#native hope

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May 5, 2025 is MMIWG Awareness Day

Join me in standing with Native communities in their grief and anger over theirstolen sisters and children. This MMIW Awareness Day, we remember all thosewho were never found and those who live with trauma and without the peace that justice can bring. I stand with Native communities in calling for reform and actionfrom local and national governments and law enforcement so we can all worktogether…

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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month

January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This is a critical issue that all of us at Native Hope are passionate about addressing.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, created to raise awareness of sex slavery and human trafficking worldwide. Trafficking is a critical problem that all of us at Native Hope are passionate about addressing. We are devoted to confronting this issue head-on and supporting various programs all year long that provide specific services for victims of this horrific crime.

The sobering facts

Today, there are between 21-30 million people enslaved in the world, more than any other time in history. The official month of recognition began as a U.S. initiative seeking to end this form of modern-day slavery and return rights to individuals. Currently, the United Nations is highlighting the issue to raise global awareness of this epidemic. Although this is a global issue, it is also prevalent close to home. Native American women and children make up 40% of sex trafficking victims in South Dakota alone. According to federal data, Native women are twice as likely to be sexually assaulted as women from other races. They are also subject to high rates of intimate-partner violence and other forms of assault. These factors, along with poverty, substance abuse, and foster care, can make them vulnerable to exploitation. Secretary of the Interior, Sally Jewell, reiterates the "threat of human trafficking to Native communities and sex trafficking of Native Americans and Alaska Natives," describing the "first citizens of the United States as some of the most vulnerable."

Change begins with one

So the question arises: what can we do about it?

When such a profound issue exists, it's easy to become overwhelmed, asking, "How can I help? What can I do that could make a difference in such an immense problem?"

The answer is simple. It starts with one. One person taking a stand, inviting others to join them in the fight. We can no longer sit back and say, "It's not our problem; there's nothing we can do about it." It is our problem.

Help, hope, and healing

At Native Hope, we are determined to raise awareness of this horrific crime. We circulate informational posters within South Dakota communities and online with the signs to look for and hotlines to call.

Every October, Our Never In Season campaign launches when the South Dakota hunting seasons open. During this campaign, we lay red sand in the sidewalk cracks supporting the Red Sand Project. Native Hope is committed to fighting against this injustice and being a voice for the victims who need our help.

Victims may:

Avoid eye contact Be unable to speak for themselves Seem anxious, especially around law enforcement Not know where they are staying Have inconsistencies in their story Show signs of mental or physical abuse

If you know someone who may be a victim, or is in a vulnerable position, or if you are a victim and need help, please call the hotline at the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.

[remembernativeamericans]

“Show respect to all people and grovel to none.” -Tecumseh

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Recently, I learned that Cinco de Mayo coincides with one of two important days dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women --

February 14th for a Day of Action and Awareness, and May 5th, which is celebrated across Canada and the U.S. through additional action and wearing the color red: "The red hand symbolizes the connection between the physical world and the spiritual world. Native Americans believe that the dead can see red, so by wearing red we invoke the help of our ancestors and spiritual guides." To learn more about what you can do to help in the fight against systemic and individual violence and injustice perpetuated against American, Alaskan, and Canadian First People, check out the information and tool kit provided by Native Hope:

We’re facing a crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) in the United States. Here's what you need to know about it.

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“There are 67 Native American families without a home on Crow Creek Indian Reservation.

Our goal this year is to raise money for the remediation of 4 homes. Will you help us rebuild hope, dreams, and homes this holiday season?”