(February 13, 2023) - Since the 2010 inception of Métis artist Jaime Black’s ongoing art series, The REDress Project, heightened awareness has been brought to the staggering number of murdered and missing Indigenous women across Canada. The Red Dress campaign that stems from Black’s art series has been honoured by Laurentian University since 2016. This year, Laurentian’s Indigenous Student Affairs (ISA) office will recognize the campaign with an event held in the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre’s Round Room on February 14, 2023.
“The Red Dress campaign involves the hanging of red dresses to symbolize the many Indigenous women victimized by violence who are murdered and missing,” explained Mélanie Roque, the ISA’s Events and Media Coordinator. “On February 9th, red dresses were hung across campus in solidarity.”
Historically and disproportionately, Indigenous women are affected by violence. They are also over-represented in statistics of Canadian women that are murdered and missing.
“To honour the Red Dress Campaign and the spirits of murdered and missing individuals, we have invited guest speakers to join us,” said Roque. This includes members from the Greater Sudbury Police Service who will discuss their efforts regarding the elimination of violence against women, girls and those who identify as 2SLGBTQQIA+. In virtual attendance will be Tanya Debassige from the Family Information Liaison Units, who will discuss this program and how it supports family members of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. A pre-recorded address by Navaeh Pine, member of Garden River who advocates for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two spirits and the Every Child Matters movement will additionally be screened in the ISLC. Pine is an award winning speaker who addresses various human rights issues.
“We also have a facilitator, Kristy Corbiere, hosting a Red Dress workshop in the afternoon,” said Roque. “She will be designing a red tea dress that will be split up into different sections. Participants will aid in assembling the dress and will also have the opportunity to work on some embellishments. All attendees will have the opportunity to take part, and the completed dress will then be displayed every year at our annual Red Dress Campaign event”.
“As you are walking through campus and see the red dresses hanging along with our posters, it’s important to note that this does not reflect the actual numbers. When taking a moment to pause and reflect on the tens of thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQQIA, we have to remember that one was too many,” said Mary Laur, Director of the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre.
The Laurentian community and wider reaches of the Greater Sudbury community are invited to attend this Red Dress Campaign event. Individuals interested in participating in collective activism may choose to hang in their own homes or yards, red dresses, in memory and solidarity to the many Indigenous women whose lives have been affected by violence. These murdered and missing Indigenous women cannot be forgotten. We remember them in spirit.