On Oct. 4, the fifth annual Native American and Indigenous Peoples Day symposium will address the theme, “Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People: From Awareness to Action.”

More than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3 percent) have experienced violence in their lifetime, and more than one in three (39.8 percent) experienced violence in 2015, according to a 2016 National Institute of Justice study.

Scott Langston, TCU’s first Native American Nations and Communities liaison, stressed the importance of the symposium’s topic.

“It is another expression of colonization and we must understand its causes and take action,” said Langston, instructor of religion. “In that sense, our symposium is a response to colonization, which seeks to destroy Native American and Indigenous peoples as part of its efforts to take their lands and resources.”

Annita Lucchesi, executive director of Sovereign Bodies Institute, will lead a 2 p.m. presentation and a 7 p.m. keynote lecture.

On Oct. 5, panelists Terri Parton, president of Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, Nita Battise, chair of Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, and Jodi Voice Yellowfish, chair of MMIW TX Rematriate, will discuss violence against indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people.

“Universities and non-natives have been studying Native peoples for a long time, but what we wanted to emphasize is that we have a lot to learn from Native American and Indigenous peoples,” Langston said.

Since 2015, TCU’s Native American and Indigenous People’s Initiative has held many events, continued the yearly symposium, installed a monument, created a land acknowledgement and fostered relationships with Native communities. In addition, Chancellor Victor J. Boschini, Jr. declared the first Monday of October to be TCU’s designated Native American and Indigenous Peoples Day as of 2017.

Langston said addressing global issues will help students carry out TCU’s mission of becoming ethical leaders and responsible citizens.

“TCU’s students will go on to be teachers, lawyers, politicians, business people, entertainers, part of the media, doctors, nurses, social workers, counselors and more,” Langston said. “If they are going to be ethical and responsible in carrying out these roles, part of that is understanding and being aware of colonization’s ongoing effects.”