05/05/2026
“Red is believed to be the only color spirits can see, representing a calling back of the spirits of missing and murdered loved ones.” —Rev. Wanda Frenchman
Adopted by the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, the memorial "Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women" encourages "congregations, synods and the churchwide organization to observe annually MMIW Awareness Day on May 5 and to promote the wearing of red to raise awareness of MMIW."
Today is May 5, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (also referred to as "Red Dress Day"). On this day we lament the MMIW crisis and call attention to the MMIW movement alongside our Indigenous siblings — those missing and those still searching for loved ones.
To learn more about this crisis and the movement it inspired, to find a tool kit of action steps and resources, and to plug in to the ongoing work of the ELCA's Indigenous Ministry and Tribal Relations network, visit elca.org/mmiw.
As you join us in observing Red Dress Day, we invite you to share in the comments section a photo of yourself wearing red in solidarity.
