Presenting “No More Stolen Sisters”

May 1st - 31st, 2025

This May, an art exhibit in Henry Law Park and Woodman Institute Museum will feature numerous red dresses on display throughout the park. Jaime Black, a Metis woman, first started the Red Dress project in 2010. It has been on display in prominent places like the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Indian.

As an artist, I was inspired by the work and wanted to honor Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). This will be the third time presenting “No More Stolen Sisters” in Dover, New Hampshire. I’m excited to bring a larger exhibit to Dover this year as I have really challenged myself to lean into more and more advocacy work.

This crisis of MMIWG has deep roots in colonization and genocide and can be attributed to the lack of legal protections as a result of the systematic erosion of Tribal sovereignty stretching back more than 500 years. Dover’s connection to this was in the mid 1600s. Numerous Indigenous relatives from the area were taken from their tribal lands, sold into slavery, sexually assaulted, domestically abused, or murdered.

BACKGROUND

For Native women, the threat of violence is not hypothetical—it is a lived reality. On some reservations, the murder rate for Native women is more than 10 times the national average. These tragedies are not isolated; they are often tied to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, sex trafficking, and longstanding harms that continue to impact Indigenous communities. 

In the face of this crisis, Native families, grassroots advocates, and Tribal Nations have risen to honor those lost, support surviving families, and demand stronger community protections. From leading searches and organizing walks to holding vigils and testifying before Congress, they have carried the stories of their loved ones into every space where change can take root. Their efforts continue to shine a light on this crisis—locally, nationally, and around the world.

May 5 is now recognized as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives, honoring Hanna Harris, a 21-year-old Northern Cheyenne woman who went missing and was later found murdered in 2013. Each year, we wear red to remember those who are missing, honor those whose lives were taken, and support the families who continue to search, speak out, and demand justice. What began as a single day of remembrance has grown into a national call to action.

How to get involved

Dresses

Do you have a red dress or two that you would like to donate? We are looking for red dresses of any shape, size, or age range. It must be prominently red in color.

Drop off location:

- Thrifty Bootique at 652 Central Ave, Dover, NH. 603-416-4871

Drop off Instructions: Please coordinate drop offs with the shop to drop off your donation. Please don’t just drop and run.

Experience

Come and experience the exhibit throughout the month of May, 2025 in Henry Law Park and at Woodman Institute, located downtown Dover, NH.

A reception and brief remarks are planned for May 5, 2025 at 5PM in Henry Law Park.

Donate Monetarily

We support Strong Hearts Native Helpline which provides support for sexual and domestic abuse issues in Indigenous communities. Click the logo or go to https://strongheartshelpline.org/for-supporters#Donate

About the Artist

Jenny Tibbits (Newichawannock/Pennacook/Abenaki & Turtle Mountain Ojibwe) (she/they)

Jenny is a longtime plant and animal lover. She is an artist, musician, independent scholar, herbalist, trained guru, reiki practictioner, tribal elder & medicine carrier, and ordained person. Jenny is a passionate story teller sharing local Indigenous and Black histories. They are an activist for Indigenous sovereignty rights. She enjoys kayaking, hiking, and horseback riding. Jenny identifies as an Indigenous Two-Spirit Disabled Veteran. She resides in Cochecho N’Dakinna, which is now Dover, New Hampshire.

About the Sponsor

Dover Arts Commission serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council and City Manager to enhance an appreciation and awareness of arts and culture in the community through increased dialog and participation of citizens.