 Community members in Ponima gathered today to bring together awareness for the many missing and murdered Indigenous people. Lakeland News reporter Sherell Moore shows us how the event is helping family members heal. It's not something that you get, it's something that you work to get through. You've seen their names on missing posters, or right here on the news. Sometimes their families go years without figuring out what happened to their loved ones. Today's missing and murdered Indigenous people event was meant to bring awareness to a problem that's been happening for too long. There's so many of us that are being impacted and grieving and it's really important that we come together as a community and try to build each other up. Today started with a prayer and a few songs. Then people took turns speaking about their missing and murdered family members. Meanwhile, an artist painted a mural. Morrison helped plan the event. Her own daughter went missing in 1996 and was found 12 years later, buried in a cemetery under a different name. It was Christmas Eve when they brought her to us. And so on December 26, 2008, we had her wake here in Ponima. Now the handprints on this mural were created by the people who are here. But it's important to remember what they represent. They actually represent the people who not be here. I like this event because it's something that we've never addressed before because we've, of course, had missing and murdered Indigenous people for years. And so it's nice that we're finally acknowledging that and bringing it forward. Later, attendees took to the streets to march in honor of their loved ones. The day ended with food and a few more speeches to remind the community to not lose hope. The more we share stories, I think it builds our hearts back together, somewhat repairs our hearts. And I think that's what's most important is to try to put our broken hearts back together again. It does help. It does help to know that there's other people that haven't got to bury their loved ones like I haven't yet, you know. And that's the hardest part is not having closure. Reporting in Ponima, Sheryl Moore, Lakeland News. This was the first missing and murdered Indigenous people walk organizers plan to make it an annual gathering. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.