No More Stolen Sisters
Friday’s Red Dress Day is a day set aside to honour Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2S+ and call attention to the 231 Calls for Justice imperative in ending the genocide against them.
It’s everyone’s responsibility to learn about the issues – share what you have learned and also do what you can to create moments of relationship-building and healing encounters.
Red Dress Day is also known as the National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S+.
Community Events
There will be an opportunity to join others at Velma’s House at 566 Bannatyne Ave at 10:45 a.m. to hang a dress on the MMIWG2S+ tree there for a loved one. Following the gathering at Bannatyne, participants will go to the community round dance at Portage and Main.
This MMIWG2S+ Walk for Justice follows, with a march from Portage and Main to The Forks, organized by Giganawenimaanaanig the MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee.
Everyone is welcome to join this walk and to wear red, to honour and to bring awareness to the lives of Indigenous women, girls and 2S+ that have been subject to systemic and disproportionate violence.
In our Point Douglas neighbourhood, the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre at 221 Austin St. N. will have a sacred fire all day and a memorial table set up inside for anyone who wants to bring a photo of a loved one. There will be teachings with Elder Gladys and a guest speaker, and at 11:30 a.m. staff and community will join in the march. A hot lunch will also be available for community members at 1 p.m.
Additionally, items from the sacred bundle of the National Inquiry into MMIWG2S+ will be on display at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Level 1 Gallery, with free admission from May 5 to 7. The sacred bundle includes hundreds of artistic expressions created by family members, friends, survivors, artists, and others during the National Inquiry. Affected loved ones of the MMIWG2S+ community selected items for display from the sacred bundle. Many of these loved ones will be on site to care for these items throughout the three‐day display and support persons for visitors will also be on site.
Support MMIWG2S+ Initiatives
One of the other ways you can help is by supporting this student-led campaign during MMIWG2S+ awareness month.
Grade 10 Ojibway artist, Kai Keeper from the Seven Oaks Met School, is collaborating with Red Rebel Armour, a local Indigenous-run organization that employs people who have been previously incarcerated, to help raise funds for Drag the Red.
50% of all profits from each t-shirt purchased with Kai’s beautiful design will go directly to Drag the Red, a Winnipeg-based grassroots organization that helps families search for their missing loved ones
Red Rebel also has this stunning Not Forgotten hoodie available.
Team Support
Our team is wearing shirts designed by an R.B. Russell student in a show of support for MMIWG2S+
Teacher John Sobkovich’s Graphic Design students have been preparing T-shirts with their classmate’s original artwork to outfit their school community to commemorate the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (#MMIWG2S) on Friday, May 5.
For Grade 11 student Calliope Funk, who created the powerful design found on the T-shirts, they wanted to ensure it was inclusive, “My design says no more stolen sisters, which includes every murdered woman, girls and two-spirited as well. I made a design that includes all, they’re our sisters, to commemorate them.”
Resources
Below are some resources regarding this national crisis of MMIWG2S+:
- Watch the film Highway of Tears
- Review action ideas and resources from Kairos Canada.
- Read the six-part series sharing stories, history, and information written by Indigenous journalist Brandi Morin.
#NoMoreStolenSisters #MMIW