March 29, 2019

artist rendering of indigenous women and children

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s March begins at MSU Billings

“Walk with us” April 5 at 10 a.m.

 

Contact:

University Communications and Marketing, 657-2266

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS—On Friday, April 5, 2019 the Montana State University Billings (MSUB) Native American Achievement Center (NAAC) is partnering with Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders, the Native American Development Center, and Western Native Voice for a Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s march. The march will begin at 10 a.m. at MSU Billings campus at the NAAC, located at 2630 Normal Ave. and will end at the Yellowstone County Courthouse park, 217 N. 27 St.

This march is for activists, community members, and supporters to raise awareness of and bring justice to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. The march will culminate in speeches given at the courthouse park. Speakers will include U.S. Senator Daines, legislative representatives, mothers of missing and/or murdered indigenous women, and local community advocates – discussing legislation, sharing stories, and calling for action to combat this crisis.

The Billings community has rallied together to bring awareness to the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous women because the MMIW crisis is prevalent here in our Billings community and more widely in the state of Montana. According to a National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) grantee report, “some counties have rates of murder against American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women that are over ten times the national average,” while in Billings itself there are at least 29 MMIW cases, as reported by the Urban Indian Health Institute MMIW report.

Please join us in raising awareness about our missing and murdered Native sisters by marching with us on Friday, April 5 from MSUB campus to the Yellowstone County Courthouse park. Bring signs or posters and remember to wear red – ribbon skirts, regalia, hats, or shoes.

For more information, and updates as they happen, please find us on Facebook at MMIW March.  As we walk and share stories, we remember our stolen sisters.

For more information contact Reno Charette, director of NAAC, at rcharette@msubillings.edu, 657-2144 or Anna Schmitt at anna.schmitt@rmtlc.org, (406) 252-2550.