UAA Launches College Course on MMIP Movement

Students in Anchorage are studying the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis to gain advocacy skills for their home communities.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Native American

Gouache-painted illustration of a wooden lecture podium standing before a misty Alaskan mountain range, reflecting an academic approach to advocacy. — The University of Alaska Anchorage has introduced a specialized course designed to train students in systemic advocacy for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The University of Alaska Anchorage launched a new course this fall 2026 focused on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) movement. The curriculum teaches students how to address systemic failures and advocate for justice in their home communities.

Why it matters

By integrating academic study with real-world reporting procedures, the course empowers the next generation to combat the nationwide MMIP crisis. The program directly supports advocacy efforts following recent legislative action in Alaska.

Data for Indigenous Justice has documented 1,200 total MMIP cases, a figure that grew significantly after the 2025 report added 170 names to the 229 identified in 2021. Alaska Native people currently represent 20% of the state population but account for 44% of the incarcerated population.

The players

University of Alaska Anchorage

This public research university serves as the primary academic institution providing the new course on the MMIP movement.

Data for Indigenous Justice

This organization tracks and publishes data on missing and murdered Indigenous people to bring visibility to the crisis.

Kimberly Pace

She serves as a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and leads the effort to prepare students for community advocacy.

Kendra Kloster

She is an advocate who contributed to the class curriculum through a guest presentation held in September 2026.

The details

The course serves students majoring in Alaska Native studies or political science, featuring lectures from legal experts, journalists, and search-and-rescue teams. Curriculum activities include weekly silent reflection periods and specific instructions on how to effectively report missing persons to law enforcement and the media.

Kendra Kloster and Charlene Apok began their collaboration in 2018.
Data for Indigenous Justice produced the We Are Calling To You report in 2021.
The Alaska Legislature passed Senate Bill 151 in 2024.
A 2025 report by Data for Indigenous Justice added 170 names to its records.
Kendra Kloster delivered a guest presentation to the class in September 2026.

Culture Shift

The course follows the legislative framework established by Alaska's Senate Bill 151, which mandates cultural training for police. This educational shift reflects a broader societal move to formalize advocacy and oversight regarding the treatment of Indigenous people within the justice system.

Students from communities like Nome and Shageluk are gaining the specific tools required to navigate reporting procedures for missing persons. This academic training provides residents with actionable knowledge to better engage with law enforcement and search teams when crises arise.

The takeaway

The implementation of this course marks a transition from general awareness of the MMIP crisis to the development of specialized investigative and advocacy skills. Students are encouraged to use these structured methodologies to improve communication between their home communities and state institutions.