as well. And so there’s lots of different ways that people can come together. We also really encourage people. We try to share out the work that we do so that communities can do it too. You know, maybe they’re at the place where they wanna do an awareness walk or maybe they want to do a city resolution or some kind of recognition initiative. You know, we’re more than happy to share what that look like in other communities so that they can pick up where their community is at and support them where they’re at and even doing things like crafting circles where people can come together and just have a good healthy healing event. So there’s so many ideas and really the the thing is is that we need everyone to be a part of the solution. We need to support local efforts and tribal initiatives, whether that’s things happening in your specific tribe or in your region and voting, right? We need people, we need to be voting people into elected positions, who will take a strong stance on this, who will stand up against violence, who are going to make sure that there’s protections in place, right? So there’s many things that can be done from voting to community organizing to donations. So yeah, there’s lots of ways that people can be involved and take action on this issue.

Looking ahead, what are some of the key initiatives or actions needed to create meaningful change and address the systemic issues contributing to the disproportionately high rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people?

There has been so much initiative being taken from Turtle Island from Canada to the Lower 48 to here in Alaska, and we’re really starting to connect that issue and raise awareness and take action. And yes, there is so much more that needs to be done Here in Alaska, one of the big is, is having noncompetitive annual, renewed funding for our tribal justice systems, right? Those are not, that’s not guaranteed and secured year to year. So that’s a big one, you know, to also just increase knowledge and awareness of gender-expansive people. What does gender-based violence mean? Why does it disproportionately impact women, girls, two-spirit people, gender expansive people and making sure that that’s known, you know, so we need and how do we protect that group of people as well, right? So there’s some narrative pieces and better understanding at a societal level of gender justice and then of course, like a huge one. We need more direct services for survivor families. Plain and simple. There’s some amazing work being done out there. There’s lots of,, service providers that are being overworked that they simply cannot meet the high amount of cases that continue to happen. This is not just a historical issue, it’s ongoing and our systems are being over flooded. Right. So we need more direct services and more funding, to ensure that we’re supporting survivor families as well. Of course, I can’t not mention data. You know, there’s lots of room for data sovereignty and supporting tribal da data sovereignty with where they’re at so that we have the information needed to self determine change, right? That’s gonna look different community to community, tribe, to tribe. but plain and simple, we’re always going to need the inform, accurate information to inform and self determine the change that we want to see. And then of course, you know, we can’t do this work, we can’t keep demanding action and lead with fire all the time, right? We need to do it in a healing-centered way. We need to pause and take care of one another. We need to keep gathering in good spaces and doing healing activities, meet each other with compassion, humility, work together and really just start recreating collective healing spaces where we’re recreating systems of care. Those are some of the reasons we have. This is we’ve become so many things are independent or siloed or torn apart. Right. And we’re coming back together and creating those ceremonies, caring for one another. And I think that that is we can’t do any of this work unless we continue to be on our healing path and uplift one another. And just care for one another in a good way as we do this. And so there’s many strategic things, there’s policy things, there’s research things. But none of that is going to be sustainable unless we pause and care for each other and that we reinstate healing justice and that we’re creating systems of care in our communities, so lots to be done. But I think we’re on the right pathway.

In a world brimming with heroes and adventures, there are tales that spring from the deepest roots of culture, echoing the timeless wisdom of generations. The Chickaloonies comic series stands as a testament to Indigenous representation, drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of traditional Athabascan legends. Delving into the origins of Chickaloonies, the RIVR spoke with 80% Studio Owner Dimi Macheras on his journey to weave new narratives in ancient teachings. Explore the captivating genesis of Chickaloonies and the creative vision behind its endearing characters, offering a glimpse into the vibrant landscape of Alaska’s storytelling tradition.

What inspired you to create the Chickaloonies comic series?

I grew up hearing traditional Athabascan legends from my Grandma (Patricia Wade). Some of my earliest memories are being captivated by the way she would make funny voices for the different characters and it painted pictures in my mind at an early age. Around the beginning of the pandemic, my 80% Studios co-creator, Casey Silver and I were exploring ideas for a new story. We had been self-publishing comic books for 10 years at that point. Our subject matter up until then was mostly science-fiction, action/adventure & cyberpunk. My Ahtna-Athabascan heritage has always been a source of inspiration for me so we began discussing the possibility of an Alaska Native themed story. I knew I didn’t want to retell old stories, but instead come up with new legends based in the themes and values of those old tales called “Ya Ne Dah Ah”, which means ‘ancient teachings’. That was the basis for what would become Chickaloonies.

Could you tell us a bit about the origin story of the Chickaloonies and how you developed the characters?

Actually the characters came first! During a conversation between Casey and I at a coffee shop here in Seattle (where we are based), 2 funny things occurred. I made the observation as I was sending a text that “They should make a Sasquatch emoji”, and  immediately recognized what a cool name for a character that would be. Mere moments later a very loud, angry man out front was causing a big ruckus, screaming and shouting. Casey said “Wow, Mister Yelly out there”, and BOOM, just like that these 2 characters basically just dropped into our world! I wrote the names down, and soon began sketching designs. It wouldn’t be another 5 years until we began creating the world of Chickaloonies which would feature these 2 best friends. Sasquatch E. Moji who only speaks in pictures and emojis, and Mister Yelly who just like his name communicates with words and speech. These are exaggerated versions of Casey and I, who use WORDS and PICTURES to tell stories. Just like us, they want to be THE GREATEST STORYTELLERS IN THE WORLD! To round out the cast, the boys’ Grandma is central to the book. She’s the Village Elder, knowledge-keeper and Storyteller, and she’s instilled a great love of stories in Moji and Yelly. I based her off my own, late Grandma, Katherine Wade as a way to keep her memory alive. 

What challenges did you face when bringing the Chickaloonies to life, and how did you overcome them?

I really wanted to explore what it means to be a Native Storyteller in a fictional, fantastical world, but reflected off the Graphic Novel medium. Representation is so important, and while I’m not the first person to make an Indigenous themed ‘comic book’, we wanted Chickaloonies to be something fresh that is uniquely Ahtna/Athabascan, but can be enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and ages. We are so fortunate to have the insight and Cultural knowledge of my cousin and fellow artist, Melissa Shaginoff. She offers a different perspective to this book which elevates it beyond a fun, Alaskan manga, to a new way of conveying and exploring the richness of our Cultural Heritage. We wanted to make something for Alaskan kids, both Indigenous and non-Native, that celebrates Cultural awareness but not in a preachy or heavy-handed manner. One major evolution of the way we share our stories came when we embarked on the release tour of the first book. We created a ‘Live Storytelling Experience’ complete with music and animation. Casey dresses as one of the characters from the book and tells one of our all-new Ya Ne Dah Ah stories, while I trigger an animated, multimedia slideshow. This became central to what Chickaloonies represents: A continuation of the ancient tradition of storytelling. It really allowed us to connect with our fans in a new way that not only entertains, but enriches the experience of reading the book. Making an Indigenous graphic novel about 2 young storytellers had now come full circle, connecting with the age-old art of storytelling which inspired me as a young child, and passing that on the the next generation.

How do you see the Chickaloonies fitting into the wider comic book landscape?

Chickaloonies is the first time we’ve ever reached this level of success. We were always happy to table at comic conventions and sell a few comics. With the release of the 2nd volume ‘Watering Ways’ we have gained a wonderful fan base as well as new readers hopping on the adventure every day. The true foundation of this story is Alaska. For most of our career as 80% Studios we always strived to break into the comic book industry. We self-published everything, and never gave up on creating our own stories, which isn’t typically how you break into the industry. Usually you do work for hire, or pitch your work to an editor for a shot to work on a pre-established title. With Chickaloonies we’ve linked in with this incredible network of Alaskan-based Tribal organizations, libraries, schools and book shops. It’s allowed for us to keep our focus on continuing working on this ongoing series, all without the support of a Publisher. We really want Chickaloonies to be a uniquely ALASKAN story. Just how Japan and Europe have very richly defined comic book cultures, we envision a similar culture for Alaska. There are so many incredible artists and storytellers who hail from all the richly diverse communities there. Sasquatch E Moji and Mister Yelly are just our local avatars primed to meet up and crossover with other potential characters who call Alaska home. 

What’s the most rewarding part of creating comics for you?

Creating our own stories and having the creative freedom to expand the world these characters exist in keeps me passionate about making comics. It took me a long time to get comfortable drawing sequential art, and I owe a lot of that to my collaboration with Casey. While we have different skill sets and talents, we focus on every creative aspect of Chickaloonies as though we are one mind. It really elevates the work and makes so much possible in terms of our method of production. We level up with each book we do, and just like I tell aspiring artists who attend our ‘Words & Pictures Storytelling Workshops’, “the more you practice, the better you get, and the more fun you have doing it.” 80% Studios got its name as a bit of a joke, after a failed attempt at a job for Nickelodeon. Our peers and fellow comic artists would always say we were “80% there, but not quite”. When it came time to brand ourselves, we leaned into it and took on the name as a badge of honor. But over the years the meaning has come more into focus. It’s less about being 80% good enough, but more about our journey as storytellers. Like they say – it’s not about the destination. 80% represents this point in our story where we are confident in our work, but are always looking to refine our skills and continue learning to become better at what we do. We have a long story planned out for Chickaloonies, and every time a piece of that story becomes real in the pages of the book, THAT’s what’s most rewarding to me.

What advice would you give to aspiring Native comic book creators who are just starting?

First off, don’t let anybody tell you that you aren’t good enough, or that you can’t do it. You CAN and YOU MUST! Storytelling and living a life of art is something I will never trade for anything. No 2 people are on the same timeline so don’t compare yourself to others. There will always be some younger, more talented hotshot that will make you question your abilities, but it’s important to allow that to inspire and motivate you. Comic books are more than pictures or words…they are STORIES, and thats the most important thing to know about this amazing medium. You might not be the best artist or writer in the world, but if you can weave words and pictures together in a way that tells your story, you can truly make an impact. I’m still trying to better understand this about comics and the sooner you do, the better. Make your own stories and characters! There’s already way too many Spider-Man or Naruto comics out there. The world needs new characters, and new stories! I learned from my Grandma, and she gave me so much inspiration to draw our traditional stories when I was younger. I suggest connecting with Elders and culture-bearers to learn more about your own cultural identity.

We all create ourselves in our chosen creative medium, so ask yourself “who am I and how do I see the world…how does the world see me?” Our ancestors passed down knowledge and traditions, so what better way to express them than in a comic book! Also related to that, consider collaborating with someone. I was so lucky to meet Casey, someone who’s passion for creating stories matches my own. We wouldn’t be where we are without our commitment to 80% Studios over the years. We’ve found that being able to bounce ideas off one another from every angle of our process makes the end product SO much better. Having someone to keep you on task and excited can make such a huge benefit. Finally, I’d say don’t hold out for perfection. Many of us want to render, refine, and rework our art over and over trying to get it to be perfect. The real mastery comes from creating something as best you can, and sharing it with others, even though it might be scary. Merely finishing a comic story is a huge achievement, and being able to look back on your work from different angles will really push you to want to start your next project as soon as possible. You’ll be more eager to put into practice all the new knowledge you’ve gained from seeing a project through to the finish. That’s a long answer, but such an important question!