by Jen Reeder

Jessa Rae Growing Thunder was excited to meet Michelle Obama last October when the First Lady visited Durango. As the reigning Miss Indian World – considered a prestigious honor among Native American and indigenous people – she would represent all indigenous people during a special introduction to Obama.

“All day I was pumping myself up … I had what I wanted to say in my mind, I was set. Then when it came down to it, I went to put my hand out to shake her hand, and she grabbed me and hugged me and I got flustered,” Growing Thunder said. “So the first thing I said to her was, ‘I want to change the world.’”

Growing Thunder is actively working toward that goal. In her role as Miss Indian World, she acts as a cultural ambassador, visiting communities in the United States and abroad to promote inter-tribal unity and encourage young people on reservations to go to college.

But her interest in changing the world started long before Growing Thunder, a member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux tribes of Montana, won the crown in April 2012. Her passion for preserving her tribes’ traditions helped her win the five days of competition that test skills like tribal knowledge, ceremonial dancing and public speaking.

Another of her passions was harder to talk about publically because of cultural taboos: ending sexual violence against Native American women.

 

Still, she and childhood friend Lauren Chief Elk founded the Save Wiyabi Project (“wiyabi” is an Assiniboine word for “women”) in March 2012 to raise awareness of the issue, highlight legislative initiatives like reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, and offer support to survivors.

“The statistics have been growing for so long – it’s hard to feel empowered knowing that you’re subject to be a victim,” Growing Thunder said. “Traditionally, no matter where you’re from, women are sacred. Traditionally, this type of issue wasn’t an issue – this didn’t happen.”

The statistics she cites are chilling: one in three Native American women will be raped, and 70 percent of sexual assaults will not be reported. She said the issue is a personal one.

One of the passions of Jessa Rae Growing Thunder, seen here, is harder to talk about publically because of cultural taboos: ending sexual violence against Native American women. Still, she and childhood friend Lauren Chief Elk founded the Save Wiyabi Project in March 2012 to raise awareness of the issue./Courtesy photo

“When it comes down to it, it’s hard to even come across one person that hasn’t been affected by this in some way, whether it’s them, their friend, an auntie – we all have to come across it in our lives,” she said. “It takes a lot of courage, especially being a young Native person, standing up and talking about it openly. Culturally, what’s done in the family is left in the family. That’s how it is.”

When Growing Thunder and Chief Elk created Save Wiyabi Project’s Facebook page in March 2012, it went viral.

“At first it was just Native women, but now it’s to the point where we get women from all different walks of life, different ethnicities, even different countries – the United Kingdom, Singapore, Italy, Brazil – that are writing to us telling us how this issue affects their community,” Growing Thunder said. “I don’t know how it spread so quickly – it still amazes me!”

Then she and Chief Elk learned about One Billion Rising, a global event founded by activist Eve Ensler of “Vagina Monologues” fame. The goal is to unite 1 billion people across the globe Feb. 14 to rise up in protest of rape and violence against women and girls – through dance. The event will take place on the 15th anniversary of the V-Day movement, a nonprofit organization that Ensler founded to help end sexual violence. So far, people from more than 160 countries have pledged to dance in the One Billion Rising event.

“We kind of looked at each other like, ‘Why aren’t we doing this in Indian Country? This is big for Indian Country – we could do this! And so we put out a call to action,” Growing Thunder said.

She said the response to that call has been amazing, with dances planned on reservations and college campuses around the country and world. There will be two One Billion Rising events in Durango at noon on Feb. 14, one on the Fort Lewis College campus near the clock tower with Feminist Voice, and one in Buckley Park. Growing Thunder supports both events, and will be dancing at the Buckley Park gathering in collaboration with Durango’s nonprofit Sexual Assault Services Organization (SASO).

Maura Doherty Demko, executive director of SASO, said she is “excited and honored” to share the One Billion Rising experience with Growing Thunder.

“This is about all of us standing up together all around the world and joining forces against sexual violence,” Demko said. “It’s a big deal. It’s a little step, but it’s a huge statement. I want everyone to come.”

SASO fielded 210 calls on its crisis hotline in 2012, Demko said. In addition to the 24-hour hotline, SASO provides advocacy services, such as accompanying sexual assault survivors in court, at the police station or hospital; awareness campaigns, including outreach to the Latin American community (such as producing “The Vagina Monologues” in Spanish last year); and prevention education at schools. She said statistics show one in four women in Colorado (and nationally) and one in 17 men in Colorado (one in six nationally) have been the victim of sexual assault in their lifetime.
“Sexual violence is all around us. It’s not just isolated incidents,” Demko said.

So the opportunity to join in One Billion Rising is inspiring to her.

“We can do this together, we can sing our song, we can stand up and we can celebrate life and love, which is really what Valentine’s Day is about,” she said. “But Valentine’s Day has one of the highest rates of sexual assault of different holidays. To flip that and turn it into a positive stance about healthy sexuality and being human, it’s just awesome.”

In addition to the Buckley Park event from 12 noon -1 p.m., Demko said SASO may host flash mob dances around town at other times on Valentine’s Day to support One Billion Rising. She said men are invited to participate.

“We really want it to be for everybody, and inclusive,” Demko said. “Everybody has an opportunity to connect and stand up together and make a difference.”

Growing Thunder shares the hope that many people will get involved – in whatever way they can.

“We’re trying to tell people it doesn’t matter if you have a big event. Have something in your living room. Throw some music on and dance with your kids, have a big dinner with your family and talk about this,” Growing Thunder said. “Do the slightest thing to acknowledge that on this day, you stand against sexual violence.”

 

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/Save.Wiyabi.Project, www.onebillionrising.org, or www.durangosaso.org. SASO’s 24-hour, free and confidential hotline is: 970-247-5400.