Honouring Red Dress Day in Waterloo Region

It’s Red Dress Day in Canada, a day of remembrance for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit individuals in Canada.

The day began in 2010 when a Métis artist based in Winnipeg, Jamie Black, hung hundreds of empty red dresses in public places to represent missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and to bring awareness to the issue.

Here in Waterloo Region, the Healing of the Seven Generations will be hosting a walk through downtown Kitchener.

The walk will begin the Healing of the Seven Generations headquarters at 300 Fredrick St. and culminate at the clock tower in Victoria Park, followed by drumming, speakers, and a vigil.

“There are so many people that are still missing and not being looked for,” said Serena Wesley of the Healing of Seven Generations. “Maybe, it’ll help bring some peace to families, and maybe we can get them found.”

The walk starts at 10 a.m. on Sunday. 

In Wilmot, nine churches across the community will be hanging red dresses, smudged by local indigenous leaders, in memory of missing and murdered people. each dress will be accompanied by a profile of a woman, girl, or two-spirited Indigenous person who fell victim. 

The churches are also urging people to hang their dresses at home to honour Red Dress Day.