By Andrew Hay

TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) – Pepita Redhair, a 27-year-old Navajo woman who dreamt of becoming an engineer and loved skateboarding, was last seen https://www.facebook.com/IndianCountrysMissing/posts/pepita-redhair-has-been-missing-from-albuquerque-new-mexico-since-march-27-2020h/1453162814865272 in March 2020 walking with her boyfriend in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Redhair was reported missing by the local media. According to Anita King, her mother, detectives claimed they had run out of leads.

Following the international attention gained by Gabby Petito’s disappearance and King’s subsequent organizing of a rally in Albuquerque on Oct. 3, King (62) is seeking justice for her daughter.

King spoke from Crownpoint, New Mexico, on Friday, saying that she felt her voice was not important and her daughter didn’t matter because she is Native American.

Native American activists are helping her. They note the greater media attention Petito received, a white 22-year old woman, than missing or murdered women of color.

“It’s systemic racism, it’s the historical and inter-generational trauma that continues to perpetuate these stigmas that black and brown people are not as important as white people,” said Jolene Holgate, a director for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women https://www.csvanw.org in Albuquerque.

“I want to extend our love and prayers to the (Petito) family and I’m very happy they could get that closure and I hope that they get justice,” Holgate said after Petito’s https://www.reuters.com/world/us/search-gabby-petitos-fiance-florida-wilderness-enters-sixth-day-2021-09-23 body was found on Sunday in Wyoming. Our stories don’t seem to be getting the attention they deserve.

State studies https://wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/7713 show Native people, especially women and girls, represent a disproportionately large number of missing and murdered cases but do not get equal attention from media or law enforcement.

A December state report stated that deep-rooted racism, stereotypes about Indigenous women, and the inequal response to missing or murdered Indigenous people in Minnesota are major causes.

The first Native American U.S. cabinet Secretary, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said that Petito’s extensive media coverage was an indication of hundreds of indigenous girls and women who have been murdered or missing.

“Hopefully, the folks who are writing the news, and broadcasting the news will understand that these women are also friends, neighbors, classmates and work colleagues,” Haaland, who has set up a Native missing and murdered task force https://www.doi.gov/news/secretary-haaland-creates-new-missing-murdered-unit-pursue-justice-missing-or-murdered-american, told reporters.

Redhair’s mother King said that she had found some comfort in the support of Native American organizations and media attention for her case. This was more than 18 years after Redhair disappeared.

King stated, “It makes it feel like I am not alone.”