On Sunday, May 5, 2024, Red Dress Day, also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People (“MMIWG2S”), will be observed. Red Dress Day honours the lives and memory of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals who have been found murdered or have gone missing in Canadian communities.
Red Dress Day was coined by Jamie Black, a Métis artist that began the REDress Project. The REDress Project is an installation art project where red dresses are hung from windows and tress to represent the loss and pain felt by Indigenous survivors and loved ones. Through this powerful installation, his work draws attention to the racialized and violent crimes against Canadian Indigenous women.
Red Dress Day is rooted is Canada’s colonial legacy, which forced the displacement, control, and assimilation of Indigenous people. LESA honours this day of remembrance and awareness for the violence against thousands of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals.
For a comprehensive list of local events observing Red Dress Day, visit the Government of Alberta website here.
