May is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Month

Makeshift memorial to Tina Fontaine - one of hundreds of Indigenous women and girls murdered or missing in Canada and the United States. Photo by Matthew TenBruggencate on Unsplash

Visit elca.org/MMIW for resources on this month, including: 2023 National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women; May 5, 2023 National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#MMIW, wear red and post); ELCA #MMIW Sunday; and many resources.

May 1-7 | 2023 National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

The National Partners Work Group on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and the MMIW Family Advisors are organizing a national week of action May 1-7 to call the nation and the world to action in the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women.

To register for the week’s activities and raise awareness of it with our social media tool kit, visit the events webpage.

May 5 | National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women #MMIW

Wear red and post.

On May 5 we encouraged you to join Native people across the United States in wearing red to raise awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Post a selfie or group picture on your social media channels, using the hashtags #MMIW and #ELCA.

To learn more about the National Day of Awareness and more ways to get involved, read this article from We R Native.

ELCA #MMIW Sunday

All congregations are encouraged to choose any Sunday in May to share the truths about the ongoing crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women using the resources provided below. In addition, worship resources will be available for use in services on each congregation’s #MMIW Sunday. We know it will be the first time many congregation members have heard about this crisis, and we hope these resources continue to inspire conversation and learning in ministries and communities across our church.

ELCA #MMIW Sunday is also a day to encourage members and guests of your congregation to wear red to bring greater awareness to MMIW. Remember to post a photo on your post social media channels using the hashtag!