Red Dress Day, also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People, is observed on May 5.
The day honours and brings awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have been subject to disproportionate violence in Canada.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) is a human rights crisis of gender-based and racialized violence in Canada.
- Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people are killed at a rate six times higher than those who are not Indigenous (Source);
- The majority of the women and children trafficked in Canada are Indigenous (Source:Source: MMIWG Fact Sheet, Native Women’s Association of Canada);
- Canadian research also shows that Indigenous women are 400% more likely than other Canadians to go missing;
- The problem is so pervasive that the Canadian government does not know how many Indigenous women are missing or have been murdered (Source).
Red Dress Day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project installation, in which she hung empty, red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women. Red dresses have become symbolic of the crisis as a result of her installation.
Niagara College will be participating in Red Dress Day by hanging dresses at the Daniel J. Patterson and Welland Campuses and lowering the flags to half-mast. The Libraries and Learning Commons will also have a display out featuring books about MMIWG2S.
Please join us for a hybrid event at the Welland Campus on Monday, May 6 as we hear from panelists Jillian Isaacs, Linda Johns, and Jackie Labonte about their passion and work with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People. The event will begin at 10:30 a.m., please register here.
NC at community events
Niagara College members are encouraged to participate in the following community events on Sunday, May 5:
- 11 a.m. Morning Gathering, Willowbank, Queenston
- 2 p.m. Downtown Community Walk, St. Catharines City Hall.
- 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Workshops / Market, Marilyn Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts
Learning resources
- Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls;
- Mother. Sister. Daughter (CBC);
- Learning Resources from the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA);
- Missing and Murdered: The Unsolved Cases of Indigenous Women and Girls (CBC)
Support is available
- A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available to provide support for survivors and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour service at 1-866-925-4419.
- Mental health counselling and crisis support is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Hope for Wellness hotline at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat.
- Talk 4 Healing offers 24/7 help, support and resources for Indigenous women, by Indigenous women, all across Ontario.
- Talk: Call us at 1-855-554-HEAL and live support will be there to listen, any time of day
- Text: Simply send us a message to receive support anywhere
- Chat: Click on our live chat option and start your session to begin your path to healing
- Niagara College student supports are also available through Health, Wellness & Accessibility Services, including from NC’s Indigenous Counsellor, who is available to support students’ mental wellness needs.
- Employees are encouraged to access the Employee and Family Assistance Program.
