🏆 For the first time ever, experience the power, legacy, and cinematic brilliance of the 30th RNCI Red Nation Awards in this special re-edited presentation.
Now streaming exclusively on the Red Nation Films YouTube Channel during the Academy Awards broadcast.
Produced by the Red Nation Celebration Institute, the Red Nation Awards remain one of the largest and most respected showcases of Native and Indigenous excellence in entertainment worldwide — honoring visionary artists, filmmakers, actors, activists, and cultural leaders shaping global cinema.
This landmark 30th Anniversary celebration features:
• Unforgettable award presentations • Speeches that challenge and transform the industry • Indigenous filmmakers redefining authorship, power, and sovereignty • Red carpet arrivals and historic honors • A movement that long predates mainstream recognition
Long before “inclusion” became industry language, RNCI was building the platform — amplifying Indigenous voices, investing in storytellers, and shifting culture from the inside out.
As Hollywood gathers to celebrate its highest honors, experience the ceremony that has elevated Indigenous storytellers for three decades — and continues to shape the future of global cinema.
Because when we control the lens, we control the narrative.
Watch. Share. Amplify.
#Oscars #OscarWeek #RedNationAwards #NativeWomenInFilmTV #IndigenousCinema #RNCI #RepresentationMatters

🎥 31st Edition Red Nation International Film Festival
World’s Largest Native Indigenous Film Festival.
Founded in the United States.
FIRST OF ITS KIND IN LOS ANGELES.

👉 SUBMIT TODAY: https://bit.ly/3MILAWs
Presented by Red Nation Celebration Institute (RNCI), The longest-running nonprofit enterprise dedicated to Native and Indigenous stories.
#NativesInChargeOfTheirNarrative #WhoTellsTheStoryMatters #RNIFF31 #Hollywood #LosAngeles #IndependentFilms #Native #Indigenous #Storytellers
Condolences to the Turner Family 🙏

Thirty years ago, Ted Turner Foundation and Turner Broadcasting System were among the earliest supporters of Red Nation Celebration Institute. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Turner family and all who have been touched by his extraordinary legacy.
"Thank you, Mr. Turner, for your visionary leadership and for transforming the global media landscape. Your pioneering work inspired me personally and helped motivate the launch of the Red Nation Television Network more than 20 years ago, creating a platform dedicated to Indigenous storytelling and representation for audiences around the world. Your influence will continue to live on through all those committed to using media as a force for education, understanding, and positive change." - Joanelle Romero, Founder-CEO Red Nation Television Network
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Taylor Sheridan and Nicole Muirbrook for standing as valued allies of Native Women in Film & Television in All Media – Why We Wear Red and our National Call to Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWG2S).
Through powerful storytelling in projects such as Wind River, Yellowstone, and Marshal, Taylor Sheridan continues to bring national attention to the urgent realities facing Native and Indigenous women and communities. By integrating these issues into mainstream film and television, he is helping ensure that stories too often ignored are seen, heard, and acknowledged.
Be sure to watch “Marshals” Sunday nights on CBS. We are encouraged to see Native stories and Native talent returning to CBS in prominent roles and storylines that bring greater visibility to Indigenous voices and experiences.
“My first leading role was in the The Girl Called Hatter Fox, which premiered on CBS in 1977. I portrayed Hatter Fox, a rebellious and deeply troubled 17-year-old Navajo girl navigating racism, trauma, and institutionalization in New Mexico. The story follows Hatter’s complex journey toward healing through an unexpected relationship with a young Bureau of Indian Affairs physician determined to help her reclaim her life.
This groundbreaking production marked the first time a Native actress carried the lead role in a contemporary made-for-television film. Portraying Hatter Fox was a life-changing experience that helped shape my understanding of identity, survival, and the transformative power of storytelling.” - Joanelle Romero, Founder CEO NWIFTV
NWIFTV WHY WE WEAR RED ()
#WhyWeWearRed #MMIWG2S #NativeWomenInFilmAndTelevision #VisibilitySavesLives #TogetherWeCan
🚨 OFFICIAL BREAKING ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
Native Women in Film & Television in All Media – Why We Wear Red is officially extending its National Call to Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWG2S) to encompass the entire month of May each year.
Beginning in 2026 and moving forward, the month of May will serve as a sustained period of awareness, remembrance, advocacy, and action to honor our missing and murdered Native and Indigenous women, girls, and relatives.
What began in 2018 as a grassroots media movement has grown into a national and international campaign connecting visibility, storytelling, and human rights.
When Native women are seen, heard, and represented, we strengthen the path toward justice.
We encourage you to watch these films to gain a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the realities Native and Indigenous women, girls, and communities face every day, and to engage with the stories, voices, and lived experiences that too often remain unseen, unheard, and unacknowledged.
WATCH Films with Impact /films-with-impact/
WATCH TV with Impact /tv-series-with-impact/
#WhyWeWearRed #MMIWG2S #NativeWomenInFilmAndTelevision #HumanRights #VisibilitySavesLives #TogetherWeCan
🦋 Women & Water
Why We Wear Red (WWWR): Human Rights & Water Justice Initiative
Protect Native Women. Protect Water. Protect Life.
Why We Wear Red (WWWR) is a human rights initiative led by the Red Nation Celebration Institute (RNCI) through its Native Women in Film & Television in All Media platform. The initiative addresses the intersecting crises of violence against Native and Indigenous women and the protection of water as a fundamental human right.
Indigenous communities continue to face disproportionate rates of violence against women, alongside environmental threats that directly impact access to clean water, land, and resources. These issues are deeply interconnected. Research and lived experience demonstrate that when Indigenous women are disproportionately harmed, communities experience broader destabilization, including threats to environmental stewardship and resource protection. Conversely, when Native women are supported and centered in leadership, outcomes improve across community health, cultural preservation, and environmental protection.
WWWR utilizes media, storytelling, and advocacy to elevate awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), while advancing a unified framework that positions the safety of Native women and the protection of water as inseparable human rights priorities. Through digital campaigns, film programming, and public engagement, the initiative creates platforms for Indigenous voices and fosters cross-sector dialogue on justice, equity, and sustainability.
Project activities include the development and distribution of media content, integration into the Red Nation Television Network (RNTV), and targeted outreach to diverse audiences. These efforts expand visibility, increase public understanding, and support long-term cultural and environmental resilience.
LEARN MORE: /women-water/
#OnlyOneWater #NWIFTV #WhyWeWearRed #HumanRights #WomenRights
2026 NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION FOR MMIW
May 4–11, 2026
Since 2018, the Native Women in Film & Television in All Media (NWIFTV) Why We Wear Red initiative has mobilized a powerful media coalition to elevate global awareness and drive action.
This initiative confronts the ongoing absence and misrepresentation of Native women across film, television, and digital platforms - an issue directly connected to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIW).
“When Native women are absent from media and the broader narrative, it sends a dangerous message -that we don’t matter, that our lives are invisible. I am a survivor of sexual assault. I speak my truth so others do not remain unheard.” - Joanelle Romero
At its core, Why We Wear Red is both remembrance and resistance. We honor the lives of those who are missing and those taken too soon, while amplifying the voices of families, communities, and advocates working toward justice across #IndianCountry.
Through storytelling, media visibility, and collective action, this national call brings attention to the human rights, cultural, and systemic issues impacting Native and Indigenous communities—and the urgent need for change.
We wear red to remember. We wear red to be seen. We wear red to demand accountability.
LEARN MORE:

#WhyWeWearRed #MMIW #TogetherWeCan #NWIFTV
May 5th: How It Came to Be - The Origin of National Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWG2S) and Why We Wear Red Initiative.
The establishment of May 5th as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S) did not emerge from a single moment, but from years of advocacy, lived experience, and persistent calls for justice from Indigenous families, Tribal Nations, and grassroots organizers.
In 2017, U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester of Montana introduced a bipartisan resolution designating May 5th as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls, in response to the murder of Hanna Harris on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and the broader crisis of disappearances and violence impacting Native women nationwide.
In 2018, Native Women in Film & Television in All Media launched the #WhyWeWearRed Call to Action and media coalition, founded by Joanelle Romero, founder of the Red Nation Celebration Institute (RNCI) dedicated for over 30 years to elevating Native voices and advancing authentic representation.
The Why We Wear Red initiative is rooted in a central belief: visibility saves lives.
“When Native women are absent from media and the broader narrative, it sends a dangerous message -that we don’t matter, that our lives are invisible. I am a survivor of sexual assault. I speak my truth so others do not remain unheard.” - Joanelle Romero
Inspired by industry solidarity movements in 2017–2018, Why We Wear Red was launched using the red handprint as a symbol of visibility and resistance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. What began as a social media campaign quickly became a national and international movement.
Today, Why We Wear Red continues to connect media representation to human rights, advancing the principle that invisibility in storytelling contributes to invisibility in systems of justice.
May 5th now stands as both remembrance and action. The movement affirms a core truth:
Visibility is protection. Representation is justice. Storytelling is survival.
READ FULL STORY: https://bit.ly/4dsPVYd
NWIFTV WHY WE WEAR RED
REPLAY: WATCH NOW
Joanelle Romero, Founder and CEO of the Red Nation Television Network, presents an exclusive, first-ever interview with Joe Brings Plenty, former chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and father of the late actor Cole Brings Plenty.
In this powerful, in-depth conversation, Brings Plenty speaks openly about the tragic events surrounding his son’s disappearance and death on April 5, 2024. The interview examines the circumstances leading up to the loss, the status of the ongoing investigation, and the broader impact on Indigenous communities.
Grounded in truth and accountability, this dialogue also addresses the urgent crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People (MMIW/MMIP), calling for systemic change, transparency, and action.
This is more than an interview - it is a call to awareness, justice, and visibility. #whywewearred
MAKING A BETTER WORLD - WE CAN DO BETTER
#TogetherWeCan
“A wounded world creates wounded people. Wounded people create more chaos. In a world filled with hate, we must dare to hope, dare to comfort, dare to believe.” - Michael Jackson
Building a better world requires more than words - it requires action, compassion, and the courage to create meaningful change through visibility, truth, and inclusion.
FACT: Joanelle Romero, Founder and CEO of the Red Nation Celebration Institute, was a childhood friend of Michael Jackson and played an instrumental role in his Black or White short film (music video), helping facilitate the inclusion of Native traditional dancers - including her daughter Sage - bringing authentic Indigenous representation to one of the most globally viewed music video premieres in history.
This historic moment reflected a shared belief: representation matters, visibility creates change, and together, we can build a better world.
2026 NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION FOR MMIW
May 4–11, 2026
Since 2018, the Native Women in Film & Television in All Media (NWIFTV) Why We Wear Red initiative has mobilized a powerful media coalition to elevate global awareness and drive action. This campaign confronts the ongoing absence and misrepresentation of Native women across film, television, and digital platforms—an issue directly connected to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Relatives (MMIWG2S).
At its core, Why We Wear Red is both remembrance and resistance. We honor the lives of those who are missing and those taken too soon, while amplifying the voices of families, communities, and advocates working toward justice across #IndianCountry.
Through storytelling, media visibility, and collective action, this national call brings attention to the human rights, cultural, and systemic issues impacting Native and Indigenous communities—and the urgent need for change.
We wear red to remember. We wear red to be seen. We wear red to demand accountability.
🔗 in Bio
#WhyWeWearRed #MMIW #TogetherWeCan #NWIFTV
