Abstract:

Students are often an underutilized resource for advocacy and activism. Students have a unique positionality as members of academia who greatly understand the power and privilege higher education can bring- particularly when they have intersectional identities as women, minorities, and members of marginalized groups. This article tells the stories of two such Native American women who are using their power and privilege as it intersects with lived experience to bring awareness to the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). The article brings light to what drives them to promote social justice movements and how they work to institute positive change. Through their experiences, they share suggestions for how advanced professionals and professional organizations can aid students in engaging in social justice movements through empowerment, connection, and support. With students as the feet on the ground and the voice for the voiceless, we hope to promote awareness of MMIW and institute lasting change to protect our Native American women and girls.