MISSOULA — Representatives of the "Mika Matters" movement presented a moving performance at this year's Stampede Rodeo opening night ceremony on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.
The Western Montana Fair gave a platform for Mika Matters to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).
"What if this was your child, what would you do?" Carissa Heavyrunner says as she shares this message when she is asked to speak.
"You know if you didn't feel like you got the same treatment within the justice system as everyone else," she said.
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Heavyrunner spearheads the Mika Matters movement which continues to advocate for justice for her daughter Mika Westwolf, who was hit by a car on U.S. Highway 93 in March 2023.
It's a case that is continuing through the Lake County court. Meanwhile, Heavyrunner says she will continue to spread awareness.
"It's all about education, educating the greater public about this issue and creating awareness, making as much noise as we can and keeping our loved ones' names out there so that they aren't forgotten," Heavyrunner says.
This is the second year Mika Matters has been invited to share their story at the Stampede Rodeo.
She says the movement wouldn't be possible without the support of other families who are also seeking justice for their loved ones.
"The families are the ones that are pushing this movement," she says, "because it's our children, our relative that is missing and murdered,"
Yolanda Fraser travels to numerous events to support families like Mika’s and to seek justice for her granddaughter Keysara Stops at Pretty Places who was murdered in 2019 in Big Horn County.
"We've advocated and shared her story for the last five, coming up to five years here at the end of this month," Fraser says. "And so what we do is we work with all our, we call them our family, our community. Now, our MMIWP (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People) community. And so we're here to stand with Mika Matters and help them spread awareness."
Fraser says a movement like this takes a lot of effort and she traveled 600 miles to show support.
"It's a continual challenge. But that's one of the reasons why we, we travel this far," she told MTN. "And that in itself is empowering when we can come together and be together because we understand each other and what we're going through."
"It's heartbreaking what brings us together. But despite that, it's still, you know, it's a movement led by love," Heavyrunner says.
Click here to learn more about the Mika Matters Movement.
