BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2022 A5
OREGON
Indigenous assault survivor empowers
other traumatized women through strength
BY BRYCE DOLE AND ZACK DEMARS
The Bulletin
Indigenous domestic violence
advocate Desireé Coyote endured
struggles at nearly every turn in her
life, like so many Indigenous women
in Oregon have. It could have ru-
ined her life. She refused to let that
happen.
Her determination and strength
to find her voice, and help others
find theirs have served as an inspi-
ration. Coyote’s story, told through
hours of interviews and documents,
reveal how years of trauma and sys-
temic failures drove her to fight for
survivors like her. To understand it,
you have to go back to the begin-
ning.
Coyote, now 62, grew up in
Sweetwater, a single-block, unincor-
porated town on the Nez Perce Res-
ervation in North Idaho.
The family moved into a two-
story home there when Coyote was
3 years old, and when she and her
nine siblings arrived, the children
were thrilled to see a swing set and
merry-go-round in the backyard.
In school, a two-mile walk away,
Coyote took up softball and wrestled
on the boy’s team. “Not that I could
compete,” she said, “but I could
practice with them.”
Though Sweetwater was on res-
ervation land, Coyote recalls see-
ing few Native Americans like her
around town. She grew up learning
little of the customs, traditions or
ceremonies of her people. Her fa-
ther, Clifford Allen Sr., a Army vet-
eran of many trades, worked under
Idaho Governor Cecil Andrus. As a
member of the Idaho State Human
Rights Commission, his focus was
revamping education around tribal
Desiree Coy-
ote lets her
thoughts roam
as she stands on
June 10, 2022,
near the spot
on the Umatilla
Indian Reserva-
tion where her
ex-husband as-
saulted her after
kidnapping her
from her home at
the time in Mis-
sion, according to
a police report.
nations in Idaho, Coyote said. But
during childhood, he taught her:
“It’s a white man’s world, you gotta
learn the white man’s ways.”
Her father eventually started a re-
lationship with Coyote’s aunt. When
Coyote was 3, her aunt became her
abuser, she said.
When Coyote was 7, her father
kicked her mother out of the house.
It would be nearly a decade before
Coyote would see her mom again.
Meanwhile, Coyote’s relationship
with her aunt soured. To avoid her,
Coyote began doing her chores early
in the morning and would stay at
school late after athletics. “It wasn’t safe
Coyote knew from a young age
that she needed to escape her home.
The escape she got would be a turn-
ing point in her life.
At age 14, her father surprised her
again and shipped her off for a sum-
mer at Chemawa Indian School in Sa-
lem, the oldest continuously operated,
federally run American Indian board-
ing school in the U.S. In the 19th cen-
tury, these schools were established
across the country with the goal of
eradicating Indigenous cultures and
assimilating Native Americans into
the white, Christian man’s society.
To Coyote, the school was “odd.”
There were few staff, none of whom
she recalls being Native American,
despite the many Indigenous stu-
dents.
See Survivor / A6
See Women / A6
Boarding school
An Independent
Insurance Agency
Associates
Reed & Associates
for for
vice
Medicare, Auto,
Home Insurance
and Annuities
excellent service
LOCALLY!
10106 N N. ‘C’ • Island City
541-975-1364
BY BRYCE DOLE
AND ZACK DEMARS
The Bulletin
No one story can encapsulate the
trauma that Indigenous survivors of
domestic and sexual violence have
endured.
But taken together, the stories of
three Indigenous survivors in Ore-
gon show what it means to forgive,
to raise a child in a painful world, to
find the strength to keep fighting, to
build a community and find a home.
Shaped in isolation by the trau-
matic events they faced, their sto-
ries are linked by one woman who
helped them find their voice and
inspired them not only to press on
through their pain but to bring other
survivors with them. A growing
body of research shows that Native
Americans nationwide endure dis-
proportionately high rates of vio-
lence.
The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention says nearly half of all
Native American women have suf-
fered physical or sexual violence A
separate Justice Department report
found that 1 in 3 Indigenous women
have been raped or experienced an
attempted rape — more than twice
the national average.
While the national research indi-
cates high rates of violence on tribal
land nationwide, official crime statis-
tics from authorities in Oregon paint
a murky picture at best.
Federal statistics obtained from
the FBI’s Summary Reporting Sys-
tem contain violent crime data from
just one tribal police department
in Oregon — Umatilla — prior to
2006.
Kathy Aney/
for Underscore
for me at home, with her,” Coyote said.
One day, when Coyote was 10, her
aunt stormed into her room, furi-
ous that she had found blood in the
bathroom. She accused Coyote of
being on her period and scolded her
for making a mess. Coyote replied
that it wasn’t her. She began hitting,
punching, slapping and pushing Coy-
ote. For the first time, Coyote fought
back. Then, Coyote’s older sister
jumped off their bunk bed and “got
involved.” They never fought again.
When the abuse from her aunt
ended, her dad returned from a
work trip. For the first time, he hit
her. She was surprised, and the
abuse escalated quickly. One day, he
thrust her head into a wall, scraping
her scalp against a nail, creating a
scar that remains on the back of her
head.
Indigenous
women tell
stories of violence
and recovery
Toll Free 1-866-282-1925 www.reedinsurance.net
ance.net
Baker
Baker
County
County
CHURCH
CHURCH
DIRECTORY
DIRECTORY
AGAPE AG
CHRISTIAN
CHRIS
CENTER CENT
Sunday Services Sunda
10:00 am & 6:30 10:00
pm am
South Highway South
7, H
Bak
Baker City
541-523-6586 541-523-
SEVENTH-DAY
SEVENTH-DAY SAINT
FIRST FIRS
SAINT
ADVENTIST ADVENTIST ALPHONSUS ALPHONSUS
LUTHERAN
LUTHE
HOSPITAL CHAPEL
HOSPITAL CHAPEL
EARLY
GATHERING
EARLY WORSHIP
GATHERING CHURCH CHURCH
GATHERING
WORSHIP
GATHERING
Sunday School 10 Sunday
am
School 10 WORSHIP
am WORSHIP
CHURCH CHUR
Elkhorn Baptist
Elkhorn Baptist
Church
Church
8:30 AM
8:30 AM
AM
10:00
AM
Morning Worship Morning
11 am Worship 11 am 10:00
Saturday Worship
Saturday Worship
Service at 10 Service
am
at
Open to all patients,
Open to all patients,
WORSHIP GATHERING
SECOND WORSHIP GATHERING
Evening Worship 6 Evening
pm
Worship 6 SECOND
pm
Harvest Cafe Open Harvest Cafe Open 11:00 am
Live
Streaming
on
Live
Stream
family
and
friends
family
for
and
friends
for
11:00 am
10:30 AM
10:30 AM
Discovery Kids Worship
Discovery Kids Worship
AM
- 9:50
AM
AM
- 9:50
Facebo
Harvest 9:00
Cafe open
30 minutes
before
Harvest
each 9:00
service
Cafe open
30 minutes
before AM
each service
reflection and prayer.
reflection and prayer. Facebook
6:30 pm
6:30 pm
3720 Birch St, Baker City 3720 Birch St, Baker City
www.bakercitysda.com
www.bakercitysda.com
1734 Third Street, Baker
1734
City
Third Stree
541-523-4233 17th & Pocahontas, Baker
3520 Birch St, Baker
3520
City
Birch St, Baker City 541-523-4233
17th &
City
Pocahontas, Baker
City
St. Alphonsus
Hospital
St. Alphonsus
in
Hospital in 541-523-3922
541-523-3
www.BakerCityHarvest.org
www.BakerCityHarvest.org
541-523-4332
541-523-4332
541-523-4913
541-523-4913
Baker City
Baker City firstlutheranbakercity@gmail.com
firstlutheranbakercit
BRIGID
St. Francis De St. Francis
St. De
Stephen’s St. Stephen’s ST. BRIGID’S IN ST. THE
CHRISTIAN
PINES
COMMUNITY
PINES
COMM
United
Sales Cathedral
Sales Cathedral
Episcopal Episcopal
SCIENCE CHURCH
SCIENCE CHURCH
Daily Masses:
Daily Masses:
CHURCH
CHURC
Methodist
M, T, Th, F 9 am
M, T, Th, F 9 am
Churches Sunday Service Sunday Service
Day Chapel in Cathedral Day Chapel in Cathedral
11:30 a.m. Services
11:30 a.m. S
Wed Daily Mass 9 am
Wed Daily Mass 9 am
Services at 9 am
Services at 9 am
at
St.
Alphonsus
Chapel
at
St.
Alphonsus
Chapel
Baker UMC, 1919 2nd St, Baker
at 11am
UMC, 1919 2nd St, at 11am 10:00 am
1st & 3rd Sunday
1st & 3rd S
10:00 am
1st Chapel
& 3rd Sundays, Holy Eucharist
1st & 3rd Sundays, Holy Eucharist
Sat 8 am at Day Chapel
Sat 8 am at Day
Baker & Haines
United
Methodist
Churches
Baker & Haines CHRISTIAN
Established
1904
Haines UMC, 814 Robert Haines
St, at 9am
UMC, 814 Robert St, at 9am
Established
1904
Holy Eucharist Holy Euc
2nd 6 &
2nd Prayer
& 4th Sundays, Morning Prayer
Baker City Saturday Mass 6 Baker
pm City Saturday Mass
pm 4th Sundays, Morning
To join us on Zoom email To join us on Zoom email
www.ChristianScience.com
www.ChristianScience.com
Baker City Sunday Mass 9:30 Baker
am City Sunday Mass 9:30 5th
am Sunday, Morning Prayer 5th Sunday, Morning Prayer
(541)
(541)
bakerumc@thegeo.net bakerumc@thegeo.net
St. Therese in Halfway 2 pm St.
Sat Therese in Halfway 2 pm Sat
East Auburn Stre
2177
First Street • Baker
2177
City First Street • Baker East
City Auburn Street, Sumpter
and the link will be emailed and
to the
you link will be emailed to you
St. Anthony's in North Powder
St. Anthony's in North Powder
541-523-4812
541-523-4
3rd & Washington, Baker
3rd &
City
Washington, Baker City 11:30 Sun
Entrance on 1st Street Entrance on 1st Street
11:30 Sun
or follow us on Facebook or follow us on Facebook
A Mission of St. Stephen's Episcopal
A Mission of St. Steph
Streets Church & First Streets
541-523-5911
541-523-5911
541-523-4521
541-523-4521 Corner Church & First Corner
Church in Baker City
Church in Bak
Pastor Michele Holloway Pastor Michele Holloway
Corner of First & Church, Baker
Corner
City
of First & Church, Baker City 541-523-4812
THE CHURCH OF
THE CHURCH OF
FIRST
FIRST JESUS
CHRIST JESUS
OF
CHRIST OF
LATTER-DAY SAINTS
LATTER-DAY SAINTS
PRESBYTERIAN
PRESBYTERIAN
9 - 11 - Baker City 1st Ward 9 - 11 - Baker City 1st Ward
10:30 - 12:30 - Baker City
10:30
2nd Ward
- 12:30 - Baker City 2nd Ward
CHURCH CHURCH
Noon - 2 - Baker Valley Ward Noon - 2 - Baker Valley Ward
AM
AM
Sunday Worship
9:45am
Sunday Worship
9:45am
Sunday School
8:30am
Sunday School 541-523-3891
9 AM Sunday School
Worship Service
8:30am 10 AM Mondays
AM
PM
AM
PM
541-523-4812
Third & Broadway
541-523-3891
Third & Broadway
Sundays
Third & Broadwa
Sunday
541-523-3891
9 AM Sunday
10 AM W
Monda
First Service 8:30 am First Service 8:30 Sunday
am
Worship Sunday
Service Worship Service
6:30 - 8 PM
6:30 - 8 P
Coffee
is
9:15
AM
-
9:45
AM
Coffee
is
9:15
AM
-
9:45
AM
Family History Center
Family History Center
2nd Service & Sunday 2nd
School
Service & Sunday School 10:30 am
Baker Teens Underground
Baker Teens Un
10:30 am
Everything Free
Everything Free
Wednesdays
Wednesd
Pastor
Troy
Teeter
Pastor
Troy
Teeter
5:30-6:30 PM Dinner & Prayer
5:30-6:30
Time PM Dinner
Tues & Fri 1-4 PM
Tues & Fri 1-4 PM
4th Street, Baker
1995
City
4th Street, Baker City
1250 Hughes Lane, Baker
1250 City
Hughes Lane, Baker City
Jr. High & High School
Jr. Youth
High & High School 1995
Youth
Thursdays
Thursda
Wed & Thurs 10 AM - 1 PM
Wed & Thurs 10 AM - 1 PM
(Corner of Cedar & Hughes)
(Corner of Cedar & Hughes)
541-523-5201
541-523-5201
5 - 6 PM Free Community
5 - Dinner
6 PM Free Com
Tues 6:30 pm
Tues 6:30 pm
Wed Evenings 5-8 PM Wed Evenings 5-8 PM
6 - 7 PM Celebrate Recovery
6 - 7 PM Celebra
firstpresbaker.blogspot.com
firstpresbaker.blogspot.com
541-523-3533
541-523-3533
Youth Pastor Silas Moe Youth Pastor Silas Moe
2625 Hughes Lane, Baker 2625
City Hughes Lane, Baker City
www.bakernaz.com
www.bakernaz.com
675 Hwy 7, Baker City • 541-523-5425
675 Hwy 7, Baker City • 541-523-5425
541-523-2397
541-523-2397
bakercalvarybaptist.com bakercalvaryba
Sunday Worship Sunday Worship
10:00 am
PM
EVERYONE WELCOME
PM
EVERYONE WELCOME
10:00 am
The church directory The
is published
church directory
once monthly.
is published
Information
once monthly.
for this Information
directory is for
provided
this directory
by participating
is provided
churches,
by participating
please call churches,
541-523-3673
please for
call more
541-523-3673
information.
for more informati
Thank you to the
Thank
participating
you to the churches
participating
and these
churches
sponsors:
and these sponsors:
Whelan Electric, Whelan
Inc. Electric, Inc. Cliff’s Saws & Cliff’s
Cycles Saws & Cycles
523-5756 • CCB 103032
523-5756 • CCB 103032
2619 Tenth • 523-2412
2619 Tenth • 523-2412 1950 Place • 523-4300
1950 Place • 523-4300
1500 Dewey • 523-3677
1500 Dewey • 523-3677