In the Winter of 2022, a group of LGBTQ+ students in South Dakota reached out to the founders of Uniting Resilience, Monique ‘Muffie” Mousseau and Felipa De Leon, after their school administrators suggested they attend remote classes due to harassment and bullying over their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Muffia and Felipa connected with HRC staff, leading to a collaboration that involved meeting with transgender youth, youth of color, and Two-Spirit LGBTQ+ students. These students shared their stories of discrimination, harassment, and systemic violence, including racial marginalization, job termination, and being kicked out of their homes.

HRC documented the experiences of Native individuals, revealing a disturbing pattern of violence, discrimination, and missing persons cases within Native communities. This report highlights these stories, serving as an effort to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles faced by marginalized groups.