CSVANW April 2019 Newsletter

April 2019 Newsletter

It is officially Spring. More folks are outside enjoying the persistent New Mexico wind and lounging longer in the sunlight.

It is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). While the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) wants folks to enjoy the Spring, we also want folks to recognize that so many of their relatives have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime. This month CSVANW will be honoring survivors, honoring consent and honoring folks who are committed to ending sexual violence in their communities.

That begs the question, what is sexual violence? What is consent? What does it look like in my community? Sexual violence is a sexual act against someone without that person’s consent. It can include things like catcalling, sexual harassment, groping, unwanted sexual photos, molestation, incest and rape. Sexual consent is an agreement to participate in a sexual activity. It is freely given, changeable, informed, enthusiastic and specific!

In New Mexico 1 in 2 Native women and girls are victims of some form of sexual violence and 1 in 4 Native men and boys are victims of some form of sexual violence. Those are astronomical numbers! Throughout this month we will be sharing more of the statistics of sexual violence in all of its forms, but for this, we want you to just pay attention.

This month we will be having a TIMES UP: Sexual Harassment in Tribal Communities Training on April 30 ^th at the Balloon Museum. Please check back on our website and our social media for more information on SAAM events. We will also be participating in the “Silence No More” 5k Run in Kirtland New Mexico and Nizhoni Days Powwow doing a #MMIW Red Dress Jingle Special at UNM on April 28 ^th . Throughout the month we will be sharing our members events and other community partners.

While we are enjoying the new beginnings of Spring, we are also honoring Native survivors of sexual violence, honoring consent, and honoring those who are working every day to end sexual violence in their communities. We hope you join us.

6th Annual Tribal Leaders Summit

March 20-21, 2019

Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel

As we reflect on our 6th Annual Tribal Leaders Summit, we would like to extend our thanks to the attendees who joined us for two days of critical conversations and presentations by brilliant and passionate professionals doing the work in their communities.

A success for us was having Annita Lucchesi, Executive Director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, speak on Sovereign Bodies Institute’s MMIW Database, a comprehensive data resource for cases data on MMIW in the Americas, and information on how the data is gathered, how Native communities are engaged throughout the process, and how the data is mobilized.

NCAI Violence Against Native Women Task Force Meeting

March 10- 11, 2019

Florida

Our Native Youth Coordinator worked in solidarity to strategize with the Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing for their 2020 convening strategy in Florida. We are thankful to have been invited to be in this, alongside other national organizers, to help movement building. Thank you to the Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing staff and facilitators for all their hard work to bringing everyone together. We also want to acknowledge Power U for hosting the meeting in their space.

'My Healthy Outlet is Running'

By: Becky Johnson

“My name is Becky Johnson. I am Navajo/Ojibway from Shiprock, NM. My clans are Ozei Tachiini born for Tohani. Nakai Dine shi cheii and Redlake Ojibway shi Nali. I am a survivor of sexual assault, and one of my healthy outlets is running. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and for the past three years, I have been hosting a 5K race and One-mile walk..."

A Call on Our Indigenous Boys and Men to Eliminate Violence Against our Native Women and Children

By: Keioshiah Peter, CSVANW Native Youth Coordinator, & Cecelia Westman, CSVANW Advocate Coordinator

In recent research, Native Americans endure alcoholism-related mortality rates that are 514% higher than the general population. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for Native Americans and is nearly three times higher than the national rate (Indian Health Service, 2012).

6th Annual Tribal Leaders Summit Photo Blog Recap

By: Curtison Badonie, CSVANW Media & Communications Coordinator

Recently, the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women held our 6th Annual Tribal Leaders Summit. At this summit we were honored to host various solution-based presentations to help increase conversations around public safety for our Native women, children, men, and our LGBTQ Two-Spirit relatives. The two-day summit was a free briefing for tribal, state and federal officials and those who work with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Read more blog submissions

HERE

THANK YOU

TO OUR CHANGE MAKERS

MARCH 2019 DONORS

Sasheen Castillo

Keith Pryor

Katie Harris

Katharine Brown

Christina Davis

Amanda Voss

Ashley Morris

Elise Morgan

APRIL 23, 2019

Community Conversations Book Club Meeting

Red Planet Books and Comics

1002 Park Ave SW

Albuquerque, NM 87102

Open to Community!

Upcoming Readings:

Click here for more information

APRIL 4, 2019

Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Round Table Discussion

This is a community based event to discuss the impact of the many missing and murdered indigenous women. The event will feature Annita Lucchesi, who has created a database of missing and murdered indigenous women.

This is a free event.

SAVE THE DATE

JULY 10-13, 2019

8th Annual Native Youth Summit

CSVANW’s 8th Annual Native Youth Summit “We are the Voice" will take place from July 10-13, 2019 at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

More information

APRIL 28, 2019

#MMIW Red Dress Jingle Special

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and the CSVANW will be hosting a #MMIW Red Dress Jingle Special to raise public awareness about sexual violence against indigenous people and #MMIW.

The #MMIW Red Dress Jingle Special will be held at UNM KIVA Club's Annual Nizhoni Days Powwow on April 28, 2019, at the University of New Mexico.

#SAAM #HonorConsent