Medicine Forward
Healing in Action, Medicine in Community
Medicine Forward is carried through four kinds of medicine—creative, civic, relational, and intergenerational. This campaign advances healing and resilience through legislative advocacy, creative expression, reciprocal gifting, and intergenerational learning. It positions community as both the laboratory and the medicine for a thriving future.
Four Directions
Together, these initiatives move medicine forward—through creativity, community protection, reciprocal care, and intergenerational strength.
Creative Medicine
We practice healing through making—art, movement, story, and creative ritual. Creative Medicine supports resilience and belonging, turning lived experience into strength and community connection.
Reciprocal Medicine
Artists pledge a portion of proceeds and join Medicine Forward Art Allies. This program began when an artist asked, “How can artists help?”—and chose to give without being asked, modeling relational accountability in action.
Intergenerational Medicine
Girl Society is our intergenerational circle for learning, creativity, and leadership. We build protective relationships across ages—strengthening identity, support networks, and the next generation of community advocates.
Civic Medicine
Healing also requires systems change. We track and support legislation that strengthens protection for Indigenous relatives and aligns with Indigenous rights—so community safety is built into policy, not left to chance.
Creative Medicine
Medicine Forward marks the beginning of a transformative journey, where art becomes a medium for storytelling and healing. This project not only beautifies the space but also sparks intergenerational dialogue and fosters a deeper connection to the land. Through collaborative efforts, we aim to re-visualize the Utah landscape through an Indigenous lens, creating a lasting impact on the community.
The Nature Center at Pia Okwai Mural
By mychaela parrish
The Artist
(Mikee-a-lah Parrish) is a Diné multimedia artist based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with roots in Rose Park and the Navajo Nation. Working across drawing, painting, muralism, digital art, and film, her work centers Indigenous resilience, kinship, and cultural memory. With a deep grounding in figurative drawing and landscapes, her visual language engages in a critical dialogue with Western art traditions and the lasting impacts of colonization—reclaiming narrative space for Indigenous voices.
In the spring of 2022, Parrish received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Utah, where her mural was selected for permanent installation in the William Browning Building, Spring 2021. Following graduation, she became an artist-in-residence at Lost Eden Gallery, an Indigenous-run space where she collaborated on murals, exhibited work, and performed live drawings during community events. Her practice is closely tied to the Westside of Salt Lake Valley, where she advocates for greater representation of marginalized communities in the regional arts scene.
Rooted in her experiences as a Diné woman raised in Rose Park, Parrish’s work reflects a dual connection—urban and ancestral—to both the city and the land of her people. By creating the Land Recapture Project, she aims to spark intergenerational dialogue, establish community murals, in efforts to create a public art focal point that re-visualizes Utah’s landscape through an Indigenous lens. Her art is both a tribute to where she comes from and a vision for where Indigenous storytelling can go.
Reciprocal Medicine
Medicine Forward Art Allies are artists who pledge a portion of their proceeds to support MMIR Utah’s healing work. This program was born from relational accountability—artists stepping forward with generosity, action, and care.
This initiative began when Kathy Castleton asked a question we don’t hear often enough: “How can artists help?” She didn’t wait to be asked—she offered to donate proceeds from her work, and the Medicine Forward Art Ally program was born. In a room full of policy discussions and networking, she distinguished herself not just by her presence, but by her immediate desire to take action.
Kathy’s commitment reflects what Medicine Forward is about: transforming trauma into strength through art, advocacy, and community care. Art can heal, it can witness, and it can help move human rights work forward—especially when it’s offered with integrity and relational accountability.
The Artist
Kathryn “Kathy” Castleton is an artist whose work engages the spiritual, the personal, and the communal—inviting reverence, curiosity, and reflection. Working primarily in oil and watercolor, she explores layered symbolism, regional storytelling, and the connections between past and present. Much of her inspiration comes from the Native American experience and the resilience of Native women she has met—honoring strength, identity, and enduring cultural vitality through her art.
Kathy's Art Ally Pledge
If she sells any art depicting the life or person of any Native or Indigenous person, she will donate 20% of the proceeds to MMIR Utah in support of the Medicine Forward campaign.
Are You An Artist?
Pledge a portion of your proceeds to MMIR Utah’s Medicine Forward campaign and help steward healing spaces for community.
Civic Medicine
Medicine Forward includes policy and advocacy because healing also requires systems change. Civic Medicine supports efforts that strengthen protection for Indigenous relatives and improve how systems respond—especially when a loved one is missing or murdered. We share key legislation here so community members and partners can educate themselves, track progress, and stay connected to what’s moving in Utah.
2026 Legislative Update: H.B. 588 — Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Amendments, Read H.B. 588
H.B. 588 enacts provisions related to training resources for investigations involving the murder or disappearance of an Indigenous individual. The bill requires the Office of American Indian–Alaska Native Health and Family Services to create a training curriculum for peace officers investigating MMIR cases, including:
- gathering accurate information on race, ethnicity, and tribal affiliation
- principles of tribal sovereignty as they relate to investigations
- relevant federal, state, and tribal laws
- methods for coordination with family members during investigations
- best practices for interviewing family members
- The curriculum must be reviewed and updated at least once every three years. The bill takes effect May 6, 2026.
How We Got Here: H.B. 116 (2020), Read H.B. 116
In 2020, Utah passed H.B. 116 — Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force, which established a task force to address MMIR. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Angela Romero with Sen. David P. Hinkins as Senate floor sponsor, and it was signed by the Governor on March 28, 2020 (effective May 12, 2020).
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore common inquiries about Medicine Forward and find insightful answers to guide your understanding of our mission.
Do I need to share my story to participate?
No, sharing your story is not required to participate. We respect your privacy and welcome your involvement in any capacity you’re comfortable with.
Is this initiative only for Indigenous people?
While Medicine Forward centers Indigenous voices, we invite allies and supporters from all backgrounds to join our efforts in meaningful ways.
What does reciprocal gifting mean here?
Reciprocal gifting involves exchanging resources and support in a way that honors relationships, gratitude, and cultural protocols.
Intergenerational Medicine
Intergenerational Medicine creates space for learning, creativity, and belonging—strengthening protective relationships and supporting the next generation of leaders. This work is about continuity: culture carried forward, stories held with care, and community strengthened through connection.
Honors and Achievements
2025–2027
Indigenous Justice Circle Award
We are proud recipients of the Indigenous Justice Circle Award, recognizing our dedication to justice advocacy and community empowerment.
2025–2027
MMIR Utah Girl Society
We join strong Native-led trusted partners across Indian Country. White Dragonfly Society, Peaceful Means, Mahpiya Luta (Red Cloud) Indian School, Na’leb’ak Guatemala, Bluebird Cultural Initiative, Healing Ribbons, Native American Community Services, and Dakota Wicohan.
Contact Us
Get Involved
For more information about our Girl Society, please reach out to us at girlsociety@mmirutah.org.
Our Mission
At MMIR Utah, we are dedicated to addressing the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives through a comprehensive approach that includes advocacy, healing, and cultural empowerment. Our mission is to create a world where Indigenous peoples are safe, respected, and celebrated.
We believe in the power of community and the importance of cultural preservation. By working together, we can build a future where Indigenous voices are at the forefront of societal change, and our cultural heritage is honored and protected.