People marched on Occidental Square Sunday to advocate for missing and murdered Indigenous women and for greater protections for Native communities.
The organizers of the march, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women of Washington, said the march is also in support of missing Native men, children and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ+) people, as well as for environmental justice issues that affect Native communities and the safety of the people living in those communities.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Washington reported that 10,642 Native people are missing throughout the country. Of that, 8,179 were children and 5,712 were women and girls.
Last year, the Urban Indian Health Institute reported that Seattle has the highest rate of open unsolved cases of Native women who have gone missing. Washington state has the second highest rate. The report stated that nationally Native American women experience sexual assault and domestic violence at ten times the national average.
The march started at Occidental Square and ended at Seattle City Hall. Marchers were asked to wear red in solidarity with the missing and murdered Indigenous women, or to wear purple in solidarity with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
