We have teamed up with our friend and Red Earth Running Company ambassador Verna Volker of Native Women Running to co-host our first ever virtual run in honor of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIW). Verna reached out to us to organize and host the virtual run after hearing a hearbreaking story about a pregnant Native woman and mother to four young children from Minneapolis whose body was left under a pile of debris. Verna was moved and motivated to organize and shared, “The story hits home because I’m a mother of a little girl. One day she will grow up and be on her own...her life matters. Every Indigenous woman matters.”

What is the National Day of Awareness for MMIW?

The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has been supported by congressional resolution since 2017. The resolution designates May 5 as a day to build awareness and find solutions to the epidemic of violence against Native women throughout the US. Nearly 200 tribal, state, and national organizations support the declaration.

What is the MMIW Virtual Run?

A virtual run is a race that you can run, jog, or walk at any location you choose. Basically you run your own race, at your own pace, and on your own terms. The purpose of this virtual run is to stand (or run, jog, walk, move) in solidarity with and make our miles matter for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIW), families and communities, and the people working to gather data, raise awareness, and create solutions to end the epidemic of violence against Indigenous women and girls.

How do you participate?

Participation is simple. There’s no registration fee for the virtual run. All you have to do on May 5 is get out and run. Fast or slow, as far as you’d like to go, on your own or with a group. You can even join another race or organized event in your area. All we ask is that when you’re out:

Wear the 2019 MMIW Virtual Run Tee or the color red;

Run, jog, or walk individually, as a group, or join an organized event in your area;

Share a picture and tell us why you’re running;

Use hashtags #MMIW and #nativewomenrunning; and

Tag us @redearthrunco as well as @native_women_running so we can be a part of your day.

What is the 2019 MMIW Virtual Run Tee?

We have designed a limited edition tee for the 2019 MMIW Virtual Run. The tee will launch for a final pre-order from May 1 - May 6. All orders will begin shipping the week of May 13. T-shirts can be purchased from our online shop.

A portion of proceeds from the MMIW Virtual Run Tee will be donated to the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI), a division of the Seattle Indian Health Board that has a mission to decolonize data for indigenous people, by indigenous people. UIHI is home to a multi-part project to gather data on violence against Native women. For more information about UIHI and their work, please visit their site.