About Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa:
Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa (1957–1999), Flying Eagle Woman, was born into the Menominee Nation of Wisconsin. A lifelong warrior for peace, Ingrid devoted her life to building Indigenous networks that safeguarded Native cultures and communities from social erasure, economic hardship, and environmental destruction.
Residing in Brooklyn, NY, Ingrid worked globally to protect Indigenous rights. In 1999, while aiding the U’wa people of Colombia to establish a school system, she was kidnapped and executed by the FARC. Her death was a profound loss, and she was honored by the Menominee Nation with full warrior rites. Ingrid’s spirit and fierce dedication to justice continue to inspire generations of Indigenous leaders and activists worldwide.
About the Flying Eagle Woman Survivors Fund:
The Opeqtawmetaemoh Survivors Fund was created to honor Ingrid’s legacy of service, advocacy, and solidarity. This fund provides mutual aid support to Indigenous relatives who have been affected by:
Sexual Assault
Sexual violence
Trafficking
Violent crime
The disappearance of relatives
The fund helps subsidize the cost of healing services through UIC’s Community Wellness Program, including access to mental health care, traditional healing, and other culturally rooted services. These supports are often financially out of reach due to systemic barriers, and this fund ensures survivors can access what they need to begin or continue their healing journey. Rooted in kinship and care, the Survivors Fund reflects a commitment to community-led responses to violence and harm.