As Indigenous people of the East Coast, we were of the first on Turtle Island to inherit the legacy of colonialism. Indigenous advocacy on the MMIWGT2S+ crisis has long been carried by our ancestors, and continues on through the work and activism of our East Coast Tribal leaders, survivors, and community.
This event will center the voices of local MMIP activists within the tri-state area (NYC, CT, NJ, PA) to hear their stories and perspectives on harms, risks, and solutions related to MMIP. This event will also provide an in-depth look into the Urban Indigenous Collective’s MMIWGT2S+ Program and Task Force, which focuses on filling gaps in data, advocacy, and education related to the MMIWGT2S crisis within the tri-state area.
At this summit we'll delve into crucial topics surrounding representation within MMIR, including the often overlooked voices of Black Native individuals and the trans/2-spirit communities. We will also highlight the experiences of relatives of Central America and the Caribbean, who constitute a significant portion of the indigenous population on the East Coast. Despite their importance, they are frequently overlooked in these discussions due to language barriers and colonial borders.
Many of these relatives have been forced to relocate due to colonial militarization, which is intricately linked to the violence against women and femicide. This violence disproportionately affects indigenous and Afro-indigenous women, girls, trans, and two-spirit relatives from these regions.
Our conversations will also address the intersection of femicide and MMIP with the issues of colonial land degradation and dispossession within these communities.
