“For The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWGs), Red Bud Wood, North Carolina” © Stu Jenks 2021,
Price: $550, shipping included in this price.
This piece can also be loaned for shows in galleries and museums, upon request.
In the United States, Native American women are more than twice as likely to experience violence than any other demographic. One in three indigenous women are sexually assaulted during her life, and 67% of these assaults are perpetrated by other races. In Canada, it is just as bad if not worse.
Also from Wikipedia is this quote:
"In Canada, according to activists, "thousands of cases" of missing and murdered Indigenous women over the last half-century were not properly investigated due to alleged police bias. The 49 women murdered by serial killer Robert Pickton, who was eventually jailed in 2007, are cited as an example; with families claiming that Pickton was able to go on killing for so long because police had not taken the disappearances seriously because most of the women were sex workers and Indigenous."
Another quote from Lisa Brunner, executive director of Sacred Spirits First National Coalition:
"What's happened through US Federal law and policy is they created lands of impunity where this is like a playground for serial rapists, batterers, killers, whoever and our children aren't protected at all."
The U.S. House did pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 (and again in 2021), but the Republican Senate continues to stall it. Another reason to get rid of the filibuster. And un-elect Republican lawmakers as well.
It's horrible what has happen to Native people over the centuries, but these murders and this violence are still happening now. We need to pass laws that expands the ability of law enforcement to work across reservation and state lines. And give more Federal and State monies and more voice to this problem.
And yes, awareness is growing. Canada is working to change their laws and raise their consciousness, but America, as expected, has lagged behind. Yes, Trump and now Biden have given some energy to a US Justice Department task force regarding the murders of native girls and women (with the horrible Trumpian sexist name Operation Lady Justice), but it's only a start. It's not nearly enough.
Artists have expressed their anger and sadness with The Red Dress Project, The Walking With Sisters Project and other works (and me with my MMIWGs wall piece), but it's new laws and more money and the changing of values among White People that is needed.
There is a fine film called Wind River, with Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, and Graham Greene, that expresses this crisis well. Yes, there has been some criticism of Wind River with some not-Native people playing some Native parts, but all in all, it's a powerful film. I highly recommend it. I just watched it again last week.
So do what you can. Call your Senators, Congresspeople, and state lawmakers to change the laws and protect these women and girls. Make art and music and films to express your feelings. Or simply talk about it with your family and friends. You will be surprised how few people know about this crisis and this terrible history.
Keep fighting the good fight.
Love, light and luck,
Stu.
#forthemmiwgs, #stujenks, #extendedfamilyseries