To Our potential Partners,

May 5th is the National Day of Awareness for MMIW (Missing Murdered Indigenous Women), we are calling for your support.  Why is this important and why do we need you?

Awareness creates change, and it happens at the local level!!

We are petitioning for agencies,towns,villages,cities,counties and tribal nations to make Public Proclamations declaring May 5th as Day of Awareness for Missing Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit. In addition to the proclamation, we ask that you light up structures/bridges/buildings within your area red as a sign of respect, healing, and awareness of the many issues of MMIW. The petition will later be used to show documentation of the widespread support for MMIW, and hopefully induce urgency to create meaningful changes to bring both justice and healing. It's as easy as 1,2,3!
1. Sign the change.org link, so that your support and efforts will be remembered
2. Publicly Post your Organizations or city/county/tribal nation's etc. Proclamation -(Sample at end of Petition)
3. Upload Pictures of your lit structures to : #shining4MMIW
Thank You for Your Support!

Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit (LGBTQ) face murder rates that are 10x higher than the national average, nearly 84% of indigenous women have faces acts of violence in their lifetimes.  The movement of MMIW (Missing Murdered Indigenous Women) calls for awareness to these gross acts of gender based violence that indigenous women face and seeks to bring the missing and murdered justice and healing.  The MMIW movement is largely led by the surviving families of MMIW and grassroots advocates who work tirelessly  at the local, state, national and international levels to address the root causes of this violence, provide accurate and equitable responses, and positive media attention to these acts of genocide.  

Many times the MMIW family members are forced to search for their loved ones, are retraumatized within the court systems, and experience systemic barriers and racism to seeking justice for their relative. The MMIW movement calls for collaborative efforts to correct these inequitable responses and implement measures of prevention of the violence in the first place.  By signing on to this action, you agree that  you will petition local agency/town/village/county/tribal nation to make an official  proclamation stating May 5th as Day of Awareness for MMIW and will light up buildings, offices, and/or structures red on May 5th.  The color red is a well  known  symbol of the MMIW movement that represents the spirits of the missing and murdered, as well as calls for healing.  

We thank you for your support in recognizing that this is a human being issue, and will take collaborative, multi-agency, regional efforts of support to address, correct, and heal from. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to protect life, especially those who are most targeted by violence.  Let us come together to support these proclamations of justice and fill our communities with lights of healing!

Post picture of your structures lit up in red to:  #shining4MMIW

Sample Proclamation Below:

RESOLUTON #R-____-21

Designating May 5, 2021 as a “Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls” in _______ County/Village/Town/Tribal Nation/City.

Whereas, according to a 2016 report from the National Institute of Justice 84% of American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, more than half of whom experienced sexual violence;

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, homicide is the third leading cause of death among American Indian and Alaska Native women between 10 and 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;

Whereas, in 2016, the National Crime Information Center reported nearly 6,000 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, but the U.S. Department of Justice was tracking only about 100 cases;

Whereas, still little data exist on the number of missing American Native and Alaska Native women and girls in the United States, but there have been instances of violence towards Indigenous women and girls from the eleven Wisconsin Native American Tribes;

Whereas, some of the (YOUR STATE) Indigenous women we know about include: NAMES OF MISSING AND MURDERED AND DATES

Whereas, we commemorate the lives of missing and murdered American Native and Alaska Native women and girls whose cases are documented and undocumented in public records and the media; and demonstrate solidarity with the families of the victims in light of those tragedies:

THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the (AGENCY/VILLAGE/TOWNSHIP/CITY/COUTNY/TRIBAL NATION) hereby commemorate the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and proclaim May 5th as a “Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls” on which we mourn and call attention to the many missing and murdered Native women and girls, as well as those who have experienced violence and assault and resolve to act to prevent further victimization.

THEREFORE, LET IT FURTHER BE RESOLVED, that the (AGENCY/VILLAGE/TOWNSHIP/CITY/COUTNY/TRIBAL NATION) directs the ____________ to order (YOUR ACTION OF LIGHTING UP BUILDING/OFFICES/BRIDGES/STRUCTURES RED).

Sincere Thanks, 

ESTHER Fox Valley

Waking Women Healing Institute Inc.