May is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Month, a time to bring attention to the high rates of violence experienced by Native American and Alaska Native communities. MMIP highlights the urgent need to address the number of Indigenous people who go missing or are murdered each year. Native communities face higher rates of violence than the national average, with Native women and girls especially impacted by sexual violence, gender-based violence, and intimate partner violence. Native men also experience higher rates of violence compared to other groups.
The statistics are alarming. Homicide is one of the leading causes of death for American Indian and Alaska Native people between the ages of 1–44, ranking 4th for males and 6th for females. About 2 in 5 Native women report being raped in their lifetime, and more than 80% of Native men and women report experiencing some form of violence. Many cases involve intimate partner violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological abuse. Children are also affected, with over 10% of homicides involving victims under 18. Despite these numbers, there is still a lack of complete data, which makes it harder to fully understand and respond to the crisis.
There are ongoing efforts to improve awareness and support for families impacted by MMIP. Communities are working to increase funding for search efforts, provide financial support to families, raise awareness through outreach and public campaigns, and cover costs related to reunification, burial, and counseling services. If you or someone you know needs help or wants to report a missing person, support is available. You can contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System at 833-872-5176, the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 844-762-8483, or the BIA Missing and Murdered Unit at 833-560-2065. Raising awareness is an important step toward change, healing, and justice for Indigenous communities.
READ more on MMIP from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Indian Affairs.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and support for survivors. Sexual violence can happen anywhere, in any community, and affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, including Native American communities, who are disproportionately impacted. Sexual violence means any unwanted sexual contact or behavior without consent. This can include rape, […]
Plastic production has grown rapidly over the past 60 years, creating an estimated 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic—most of it used in disposable products that quickly become trash. Of that total, about 6.3 billion metric tons has already become waste. Despite widespread recycling eaorts, only about 9% of plastic waste has been recycled. Around […]
By A. Gwynn Henderson and David Pollack On September 7, 1816, readers skimming the Niles’ Weekly Register might have noticed a story about two groups of Shawnee men visiting central Kentucky. It appears on a page with a variety of national and international news: an accounting of how many immigrants had arrived in America, details […]
On November 15, Shawnee Tribe’s Environmental Manager, Cindy Riley, participated in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s recycling event to explore new ways of collecting and processing materials—from electronics and batteries to tires, and many more items—and to bring those best practices back to our own tribal community. Key takeaways: Next steps: Together, we can grow our […]
Button cell batteries are the small, flat, round batteries found in watches, hearing aids, key fobs, calculators, toys, and medical devices. They may be tiny, but they contain valuable materials and can create safety hazards if thrown in the trash. Because they are so small, button batteries are often tossed with household waste. However, lithium […]
On October 22, 2025, the Shawnee Tribe was notified that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would pause operations during the month of November due to a protracted government shutdown. In response, the Shawnee Tribe developed the Temporary Emergency Food Benefit Assistance Program, which was established by October 29, 2025, to support Shawnee Tribe families […]
Meet Magdalene “Mag” Walls, a proud Shawnee citizen born on February 25, 1921, in Ramona, Oklahoma. Her early years were spent in Ramona before her family moved to White Oak, where Mag attended grade school and met her first husband. Together, they had two wonderful children, Deloris and Jim. In 1942, Mag embarked on a […]
On Monday December 8, the new Chief Ron Sparkman Shawnee Tribe Council Chambers, located at 29 S. Main Street, held its naming, dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The newly designed interiors included the main tribal chambers, private tribal chambers, kitchen and prep space, restrooms, and a private meeting space all adorned with modern flooring, walls, lighting, […]