Participants in the Human Trafficking Awareness Walk at United Tribes Technical College on Nov. 30 have the chance to speak out against the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis.
The walk was set to honor and remember MMIR as Native American Heritage Month comes to a close. Sponsoring the event are multiple nonprofit and local organizations, including United Tribes Technical College, Sacred Pipe Resource Center, Maggie’s House, Bismarck Public Schools Culture Program, Maza LLC and Iyuha Aku. Participants are invited to register and receive t-shirts by 12 p.m. at the Sacred Pipe Resource Center at 925 Basin Ave. Suite 2.
Attendees are set to walk from Sacred Pipe to the UTTC powwow grounds at 1 p.m., before moving to the gym for a welcome prayer by UTTC Student Body President Tanner Veo and Donovan Lambert, the Cultural Responsive Coordinator at Bismarck Public Schools.
Lambert said the school district supports its American Indian students by collaborating in this walk. “We want people to know that their voice and their actions matter,” he said.
Participants will have the chance to say aloud the names of lost or missing loved ones. An elder prayer and smudge will follow.
Caleb CreepingBear, a criminal justice major at UTTC is participating in the walk to support those experiencing MMIP. “It’s important that people come out because it helps show that we’re here for each other,” said Creeping Bear. “We’re a community. We care. We care about our people.”
While this activity is meant to amplify the issue of MMIP in Native communities, CreepingBear acknowledges many people feel ashamed to talk about this topic. He encourages them to bring up these tough conversations. “The purpose of Thursday’s event is to raise awareness and to let people know it’s okay to speak out,” CreepingBear said.
After the welcome prayer, a meal of soup, frybread and wojapi – an American Indian berry sauce – is being served before transitioning to the hand games tournament at 4 p.m. The public is free to attend the awareness walk. A shuttle will be available for UTTC students at 12:30 p.m. outside the Wellness Center.