Event: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Vigil

Flyer for the vigil. On the lefts side is the outline of a woman, with black, long braid, in a red dress. MMIWG Awareness Day. May 5th is red dress day. You are invited to a vigil. Friday, May 5th, 2023. 7-8PM. Deshkan Ziibi Indigenous Hub, 496 King Street West, Chatham. Prayer, smudge, hand drumming, and guest speakers. Everyone is welcome. Co-Sponsored by Ska:Na Family Learning Centre, The Bleak House, 7 Generations Indigenous Cultural Friendship Centre, Women's Equity Business, Minose Miikana.Join local Urban Indigenous communities and Service Providers in honour of National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (Red Dress Day). See flyer for details.

Friday, May 5th, 7-8PM. Deshkan Ziibi Indigenous Hub, 496 King Street, from 7-8. Event will be outside.

There will be prayer, smudging, hand drumming, and guest speakers.

You will see red dresses hung to represent the women and girls who have are missing or have been murdered.


Please feel free to share with others, this event is open to everyone.


About The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Kin:

Also called Red Dress Day, the day honours and brings awareness to the disproportionate violence that Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit people face in Canada. Bkejwanong Territory have chosen to use the work Kin to be inclusive.

The red dress was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project, in which she hung empty, red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women.

The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Women found that, in Canada:

  • Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit people are 12x more likely to go missing or be murdered than all other women, and 16x more likely than Caucasian women.
  • In the last 30 years, more than 4000 Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit people have gone missing or been murdered. That’s about 133 a year or 3 a week.
  • Because of persistent forms of oppression (racism, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism), complaints about missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Women, are less likely to be taken seriously or followed up.

The National Inquiry led to 231 Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Canadians.

To learn more:

Read the final report and Calls for Justice from the MMIWG National Inquiry on the National Inquiry website

Visit the National Family and Survivors Circle website

Visit the Amnesty International No More Stolen Sisters website

Find book, video and podcast recommendations on Simon Fraser University’s website.

Supports:

This day may be triggering for some people. Help is available.

National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls toll-free support phone line (24/7) 1-844-413-6649

Hope for Wellness Help Line (24/7) 1-855-242-3310