Red Dress Day
Red Dress Day
Begun May 5, 2010 , Metis artist Jaime Black created Red Dress Project as a visual reminder of the over 1200 Missing and Murdered Women, Girls and Two-spirit people across Canada and US.
May 5, 2022 a National Day of Awareness is set aside to honour all indigenous mothers. daughters, aunties, sisters, grandmothers, nieces, cousins by embracing and supporting community healing.
Families are grieving for the losses. Families are missing their loved ones. Families continue to search for answers. Families, while on their own journey of healing, are desperately seeking justice.
Healing of the Seven Generations, an urban healing centre for First Peoples', held a community walk on May 5, 2022 to commemorate Red Dress Day.
The walk of support began at their home at 300 Frederick Street , Kitchener where a display of red dresses blew silently in the breeze. Together the group walked towards Speaker's Corner amidst the strong voices singing and the healing beat of many drums.
Songs of solidarity and strength were heard by children from Suddaby School as they cheered on and waved to the procession. Horns honked in solidarity. Shoppers stopped alongside to pay respect.
Best of all. We were seen. We were heard. People listened to those voices thought to be silenced.
We need to work together to bring the missing home and to bring justice for the murdered and to end the mistreatment of our sisters.
Red Dress Day Support
Dress Hanging outside of St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Kitchener, ON
Red Dress Day at Luther
At Martin Luther University College, red dresses were hung outdoors by a professor such that, professors and students alike, could spend some time in reflection and conversation.
(photo by Anne Anderson - from her FB page)
