A red handprint has become the symbol of a movement as Indigenous families across North America take to the streets and capitols, demanding lasting answers to the violence that continues to haunt their communities. With thousands of cases unresolved, advocates are pushing for solutions—and making sure the next generation knows what's at stake, per the AP. Indigenous communities across North America marked Monday's Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day with renewed calls for action against violence. Through prayer walks, marches, speeches, and self-defense classes, advocates highlighted the lack of coordination among law enforcement in addressing the roughly 4,300 open FBI cases involving missing or murdered Indigenous individuals.
For many, awareness begins at home. Lisa Mulligan of the Forest County Potawatomi plans to warn her granddaughters about the risks Indigenous families face, a conversation echoed by other Native parents. "Indigenous people don't have the luxury about NOT talking to our daughters about violence against girls," said Christina Castro of the 3 Sisters Collective, which is hosting events to encourage safety and remembrance.
Symbolic gestures like covering mouths with red handprints have become a way for young people to represent those who cannot speak. The risk is significant: the Justice Department reports Indigenous women face homicide rates more than double the national average. Men also suffer—Donovan Paddock, walking in Scottsdale, Arizona, recounted the deaths of uncles and his grandfather. The community's response has included advocating for improved alert systems and more federal help, but progress is slow. Implementation of Indigenous Alerts in state AMBER Alert systems still faces resource and coordination challenges, despite recent gains in federal funding. (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)
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