2026 NASW-SD West River Symposium "Strengthening the Circle"

Registration and check in

Welcome from organizers: Lakota Leader Helen Brings welcomes us all to Rapid City, and Ailine “Mya” Maea, MSW, will lead a Lakota song and land acknowledgment.

Two Indigenous survivors of human trafficking, one trafficked on the reservation and one in an urban setting, come together to share their perspectives on what it means to be Indigenous and experience trafficking. Through two distinct lenses, they will explore shared values and strengths, as well as the different challenges shaped by place, community, culture, and systems. This conversation centers lived experience, resilience, and the knowledge survivors bring to creating more responsive and culturally grounded support. Presented by Lea Wetzel and Jenny Footle. 1 CE

Refreshment break and networking opportunity

This session moves beyond definitions to explore how human trafficking and MMIP actually present in our communities. Participants will learn the foundations of sex and labor trafficking, examine forms of exploitation identified locally, and hear real-world examples that challenge common assumptions about what trafficking looks like. The session will then turn to Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, using data and regional context to examine the disproportionate impact on Native communities and the important role of Tribal sovereignty and jurisdiction. Along the way, presenters will highlight where trafficking and MMIP can intersect while giving participants a stronger foundation for recognizing and understanding both issues in the communities they serve. Presented by Terri Markham and Jeannie Hovland.

Lunch will be on your own. Enjoy all that Rapid City has to offer!

Hear directly from three professionals working on the ground with human trafficking and Indigenous communities in South Dakota. Panelists will share what they see in their work, the realities facing Native communities, current responses and resources, and the challenges and gaps that remain. Following a few guided questions to set the stage, the conversation will open to attendees, giving social workers and other professionals an opportunity to ask questions, learn from local experience, and better understand the work already happening across the state. Moderated by Jenny Footle, Panelists Marlys Big Eagle, Jeannie Hovland, and Rachel Foltz

Refreshment break and networking opportunity

This is the practical "now what?" session. What social workers can do differently tomorrow: approaching potential victims; asking better questions; responding to disclosures; cultural humility; relationship-building; survivor-defined goals; safety planning; working with families/kin; traditional/community supports; referrals; multidisciplinary collaboration; and avoiding practices that unintentionally recreate power and control. Presented by Lea Wetzel

Human trafficking is often approached as an individual crisis, yet Indigenous communities have long understood health, safety, and healing as collective responsibilities. This interactive session explores human trafficking through an Indigenous public health lens, emphasizing the historical, social, cultural, and structural factors that shape vulnerability and resilience. Participants will examine trafficking within the broader context of colonization, community disconnection, social determinants of health, and protective cultural strengths. Through a hands-on community and resource mapping exercise, attendees will identify local assets, relationships, and systems that support prevention and survivor well-being. The session concludes with practical, strengths-based guidance for responding when trafficking is suspected, including trauma-informed engagement strategies, partnership building, and actionable next steps for social workers and helping professionals. Participants will leave with increased understanding, concrete tools, and a framework for moving from awareness to community-centered action. Presented by Jenny Footle

Closing out the session with a performance from the Delaney Youth Drumming Group