March for Missing, Murdered Indigenous People

Raising Awareness: North Beach Title VI MMIP Event and March

Ocean Shores, 5/6/2024 - In recognition of the national crisis surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP), the North Beach Title VI Native Education Program is spearheading an important event to raise awareness and honor those affected.

National MMIP Awareness Day, observed annually on May 5th, holds significant meaning. This date was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Hanna Harris, a young member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe who tragically went missing in 2013. The events planned for this day are a vital part of a broader effort to shed light on the ongoing crisis faced by Indigenous communities across the United States.

The statistics are alarming: Indigenous individuals are murdered at a rate ten times higher than the national average, with homicide being the leading cause of death for Native women aged 10-24 and the fifth-leading cause for those aged 25-34, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. These sobering figures underscore the urgent need for collective action and advocacy.

President Joe Biden's proclamation of National MMIP Awareness Day underscores the federal government's recognition of this issue. Red has been adopted as the official color of this cause, rooted in Native tradition which believes that red is the only color visible to spirits.

Letter from the North Beach Native Education Coordinator, Chesea Capoeman de Vargas.

March Details:
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 7, 2024, from 12:15 PM to 12:45 PM
Route: The march will commence at the Gates of Ocean Shores, proceeding along Point Brown Ave NW, heading southbound towards John L. Scott Real Estate, and concluding at Minard Ave. NW leading to the Ocean Shores Convention Center.