A community march from Street Angels to Rotary Park served as a powerful call to action to mark Red Dress Day on Saturday, May 4 — a national day of awareness for Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
Accompanied by drumming from Chief Cliff Singers, a sea of red marched down First Street to Rotary Park, which itself was adorned with red dresses hanging from the bandstand and nearby trees.
Speakers shared their own personal experiences, while recognizing the occasion as an opportunity to grieve and to heal amid calls for action, justice and awareness.
Chief Cliff Singers led the crowd in a round dance to close the formal ceremonies, which was followed by a community barbecue, while booths representing various organizations were on hand to provide resources and support.
Indigenous women make up 16 percent of all femicide victims and 11 percent of all missing women, according to the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC).
Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples are also six times more likely to be murdered than their non-Indigenous counterparts.