From February 10-24, Niagara College will display red dresses across both campuses to honour and signify the loss of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) people as part of the REDress project.
Created in 2011 as an art installation at the University of Winnipeg by Métis artist Jaime Black, the REDress project has since evolved into a national movement, resulting in an inquiry into MMIWG2S+ people with a final report being shared in 2019 outlining 231 calls for justice. This is the fifth year that the College will participate the REDress Project and hang dresses on both the Welland Campus and the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
“The more we talk about this issue, the more we can raise awareness,” said Aria D’alimonte, Indigenous Culture and Events Coordinator. “I love helping with events like this because there is strength and healing in discussions and spending time together with community.”
In addition to hanging red dresses on its campuses, Niagara College is once again collaborating with Brock University on a REDress event taking place at Brock’s main campus on Friday, Feb. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The REDress event on Feb. 14 is organized and hosted by NC’s Indigenous Education department and Brock’s Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement and its Hadiya’dagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre. The day will include songs, a morning panel discussion, a traditional Indigenous catered lunch and interactive workshops.
Both the visual displays and the REDress Project event are an opportunity for everyone to support the Indigenous community and to encourage continued learning around the injustices suffered by MMIWG and 2SLGTBQQIA+ people.
Registration is required to attend. Niagara College students, employees and alumni, as well as community members can register online here to participate in all or some of the activities. The event will take place at Brock University (1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines) in the Pond Inlet room.
