National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG)
April 29th-May 5th has been designated as National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The MMIWG movement’s mission is to create structural change within the United States government in hopes of preventing future violence against Native people, especially women and girls.
Native women are disproportionately affected by violence across the globe. In fact, the murder rate of Native women is more than 10 times higher than the national average in some counties. The crisis of MMIWG is the culmination of a spectrum of violence perpetrated against Indigenous women—it reflects the intersection of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and many other crimes. This week-long campaign provides a process for inspiring public healing and compelling accountability for this injustice, while honoring those who have gone missing or been murdered.
Taking Action
At Tribal Tech, a large portion of our work is dedicated to providing better health, security and well-being for Native communities and individuals. We have been an influential subcontractor to Booz Allen Hamilton for the Office of Victims of Crime, Human Trafficking Capacity Building Center. Our employees were instrumental in helping assist and draft information for Operation Lady Justice.
Operation Lady Justice is Executive Order 13898, signed on November 26, 2019, to create a government task force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The name “Lady Justice” comes from artwork created by Derek Grant Smalling, an artist from Choctaw Nation. There are many other task forces that have been created in an effort to stop the violence. You can find more information from these additional sources: Tribal Advisory Groups in HHS, DOI and DOJ Fact Sheet and the Partner Task Forces and Commissions Fact Sheet.
Operation Lady Justice sunset in November of 2021, however, President Biden signed executive order 14053 on November 15, 2021. The order is titled, “Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People.” The new Executive Order will build on the work already in place by the Attorney General’s MMIP Initiative and Operation Lady Justice, and the tasks required by Savanna’s Act and the Not Invisible Act.
Just this week, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs announced the launch of their Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Webpage, as part of the Department’s Tribal Justice and Safety website, which houses other Tribal initiatives at DOJ, such as, the Tribal Access Program, grant opportunities, consultations, and several other resources for Tribes. The new MMIP webpage details DOJ’s efforts to address the disproportionately high rates of violence experienced by Native Americans and relatedly, the high rates of Indigenous persons reported missing.
How to Support the MMIW Movement
To support the MMIWG Movement, educate yourself and others. The National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC) and the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) are two organizations working for safety and sovereignty for Native women. NIWRC’s Restoration Magazine is dedicated to informing tribal leaders, advocates and communities of emerging issues impacting the safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women. Their January 2022, Special Edition on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women provides a comprehensive understanding of the crisis, the families that are affected, and how communities and individuals are organizing action for justice.
During the National Week of Action for MMIWG, take time to learn and share the information you come across. Restoration Magazine is one of many resources out there supporting the MMIWG movement.
Another way to participate is to join virtual or local events. Click here to explore virtual events created specifically for this week of action. Or you can plan your own event to support the movement.
Wear red on May 5th to support the National Day of Awareness and Action for MMIWG. Post pictures or videos of yourself wearing red with these hashtags: #MMIW, #MMIWG, #MMIWG2S, #MMIWGAWARENESS, and #MMIWGACTION.
Most importantly, use your voice to spread awareness about the movement even after the National Week of Action.
Don’t forget to practice self-care.
Remember to take care of yourself, leave room for grief, and use good coping skills to manage your mental health while engaging in MMIWG advocacy.
Here are some ways to reach out and get help if you need it:
Sometimes things are too overwhelming to deal with alone. If you need free advice from a trained counselor, simply text the word “NATIVE” to 741741
StrongHearts Native Helpline: 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483), you can connect anonymously with a Native advocate