During November, the Native American Program and the Speel-Ya Native American Student Council unite to coordinate a series of events throughout the month, dedicated to honoring Indigenous culture and history. Additionally, the fall of 2024 will signify the 6th annual Red Dress Campaign for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). This campaign serves as an ongoing initiative to raise awareness about the national issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women. As part of the MMIW campaign, red dresses will be displayed on trees around the campus quad. Speel-Ya’s MMIW campaign will inaugurate Native American Heritage Month, observed nationwide throughout November.

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Statistics:

● 4 out of 5 of our Native women are affected by violence today. 

● The U.S Department of Justice found that American Indian women face murder rates that are more than 10 times the national average.

● Homicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among 10-24 years of age and the fifth leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women between 25 and 34 years of age. – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Homicide 

● More than 4 out of 5 Indigenous Women have experienced violence (84.3%) (National Institute of Justice Report). 

● More than half Indigenous Women experience sexual violence (56.1%).

● More than half Indigenous Women have been physically abused by their intimate partners (55.5 percent) 

● Indigenous Women are 1.7 times more likely than Anglo-American women to experience violence. 

● Indigenous Women are 2xs more likely to be raped than Anglo-American white women.

● Murder rate of Indigenous Women is 3xs higher than Anglo-American women

● The National Crime Information Center reports that, in 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, though the US Department of Justice’s federal missing person database, NamUs, only logged 116 cases. 

● Native women were about twice as likely than white women to experience violence, data from 2018 

● The murder rate for Native women is about 3 times more than that of white women

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Photo Gallery 2023-24