A Call for Attention with Red

In Native American culture, the color red generally signifies power, strength, life force, blood, and often war or courage, depending on the tribe, with many using it in war paint or ceremonial attire, representing a connection to the earth and sometimes used to call upon ancestors in the spirit world; however, the exact meaning can vary significantly between different tribes.

Today, red is prominently used to raise awareness about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), with the "Red Dress" campaign symbolizing the issue.

Red Dress Day is a national day of awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), and Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people (2S+). It is held annually on May 5. The day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black's The Red Dress Project, which involves hanging red dresses in public spaces as a visual reminder of the victims.

On Red Dress Day, people wear red to honor the victims and acknowledge the families and communities affected by the crisis. The color red has been used throughout history to call attention to the invisible, such as when young warriors painted their faces and horses red.

Statistics show us that approximately 1,500 American Indian and Alaska Native missing persons have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) throughout the U.S. and approximately 2,700 cases of Murder and Nonnegligent Homicide Offenses have been reported to the Federal Government’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program. In total, BIA estimates there are approximately 4,200 missing and murdered cases that have gone unsolved.