‘We Ride For Her’ sheds light on the United States’ history of genocide and systemic oppression of Indigenous people and the continued dark reality of violence against and consistent devaluing of Indigenous women. Indigenous women and girls in the United States are more likely to experience violence than non-Indigenous women and girls. 83% of American Indian Alaska Natives experience violence in their lifetime, while 80% of sexual violence is perpetrated by non-Indigenous people. The vast majority of women and children who have endured this, never see their abusers brought to justice.

The reality of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and relatives (MMIW/G/R) is a horrific one with its origins in the violence brought upon Indigenous communities by colonizers. A history of violence and devaluation of Native bodies, combined with a justice system that was never established to protect Indigenous people, created the epidemic we see today. There are over 5,500 missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls, and that number is conservative. The majority of cases are prematurely closed by law enforcement, which results in Native families putting little faith and trust in a justice system that has failed them. That is why the women in our film take matters into their own hands.

As an enrolled tribal member of the Three Affiliated Tribes of North Dakota and a descendent of the Sahnish/Arikara, Northern Cheyenne and Lakota Nations, I have lived experience with the MMIW/R epidemic. My community has witnessed the disappearance and death of many. My family has endured tragedy with homicide: my aunt whose death was never investigated, our nephew who was murdered in Montana, and my brother’s death in North Dakota.

We will not find comfort in a justice system that is tied to stolen land, broken treaties, forced removal of Indigenous people and countless government policies centered around assimilation and cultural genocide. These systems need to change. In order to do that we must educate the dominant culture around us. We matter. Through this film, I do not seek to exploit the violence and trauma in our communities but rather seek to raise consciousness and demand action for Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirt relatives who have been taken, tortured, raped, trafficked, assaulted, and murdered.

This film provides a platform for Indigenous voices to be heard and for our stories to be shared with a wider audience in order to raise awareness, empathy and understanding. I hope our film provides evidence to support policy changes and reform that address the root causes of the crisis and barriers we face in order to seek justice. Our film is a witness of this moment, serving as a historical record of MMIW, preserving the stories and experiences of those affected for future generations to learn from and build upon. – Prairie Rose Seminole