Art Brings Awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

May 2, 2024

Kaysera Stops Pretty Places, a member of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Tribes of Montana, should turn 23 this year. Like many other Indigenous women and girls nationwide, Kaysera went missing and was found murdered, with no one held accountable after almost five years.

Kaysera Stops Pretty Places grew up in Big Horn County, Montana, and on August 14, 2019, she celebrated her 18th birthday. Ten days later, Kaysera was reported missing. Her body was recovered on August 29. However, her family was not notified until September 11. There are still many questions concerning Kaysera’s disappearance and death.

In 2018, the Urban Indian Health Institute released an extensive study on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. As of 2016, there were 5,712 reports of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women. Still, only 116 were logged into the Department of Justice’s database, the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System. The study examines various factors that led to the MMIW crisis, an issue within reservations and urban Indian populations.

“Portrait of an Indigenous Womxn [Removed]” by Anna Tsouhlarakis (Navajo, Creek, Greek), from the collections of The Henry Ford. / THF198388

Navajo, Creek and Greek artist Anna Tsouhlarakis created “Portrait of an Indigenous Womxn [Removed]” to raise awareness of MMIW and tell the stories that are not often told. After being on view at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., this portrait is now part of the collections at The Henry Ford, where the hope is that it will tell a bigger story about this epidemic.

Violence against Indigenous women is not new. The crisis can be linked to colonization and the suppression of Indigenous ways of life. According to a 2016 National Institute of Justice report, American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence at a highly disproportionate rate. Four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced some violence in their lifetime. The Centers for Disease Control has listed murder as the third leading cause of death for Indigenous women.

“Photo taken by author, February 2023, at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

May 5th of each year is designated as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. May 5th is the birthday of Hannah Harris, Northern Cheyenne, who was murdered in July 2013. On that day, it is asked that you wear red to show support and bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Relatives.

Kaysera’s family continues to advocate for justice and is still awaiting answers. The circumstances of her death have been described as suspicious. Although her family has shared the evidence they gathered with the authorities, her case remains unsolved today.

To learn more about Kaysera, or if you have any information regarding this case, please visit Justice for Kaysera.

Further resources:

Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women

Heather Bruegl (Oneida/Stockbridge-Munsee) is curator of political and civic engagement at The Henry Ford.