National Day of Awareness for MMIW event set for May 5 in Bemidji
Apr. 24—BEMIDJI — MMIW 218 will host its annual walk/run event along with a full day of activities to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives on Sunday, May 5, in Bemidji.
May 5 is commemorated each year by many Indigenous tribes across Turtle Island (the U.S.) and Canada by wearing red, sharing songs, walking/running and building awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives, a release said.
Breakout sessions, educational information and awareness-building activities will follow this year's walk/run.
"Please join us in a day of sharing and listening to professionals, community members and programs coming together to share important information," the release said.
The event will begin with an optional run starting in Red Lake. Those interested are asked to meet at the Seven Clans Casino at 6:30 a.m. for a quick briefing and smudging before the runners take off at 7 a.m. sharp. For more information, call Shari at
(218) 679-1919.
The walking portion of the event will kick off at 10 a.m. at the plaza in Paul Bunyan Park, as participants make their way along Lake Bemidji to the Sanford Center followed by lunch and a full day of breakout sessions and activities.
Everyone is welcome to the walk, but registration is required to attend the conference. To register, visit
mshoop.coalitionmanager.org/Eventmanager/Trainingevent/Details/38.
For more information, visit the MMIW 218
Facebook page.
* 10 to 11 a.m. MMIW march from Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues to the Sanford Center
* 11 a.m. to noon Opening for the day in the main ballroom
* Noon to 12:45 p.m. Plenary
* 1 to 1:45 p.m. Lunch
* 2 to 2:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions 1:
* Bring Neveah Home: Our Family's Journey with Lakaylee Kingbird and Val Steeprock
* Vision Boards: Our Dreams and Aspirations with Audrianna Goodwin
* Art Activism with Nedahness Greene
* 2:45 to 3 p.m. Break
* 3 to 3:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions 2:
* 2 Spirit: Sacred Through Tradition with Arnold Dahl
* Red Lake Victim Services: Services To Community with Candace Lagou
* What Happens to the Land Happens to the Body with Simone Senogles
* 3:45 to 4 p.m. Break
* 4 to 4:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions 3:
* Grandma Power Panel with Renee Gurneau, Bonnie Fairbanks and Vickey Fineday
* Mending the Sacred Hoop: MMIR Across Turtle Island with Cinnamon Bankey and Rebecca Balog
* Community for Positivity Panel with Dwa Brown, Arnold Dahl, Logan Monroe and Lavender Kingbird
* 5 to 6 p.m. Closing and Round Dance Social
