Red Shawl Day: Sunday honors missing and murdered Indigenous people

If you are out visiting National Parks and areas managed by the National Park Service on Sunday, you may see staff members wearing read shawls to raise awareness about missing or murdered Indigenous people.

Sunday is Red Shawl Day. It’s part of Red Shawl Week, which began on Nov. 15 and runs through Nov. 21.

This designated week happens during Native American Heritage Month and is a way to acknowledge and celebrate Indigenous people. Red Shawl Day is aimed to raise awareness about the acts of violence against indigenous people, especially women and children.

“America’s national parks are part of and surrounded by many Indigenous communities,” wrote the National Park Service. “As part of this observance, you may see National Park Service staff wearing red shawls.”

According to the Department of Justice, in some places Indigenous American women are missing and murdered at a rate more “than 10 times the national average.”

NPS said there are a number of ways to help or to spread awareness about violence against Native Americans:

• Report suspicious activities when visiting public lands to local law enforcement
• Wear a red shawl or red clothing the day and week of Red Shawl Day
• Join the conversation on social media using #RedShawlDay and #NPSIndigenous