May 5th: Official Day of Remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

I first became aware of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement after reading KA Cobell’s debut novel Looking for Smoke. Then the news broke of the discovery of the remains of missing 14 year old Emily Pike, a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, from her group home and the questions started. Also more and more reels and videos about the movement filled my social media. As I listened to the stories, my heart dropped, broken and feeling powerless. Sisters, mothers, wives, daughters have gone missing without clear answers and many families are still waiting. To say “I can’t imagine the anguish” feels too weak. I would be going out of my mind if one of my daughters went missing without a trace and to feel that no one cared would be beyond devastating. I felt angry and powerless, unsure of what I could do to bring awareness. I did what I know best, did some research and decided to write on this topic. 

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women movement has its roots in Canada, forming in 2015 (Native Hope). With the hashtag NOMORESTOLENSISTERS, a movement was born and growing as more and more individuals said enough is enough. And enough is enough! There are two important dates for this movement. February 14th is the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women National Day of Action and Awareness. It is a day for a call to action to raise awareness about the disproportionate violence faced by Indigenous women and two-spirit people, and to demand justice for those who have been lost. May 5 is the official day for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. This day serves as a time for remembrance, advocacy, and raising awareness. This day is also known as Red Dress Day. Many participants will hang a red dress in public view in support and for public awareness. The red hand symbol in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women logo is highly important. The red hand symbolizes the connection between the physical world and the spiritual world (Native Hope). Indigenous People believe the dead can see red. By wearing red, they believe they can invoke the help of their ancestors and spiritual guides.  

The statistics alone make my blood run cold. According to the National Crime Information Center, there are 5,712 reports of missing Indigenous women and girls (Native Hope). The murder rate is ten times higher than the national average for women living on reservations and murder is the third leading cause of death for Native women. 56.1% of Indigenous woman will experience sexual violence in their lifetime with 55.5% will be physically abused by their inimate partners (Native Women Wilderness). While women and girls are the primary victims, sadly, they are not alone. 82% of Indigenous men, boys, infants and elderly will be victims of violence in their lifetime. Native children are more likely to experience trauma and abuse than their Non-Native peers (Native Hope). Despite these statistics, there still is widespread silence and lack of media exposure. 

Why is there widespread silence on this issue? First, and most infuriating, is the ongoing stereotypes of Native American that perpetuate injustice. Stereotypes that Natives, especially on the reservations, are lazy, drunkards and addicts. These stereotypes hinder the search process as it is seen as the victims’ fault or a non-issue. Vanessa Brousseau, a digital creator and artist with Resilient Inuk Creations, reported her sister, Pam, missing in 2003, was told by the local police that her sister most likely ran off to become a prostitute (Tungasuvingat Inuit, 2021). What was their reasoning? They found intimate photos on Pam’s computer. So intimate photos equals becoming a prostitute! Ms. Brousseau was understandably upset and angered by this statement. I was, too, as I listened to her tell this story. Second, coordination problems between agencies. This is further complicated by reporting policies and jurisdictional communication complications. Despite the increasing interjurisdictional communication, coordination about missing person cases of Indigenous individuals is lacking. Third, the lack of media coverage perpetuates the silence on Indigenous issues. If it wasn’t for the growing social media digital creator, I wouldn’t know about this issue either and wouldn’t be writing this post today. 

Since its inception, the movement has gained political attention. In 2019, the White House officially designated May 5th as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. Also in 2019, Executive Order 13898, Operation Lady Justice, created a task force for murdered and missing Native peoples. The task force was set to address the concerns of the Indigenous communities in the US as well as establish cold case teams, improve investigative responses and data collection (Native Women Wilderness). Savanna’s Act became law in 2019 which requires the Department of Justice to review, revise and develop policies and protocols to address murdered and missing Indigenous persons cases (Department of Justice). The Not Invisible Act was signed into law in 2020, a federal bill, which forms a committee of law enforcement, tribal authorities, federal partners and more to study and discuss solutions to the murdered and missing Indigenous people cases and to establish better systems of coordination between agencies (Department of Justice). In May 2022, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico) announced “the full membership of the Commission, composed of federal and non-federal members with a diverse range of experiences, expertise, and perspectives” (Department of Justice). 

In conclusion, the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is not just a Native American issue. It is an issue that we all should be heartbroken for and help bring awareness. There are countless families who are waiting and wondering where their loved ones are. There are mothers wondering, worryingly, where their daughters are and sadly, some pass away, never learning of their loved ones fate. We can help by learning the stories, supporting the artists and activists who are working tirelessly to bring these women’s stories to light. And if even one woman is found and brought back home to their families, that is a victory worth celebrating. I pray that every missing Indigenous woman is brought home. I pray that every murdered Indigenous woman finds peace and justice. And I pray that every Indigenous person lives a life without violence and abuse. It seems like such a small thing but I hope that this post helps bring more people to this movement and shines a light on these horrible events. 

Sources

Native Hope. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). https://www.nativehope.org/missing-and-murdered-indigenous-women-mmiw/. Retrieved April 28, 2025.

Native Women Wilderness. MURDERED & MISSING  INDIGENOUS WOMEN. https://www.nativewomenswilderness.org/mmiw. Retrieved April 28. 2025

Resilient Inuk Creations. https://resilientinukcreations.ca/. Retrieved April 29, 2025.

Tungasuvingat Inuit (2021). Vanessa’s Story.  https://youtu.be/E8zeNp-sO70?si=AY2PmSS-eZNB4K37. Retrieved April 29, 2025. 

U.S. Department of Justice. Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons. https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip. April 28, 2025.