Yvonne Swan (was Wanrow), Sinixt Arrow Lakes of the Colville Confederated Tribes is known for the “Wanrow Instruction”, a 1977 case law in Washington state stemming from a 1972 shooting death of a known Caucasian child molester. When her case reached the Washington State Supreme Court the ruling changed the law regarding women and self defense across the United States. Since then countless defendants have been helped when their defense was self-defense. The precedent also made it illegal to record a person without her/or his knowledge or consent and emergency police tapes are not to be used as evidence to convict.

Yvonne also worked for the International Indian Treaty Council, the diplomatic arm of the American Indian Movement (AIM) where they continue to bring violations of Indigenous human rights to the attention of the world through the United Nations. Yvonne continues to advocate for Native Rights and continues to organize grassroots movements. She was successful in helping her people get their ancient ancestral remains returned to them and reburied.

Yvonne displayed her art during our Indigenous Peoples Day 2017.

Yvonne is talking with Jimbo Simmons.