The National Indigenous Women's Resource Center is thrilled to announce the 2025 Women Are Sacred (WAS) Conference will take place July 29-31, 2025, at the Baird Convention Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! One of the nation’s most inspiring and impactful gatherings, the Women Are Sacred Conference is a cornerstone in the movement to end violence against Native women and children. This powerful event brings together advocates, survivors, Tribal domestic and sexual violence programs, Tribal leadership, law enforcement, and Tribal court personnel—all united in the shared mission of creating safer, stronger Tribal communities.
Under this year's theme, "Committed to Our Relatives: Tradition in Our Hearts, Future in Our Hands," attendees will experience transformative training sessions, engage in meaningful networking opportunities, and learn from some of the most respected leaders, advocates, and experts driving change in Indian Country.
“Native women have survived, Indian Nations have
survived, because of our beliefs and teachings.”
–Tillie Black Bear
The Tillie Black Bear Women Are Sacred Award
Tillie Black Bear, Wa Wokiya Win, Sicangu Lakota, is widely known as the Grandmother of the Movement to end violence against women. For nearly four decades, her leadership shaped the national movement to end violence against Native women, playing a key role in advancing the Violence Against Women Act from 1994 through 2013. Tillie’s legacy lives on through her powerful vision of social change, grassroots organizing, and movement building—guided by a Native lens and grounded in traditional values.
Raised on the lands of her people, the Sicangu Lakota Nation, Tillie lived her life according to the teachings of White Buffalo Calf Woman, who taught the Lakota people that, even in thought, women are to be respected. This understanding was integral to her lifeway and work. Her relationships with women, survivors, and advocacy were rooted in Lakota culture. The understanding that we are all related guided her life and advocacy to end violence against Native women and their children.
Honoring Tillie’s Life Work
To carry forward Tillie’s life work, the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center presents the Tillie Black Bear Women Are Sacred Award every two years. This award honors an advocate who embodies the spirit and teachings Tillie brought to the movement—someone who leads from a survivor-centered, community-driven approach and is dedicated to creating lasting change within Tribal communities. We invite you to nominate someone who demonstrates:
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Community-driven, grassroots advocacy
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Leadership in survivor-centered social change
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Commitment to restoring safety and honoring relationships among relatives
Nominees should be individuals whose work centers Native women and survivors in Tribal communities or organizations, and who reflect the spirit of matriarchal leadership that Tillie embodied. Please note: NIWRC staff and members of the Board of Directors are not eligible for nomination.
Nomination Process
- Online: To submit your nomination, please use the Tillie Black Bear Women Are Sacred Award 2025 form.
- Please contact us if you would like assistance with this form.
Nominations must be received by Friday, June 20, 2025.
Questions about the 2025 Women Are Sacred Conference? Contact us.
