Addressing Gender Violence by Remembering Forward

Join us today on Native Pulse as we speak with community leader, Norma Rendon (Oglala Lakota). Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, Norma discusses the impacts of the resumed construction of the Keystone (KXL) pipeline and associated mancamps in her community, including missing and murdered Indigenous women and children. She remarks on how this systemic violence is historical and offers hope in demonstrating how her community continues to move forward, heal, and thrive.

Norma Rendon is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, bringing more than 25 years of experience in working against violence of Indigenous women and girls. She began grassroots organizing around family violence in the mid 70’s in Minneapolis, Minnesota, then was coordinator for a domestic violence shelter for 13 years, and worked for 7 years for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Victim Service Program establishing their Sex Trafficking Code, providing direct services, program implementation, including cuff account, grant writing, grants management and domestic violence training for law enforcement. Norma has also been an expert witness in jury trials for Rapid City judicial system. She was also the Native Co-Director for the South Dakota Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Sex Trafficking.

Norma now leads Winyan Wicayuonihan Oyanke (Where All Women Are Honored), whose vision is to shelter and advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and sex trafficking by providing culturally relevant programs and community outreach which will contribute to social change through intervention, prevention, education and community awareness.

To learn more about Norma’s work with Winyan Wicayuonihan Oyanke, visit:
Website: www.whereallwomenarehonored.org
Facebook: Where All Women Are Honored