HAYWARD, Wis. (AP) — Indigenous peoples across North America are gathering this month to raise awareness about the disproportionate violence in their communities while demanding sustained response from authorities.
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Day, on May 5, included prayer walks, art exhibits, self-defense classes, film screenings, 5k runs, healing circles, and marches and speeches at U.S. state capitols to plead for better cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
A garden planting was held at the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Womens memorial garden in Hayward. Other events are scheduled through May.
U.S. Justice Department data shows Indigenous women are more than twice as likely to be homicide victims than the national average. Many people wear red and paint their faces with red handprints while vowing to speak for those who have been silenced.