Airway Heights, WA (April 30, 2026) – May is recognized across the United States as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIWP) Awareness Month, a time when Indigenous families, communities, and organizations come together to honor loved ones who are missing or have been taken by violence while raising awareness of a crisis that continues to impact Indigenous people across the country.
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians and Northern Quest Resort & Casino are recognizing the month with educational displays and community events that honor those impacted and bring greater awareness to a crisis that deeply affects Tribal communities. Through these efforts, the Tribe aims to amplify the voices of families still searching for answers, encourage meaningful community dialogue, and support efforts to bring missing loved ones home.
Although American Indian and Alaska Native people make up less than two percent of Washington’s population, they account for a disproportionately high number of homicide victims in the state, according to data from the Washington State Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS). HITS data shows Native people are twice as likely to be homicide victims and 2.5 times more likely to have their homicide cases remain unresolved.
Currently, more than 100 Indigenous people are listed as missing in Washington state, including 50 women and girls, according to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People report. Nearly 52 percent of those cases originate in Eastern Washington, underscoring the impact the crisis has on communities throughout the region. In Spokane County alone, there are currently 10 Missing and Murdered Indigenous People cases, including five involving children under the age of 18.
Throughout May, Northern Quest will feature educational displays highlighting facts, statistics, and the names of those currently missing in Washington state. One of the most recognizable symbols of the movement, the red dress installation, will once again be displayed to represent the women and girls who should be wearing them and living full lives with their families and communities.
In many tribal cultures, red is believed to transcend the physical world and call to the ancestors in the spiritual world. Through these displays and events, the Kalispel Tribe and Northern Quest hope to help break the silence surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People while honoring those whose stories deserve to be remembered.
MMIWP Awareness Events at Northern Quest
Displays on Property — May 1–May 14
- Educational displays and a red-dress installation will be featured in the Heritage Hallway between the hotel and the casino, highlighting facts, information, and the names of those currently missing in Washington state.
MMIWP Awareness Walk — May 1, 11:30 a.m.
- The walk will begin in the Grand Plaza on Northern Quest Drive, where community members will come together to show support, raise awareness, and honor those impacted. The event will take walkers on a short one-mile loop around Northern Quest. The walk is free, and anyone can join!
MMIWP Honoring Event — May 1, 3 p.m.
- Join us near the Windfall entrance for an event featuring nonprofit informational booths, an honor song and dance, and remarks from community partners.