Local Potawatomi Tribes Once Again Call for Justice

On Friday, May 3, 2024, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP), Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians will host the third March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) through downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, to observe National MMIP Awareness Day, which is officially on May 5, 2024.

What: March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, one-mile walk
When: Friday, May 3, from noon to 3 p.m.
Where: Ah-Nab-Awen Park (220 Front St. NW) in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Who: Hosted by three local Potawatomi Tribes: NHBP, Pokagon and Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band and all Natives and non-Native allies and advocates against violence.
Why: To raise awareness for Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP)
Details: Free public event. Rain or shine. Participants are asked to wear red.

“We host this event to bring awareness and educate people on MMIP not only in Southwest Michigan but also nationally,” said NHBP Tribal Council Coordinator and Tribal Member Robyn Burlingham, who sits on the event’s task force. “The March for MMIP allows a space for people to ask questions and provide those impacted by this issue a safe place to heal and connect.”
This event serves as an opportunity for Natives and non-Native allies to peacefully come together to shatter the silence and give voice to the more than 4,000 unsolved cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, who deserve to be a national priority.

Data from the U.S. Department of Justice indicate that Native women face murder rates more than ten times that of the national average. Fifty-five percent of Native women have experienced domestic violence (these numbers are low as many cases are not reported or go unrecorded). These statistics show how important raising awareness is to protecting our Indigenous family members.
Participants are encouraged to gather at the Ah-Nab-Awen Park (220 Front Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504) to open the event at noon, listen to speakers representing the movement, and then embark on the one-mile march through downtown Grand Rapids. The event is planned to conclude at 3 p.m. Rain or shine, people from all walks of life who wish to stand in solidarity to support this movement are encouraged to join and should wear red to honor those who are missing.

---

About The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi
NHBP is a federally recognized Tribal government located at the Pine Creek Indian Reservation near Athens, Michigan, with more than 1,600 enrolled Tribal Members. NHBP’s economic development entities include Vegas-style casino FireKeepers Casino Hotel and Waséyabek Development Company, LLC, which focuses on the pursuit of non-gaming, economic diversification opportunities. For more information, visit www.nhbp-nsn.gov.

About Gun Lake Tribe
The Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) has a rich history in West Michigan and close connection to the land. The Bradley Indian Mission, located near Wayland, is the historic residential and cultural center point of the tribal community. The Tribe’s ancestors, and political predecessors, signed treaties with the United States government dating back to 1795. The Tribe was re-affirmed to federal recognition in 1999. For more information about the Tribe visit https://gunlaketribe-nsn.gov/.

About The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Michigan and Indiana
The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi’s sovereignty was reaffirmed under legislation signed into law by President Clinton in September of 1994. The Pokagon Band is dedicated to providing community development initiatives such as housing, education, family services, medical care and cultural preservation for its more than 6,000 citizens. The Pokagon Band’s ten-county service area includes four counties in Southwestern Michigan and six in Northern Indiana. Its main administrative offices are located in Dowagiac, Mich., with a satellite office in South Bend, Ind. In 2007, it opened Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Mich., followed by Four Winds Hartford in 2011, Four Winds Dowagiac in 2013 and Four Winds South Bend in January 2018. The Pokagon Band operates a variety of businesses via Mno-Bmadsen, its non-gaming investment enterprise. More information is available at www.pokagonband-nsn.gov, www.fourwindscasino.com and www.mno-bmadsen.com.

Media contact for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians:
David Gutierrez, Dresner Corporate Services for the Pokagon Band, (312) 780-7204, dgutierrez@dresnerco.com