Day 148 (of 2024/25) #reddressday #MMIWG2S
Carolyn Roberts is phenomenal, and her writing of Red Dress Day is by far better than mine: https://www.carolynroberts.net/single-post/thinking-about-red-dress-day-for-elementary-students but today is a day to remember the Missing & Murdered Indigenous WOmen, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ that often go unreported and/or uninvestigated.
Highway of Tears and the lack of investigations into missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two spirit peoples. Sometimes systemic discrimination hides in plain site. Prove me wrong in this case.
The Red Dress shares today are all about raising awareness of the thousands who have been subject to an inordinate amount of violence in canada. The day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project Installation. Empty dresses to represent those who we don’t know (nor know what happened to them).
I love that our community often has its own display this time of year – red dresses on trees. While I do not have a lot of red in my closet, I am able to wear enough to honour May 5 – the day chosen because of it being the birthday of Lisa Marie Young – a 21 year old Tla-o-qui-hat woman who disappeared from Nanaimo on Canada Day, 2002. Another story of no progress in a case despite hundreds of public tips.
My own little knock on the door of the universe is a poem (used to write more and thinking it’s a habit I need to pick back up).
Red Dress
Frameless and bare
Vibrant and bright
How do the contradictions fit so well
Unassigned value
Unassigned blame
Unassigned accountability
Who looks for those who are hidden
Not by themselves but by
The system that has repeated value
The dress flaps in the wind
No one to fill its fabric
No model to give it form
Perhaps it will blow away
Out of sight and out of mind
Unless…
It remains an image burned in our memory
Posted all around communities lived in and not
Thought about who should could would
Be wearing it still.
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If you, or someone you know is experiencing signs of distress don’t hesitate to reach out to services available 24/7/365:
Technolandy 
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