Hope Report: May 2022

May was another busy month, bringing awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives and fulfilling needs. Thanks to you, Native Hope continues to create a meaningful impact on the individuals and organizations within Indian Country.

May events to raise awareness on Missing and Murdered Indigenous relatives

Native Hope traveled to Washington state to interview and support Melissa Skeet, aka Skeet Fighter, and her efforts to raise awareness for MMIWG2ST by roller skating. On May 7, Melissa skated the Centennial Trail and dedicated her skate to Jermain Charlo from Montana. Jermain has been missing since June 16, 2018.

"I am an indigenous woman who will continue to be at my relatives' sides and will continue to bring awareness! I skate to bring a voice to those who have been silenced. I skate to educate. I skate to bring healing."
– Melissa Skeet, Dine

Students at St. Joseph's Indian School honored the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women for the May 5 awareness day. Thanks to the help of Beverly Bad Moccasin, Native Hope provided the students with red ribbon skirts for the event.

Assistance Requests

We continued efforts to help provide food for individuals, families, and communities. This month we supplied the Crow Creek Homeless Shelter with food, the Lower Brule community with COVID food packs and individuals who requested assistance including fans.

Native Hope Outreach

Native Hope delivered a suburban full of baby bundles to Family Enrichment in Ft. Thompson, SD. Our efforts didn't stop there. We unloaded a trailer full of boxes filled with clothes, household items, hygiene, and other much-needed supplies to the Episcopal Church in Ft. Thompson, SD. Then we traveled to the Tree of Life in Mission, SD, to deliver another trailer.

A fellows efforts to preserve the lakota language

Native Hope's Fellow, Beverly Running Bear, attended a language preservation conference in Montana and then met with elders in South Dakota to discuss ways to preserve the Lakota language.

Honoring the akichitas - warriors

Towards the end of May, Native Hope delivered meals to the Rock Creek community, on the Standing Rock Reservation, for their Memorial Day celebrations. Memorial Day brings this post's most important tour of the year. The Rock Creek: American Legion Post 324, his band of brothers and community visit multiple cemeteries to honor their fallen akichitas - warriors.

Philámaya for your ongoing support.

Each day presents new challenges, but because of YOU, we can help and inspire hope.