Each year, we ask our Choctaw tribe to wear red to raise awareness for missing and murdered indigenous people. This year our Choctaw Wear Red Day for MMIP will be on May 5 followed by the Choctaw Nation’s Annual MMIP Awareness Walk at 8 a.m. on May 10 in Antlers, Oklahoma.
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System’s January 2025 statistics show that more than 875 American Indian and Alaska Native missing persons have been reported missing across 34 U.S. states. Oklahoma is third on the missing indigenous people list with 89 missing following Arizona with 90 missing and Alaska with 325 missing indigenous people.
This past February, 14-year-old Emily Pike, a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, was found dead outside of the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona. Her death drew a national spotlight on the plight of missing indigenous person cases throughout the U.S. The Choctaw Nation recognized the passing of Emily with a Wear Red Day on March 19 where we asked our Associates to wear red to honor the 14-year-old Apache girl’s life.
The Choctaw Nation is dedicated to bringing awareness to the MMIP cases, not only in Oklahoma but across the U.S. Our reservation is home to a successful nonprofit called the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women-Chahta organization. This Calera, Oklahoma-based organization is one of the most prominent voices for the MMIP cause.
MMIW-Chahta works tirelessly to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and educating on domestic violence and healing.
My challenge to all the Chahta is to raise awareness for our missing and murdered brothers and sisters so that their cases are not forgotten and there will be justice and closure for the victim’s families.
Yakoke and God Bless!