DALLAS — Frantz Beasley began his walk, My Sister’s Keeper Walk, in Los Angeles in May to create awareness for cases of murdered, missing and trafficked women of color.

According to the House Oversight Committee, missing women and girls of color is a silent epidemic. In 2020, 40% of those reported missing were women and girls of color.

Beasley began his mission to bring awareness to the disparity after seeing the staggering statistic. But his passion began when he saw the disappearance of two siblings. It was the story of Ashlynne Mike, 11, and Ian Mike, 9. The two were kidnapped in New Mexico from the Navajo reservation. That struck a chord in him. The story hit home. At the time, he had two children the same age.

“As a father, to think that the little brother, at that time, having to experience to see his sister taken right in front of him and to realize she wasn’t coming back,” said Beasley. “To be in his shoes for just five seconds to understand what it must be like.”

He thought of Ian for years, and this year he was invited to join Ashlynne Mike’s family for their fourth annual walk in her memory. Beasley was able to meet Ian, who survived.

“I actually had the privilege of meeting the young man who's now 15, and just to be able to say some encouraging words to him,” Beasley said.

He adds that his walk is not just to bring awareness to the disparity, but also to create dialogue and listen. Beasley stopped in Dallas earlier in the week and was joined by the organization Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Texas Rematriate.

With temperatures well over 100 degrees, it was a small but mighty group. They held signs of those who continue to be missing and women who have been killed, yet their killers have not been convicted.

Phylliss Nuno walked alongside Beasley. For the first time, she spoke publicly about her cousin and cousin’s children's murder.

“My cousin’s name is Aaron. It’s his children and his ex-wife,” Nuno told Spectrum News 1. “I want closure for him. He’s struggling and so is my aunt. The closure can’t begin until he [the killer] is convicted.”

Malachi Maxon was charged with four counts of first-degree murder but has not been convicted.

“I personally feel like there’s no justice for any women relatives of color,” Nuno said.

Beasley hopes he can change that by bringing these issues to the forefront and starting conversations.

“It’s like Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, it’s not enough to just know about something. You have to do something about it. That’s the responsibility all of us have,” Beasley said.

He will stop in Houston and Baton Rouge next before continuing to New York.