By Michelle Baker
More than 500 people marched in the streets of Reno on Saturday, Oct. 19 as part of the eighth annual Women’s March. Leading the march were the Jingle Dress Dancers, a group of Indigenous women wearing sacred dresses adorned with beaded designs and metal cones that mimic the sound of rain when moving and dancing.
During Saturday’s march, the women wore red jingle dresses to bring awareness to the international movement of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), now expanded to include Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP).
“We have an epidemic in this country where Indigenous people are murdered, go missing and are not investigated,” Indigenous organizer Teresa Melendez explained. “And [these] crimes are not prosecuted at the rates of other citizens in this country. So we’re asking our legislators to fund, support and pass legislation to help address this issue.”
The march, which typically takes place in January, coincided with the first day of early voting in the state—a move made by Northern Nevada Marches Forward, which plans the Women’s March each year—to highlight the importance of voting this year.
“We thought, let’s have it on the first day of early voting this year,” Jackie Shelton, chair of Northern Nevada Marches Forward, said. “Because that’s the idea, right? That’s the point, to vote and stand up for your rights.”
Shelton said this year’s slogan for the march, “Vote like your life depends on it,” is not an exaggeration.
“Unfortunately, our rights have gotten worse since 2017 instead of better, which makes [the march] even more important this year,” Shelton said. “There’s so much on the line.”
“I think this is a historic Women’s March,” Melendez said. “Folks are here to help bring awareness and importance to this historic election because women’s rights are on the ballot.”
