Cheyenne Phoenix is Diné (Navajo) of the Bitterwater people clan from her mother's side and her father is Northern Paiute from the Fort Bidwell Paiute Indian Reservation in Northern California. She was born and raised most of her life in “Tovangaar”, which is also known today as Los Angeles, and is currently still on the occupied territory of the Tongva, Kizh, Gabrielino/Gabrieleño Peoples. She has been an active community member of the Los Angeles and Southern California Native American/ Alaska Native Community since she was a teenager. Cheyenne is a Fancy Shawl dancer, running athlete advocate with Rising Hearts, Water Protector / Land Defender / grassroots community & youth organizer working to protect sacred sites, the land and the original peoples of Turtle Island / Abya Yala (Western Hemisphere). She has been a prayer runner since she was a teenager after she had her coming of age ceremony, and was taught the Navajo way of running in prayer for not only herself and her physical health, but also to pray for others, and to think of the good and the bad things that everyone has to go through, and pray about that through her running. Throughout the years Cheyenne has taken many leadership positions and developed a strong voice for her advocating for Missing and Murdered, Indigenous Women, Girls, Trans, 2 Spirit, and our relatives (MMIWGT2S+). Cheyenne is currently the Community Organizer for Native Ways 2 College.
Through her prayer running, advocacy, and leadership within the community, Cheyenne has continued to raise awareness and uplift those that have been impacted by this epidemic of MMIWGT2S+. Cheyenne has organized prayer runs and healing walks and gatherings with the local community and tribal people to uplift Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Relatives and to advocate for protecting sacred sites here in Tovangaar / Los Angeles Basin. Cheyenne also continues to support all people who are doing advocacy and work around the epidemic of MMIWGT2S+ by collaborating and uplifting the work that is being done all over Indian country. She continues to run today and into the future to honor and recognize all the relatives who have gone missing or have been murdered since colonization here on Turtle Island / Abya Yala.
What’s it means to run for MMIWGT2S+?
"What running in prayer means to me, what I feel when I run in prayer, and what I experience during these prayer runs is more than words can even describe because there’s nothing else like it. From what I can share when I run, the first thing I do is offer a prayer for myself with some sage or other medicine for protection. I start off with acknowledging all of my relatives such as the land and plant relatives. Then, I focus on who the original caretakers of the land of where I’m running at. I think of all the life they still have there and used to have there. Most importantly, I begin my intention and prayer for all the MMIWGT2S+, the victims and survivors, and their families. My prayer for them is for healing, comfort, justice, and for their families to always be protected, to feel safe, and live for the next generations to come."
List of resources for MMIWG + Awareness and Data
NEW: “Taaqtam Müüy’müy’k - Hidden Bodies: MMIWG2 & MMIP of Central & Southern California” - https://www.sovereign-bodies.org/socalmmiwp
Rising Hearts - Running for Justice Virtual 5K/10K/Half Marathon
Organizations to Support & Uplift