Restoration Magazine

October brings a spotlight on Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)—and on one of NIWRC’s most influential leaders, Tillie Black Bear, Wa Wokiye Win (Woman Who Helps Everyone). 

Since Tillie’s passing in 2014, NIWRC has nurtured her memory by presenting the Tillie Black Bear Women Are Sacred Award at each Women Are Sacred conference, held every two years.

Tillie Black Bear (Sicangu Lakota) is known as the Grandmother of the Movement to End Violence Against Women. In her honor, NIWRC celebrates a grassroots advocate who leads from a survivor-centered, community-driven approach—someone who, like Tillie, dedicates their life to restoring safety for Native women and Tribal communities.

This year, NIWRC proudly presents the award to Bonnie Clairmont (Ho-Chunk Nation), honoring her as a national leader in grassroots advocacy. For more than 30 years, Bonnie has transformed the response to violence against Native women by grounding her work in traditional teachings, community relationships, and a deep commitment to justice and healing.

As a Victim Advocacy Specialist at the Tribal Law and Policy Institute, Bonnie travels across Indian Country offering training, technical assistance, and guidance to Tribal advocates, victim service providers, and entire communities. Her impact includes co-founding the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition; developing SART and SANE programs; editing Sharing Our Stories of Survival; and contributing to national reports such as Maze of Injustice.

For years, Bonnie has also led efforts to center the voices of survivors at the annual Indian Nations Conference and helped create safe spaces to address harm by

spiritual leaders through the Strengthening the Circle of Trust conference.

This year’s DVAM theme, presented by the National Domestic Violence Awareness Project, is “With Survivors, Always.”

“This theme allows us to explore what it means to be in partnership with survivors toward safety, support, and solidarity. It is both a love letter and a call to action for those committed to advocating for survivors’ needs and rights.”— Domestic Violence Awareness Project Advisory Group

Bonnie’s advocacy is guided by cultural values and her identity as a Ho-Chunk woman. She treats survivors as relatives, listens with intention, and encourages systems to move toward true relational accountability.

Bonnie’s presence in the movement reflects the same spirit that guided Tillie Black Bear’s life: love, clarity, and action. We echo the call from the Domestic Violence Awareness Project—to stand with survivors, knowing that healing is a lifelong journey. Each step of the way, advocates like Bonnie show up to protect, defend, and uplift their relatives.

We encourage everyone to show support—no matter how small—for survivors and advocates in their communities. Violence lives in silence, but through collective action and care, we create safety. We are here to say: We see you, we are with you, and we will advocate for your safety, always. Domestic violence is not traditional.