Red Handprint Event: Honoring missing and murdered Indigenous people
By Laura Pohl, Contributing Writer
The plight of Indigenous women, who experience high rates of violence in their communities, will be the focus of a program scheduled for Wednesday, April 30, starting at 5 p.m. at Governors State University (GovState).
The Red Handprint Event will reveal the many facets of this critical issue through open dialogue and artistic expression. Participants will learn about the meaning of the Red Handprint, which symbolizes the violence and disappearances of Indigenous women in North America. The screening of an insightful docudrama called “She Cried That Day,” and a panel discussion among experts will foster a conversation designed to inspire change.
“This is a complex topic that involves many disciplines, especially criminal law,” said organizer Dr. Janet Brewer, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice. “I wanted to show a film that would humanize the issue and illustrate different perspectives.”
Through the screening of the docudrama, the audience will learn about the impact of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) movement through the voices of survivors and families. The film will be followed by an interactive session for sharing reflections and a panel discussion with the film’s director and other experts to help participants understand the complexities of the issue.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Dr. Lisa Pennington, Associate Professor, Elementary Education, whose Native American roots inspire her passion for indigenous history and culture. “We can trace this issue to the colonization of America,” she said. “Indigenous people are still feeling the effects of colonization today.”
Pennington feels that bringing awareness to the situation is a good place to start in building activism. “We’ll provide information about the need for resources and hope that people make a donation,” she said.
Brewer will share her criminal law expertise in the discussion of bringing offenders to justice.
“We don't even have accurate numbers for this demographic of North American Indigenous women,” she said. “And a patchwork of jurisdictions hampers the process of investigating and prosecuting these particular crimes. We look forward to a panel discussion where we can open up dialogue, learn and identify solutions.” Brewer hopes the Red Handprint Event becomes an annual addition to the GovState calendar.
The Red Handprint Event will be held in Engbretson Hall and is sponsored by the Office for Institutional Engagement and Excellence in partnership with the Center for Community Media.
For more information, visit The Office of Institutional Engagement and Excellence. Appetizers will be served and art supplies will be available for creating red handprints. Participants are asked to RSVP.