Surrey Schools remembers missing and murdered Indigenous people on Red Dress Day

WRAP students Hannah Adams and Selena Oakley designed the Stolen Sisters mural that was unveiled last year at King George Hub. The district is recognizing Red Dress Day on Friday, a day to raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people in Canada.

On Friday, May 5, the district is recognizing Red Dress Day, also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S) in Canada.

First held in 2010, the annual remembrance was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project, an art installation of red dresses hanging in the wind to symbolize more than 1,000 Indigenous women and girls who have been killed or gone missing in Canada.

“This day serves as an important reminder of the disproportionate violence faced by Indigenous women and girls, and the tremendous loss faced by First Nations communities,” said Gary Tymoschuk, vice-chair of the Surrey Board of Education. “In the district’s ongoing work toward truth and reconciliation, we ask our schools to continue to raise awareness for Red Dress Day and honour those lost.”

In May 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released Reclaiming Power and Place, a 1,200-page report that included more than 230 recommendations to address issues faced by Indigenous women and girls across the country.

Students are encouraged to mark the day by wearing red, hanging a red dress in their yard or window, or posting on social media with the hashtags #RedDressDay, #MMIWG, #MMIWG2S, #WhyWeWearRed and #NoMoreStolenSisters.

Last year, WRAP students Hannah Adams and Selena Oakley painted Stolen Sisters, a community mural to promote awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Red Dress Day can be triggering for those affected by loss. For immediate emotional assistance, call the government’s national, toll-free 24/7 crisis line 1-844-413-6649, or call the Indigenous-specific Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 for crisis counselling, including in some Indigenous languages.