Recently on "The Wake Up With Dee Morning Show" Host Dr. Dee Dawkins Haigler spoke with Co-Founder & COO, Black and Missing Foundation, Inc. and Co-Founder & Managing Member, BAMFI Enterprises, LLC, Natalie Wilson about their foundation’s work, the racial disparities in media coverage, and how communities can help bring missing loved ones home.
Ms. Wilson, a veteran media strategist and public relations leader with more than two decades of experience, co-founded BAMFI in 2008 to “ensure that our missing are household names too.” The nonprofit focuses on raising awareness about missing persons of color, supporting affected families, and bridging the gap between the media, law enforcement, and communities of color.
“We know the Chandra Levys, the Natalee Holloways, the Gabby Petitos, and the list goes on and on,” Ms. Wilson said during the interview. “But there are people, brown and Black people, missing from our community, and we don’t know who they are.”
According to data cited by Ms. Wilson from the FBI, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the United States each year. Roughly 40 percent of those cases involve people of color, but she believes the real numbers are higher due to underreporting and a lack of trust in law enforcement.
Ms. Wilson explained that socioeconomic factors, including race, education, and zip code, often determine how much attention a missing person’s case receives. She also pointed out that many cases involving Black youth are incorrectly classified by police as runaways, which prevents them from being issued Amber Alerts or featured prominently in the media.
“Visibility equals justice,” Ms. Wilson emphasized. “All we need is one person to come forward with information that could help find someone or bring them home.”
Beyond advocacy, BAMFI provides direct assistance to families at no cost, helping with flyer distribution, media coordination, and even funeral arrangements when cases end tragically. Ms. Wilson noted that flyers and outreach efforts are costly, making financial donations vital to the foundation’s mission.
As the holiday season approaches, BAMFI also supports children of missing parents by providing gifts and resources to bring them some comfort during an emotional time of year.
To learn more or support the Black and Missing Foundation, visit www.blackandmissinginc.com or follow @BAM_FI on social media.
To listen to the full interview, click the link above.