Red Dress Day

 

Red Dress Day honors and remembers Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people who are missing or have been murdered.

Who is honored?
Red Dress Day honors:

• Indigenous women who are missing or have been killed.
• Indigenous girls who are missing or have been killed.
• Two-Spirit Indigenous people who are missing or have been killed.

Why red dresses?
Red dresses are used because the color red is bright and easy to see. They catch our eye in naturezinnedproject.org. Artist Jaime Black hung empty red dresses on trees and street lamps to make people noticezinnedproject.org. Each empty red dress stands for one missing or murdered personvogue.com. The dresses are empty to show that the person is not here.

The REDress Project (Jaime Black):

• Started by Métis artist Jaime Black in 2010zinnedproject.orgen.wikipedia.org.
• It is an art project using empty red dresses to remember missing Indigenous womenen.wikipedia.org.
• Jaime Black and helpers put red dresses in parks, on trees, and in city spaceszinnedproject.orgen.wikipedia.org.
• This project played a key role in inspiring the establishment of Red Dress Day. en.wikipedia.org.

Ways people can take part:

• Show your support by wearing red on May 5. cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
• Learn more about the stories and issues of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S).
• Join or hold a local Red Dress Day event or gatheringcihr-irsc.gc.ca.
• Hang a red dress or red poster at home or school to honor them.
• Talk with friends and family about why we remember on Red Dress Day.

Each of these actions helps keep the memory of missing and murdered Indigenous people alive. Red dresses remind us that these women, girls, and Two-Spirit people are not forgottenzinnedproject.orgvogue.com.

Sources: Information adapted from official and educational sources on Red Dress Day