Red Dress Day marked in Crowsnest Pass

Participants wrapped in red blankets gather in reflection during Red Dress Day at the Blairmore gazebo, honouring missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Two-Spirit people on May 5.

John Kinnear photo

Community honours missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls amid calls for action and accountability

On May 5, a group gathered at the Blairmore Community Gazebo to mark Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). The gathering commemorated the lives lost and called for greater public accountability in addressing the ongoing crisis facing Indigenous communities across Canada.

The event in Crowsnest Pass coincided with the 15th anniversary of Red Dress Day, which was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project. The symbolic act of hanging empty red dresses in public spaces continues to serve as a powerful reminder of the thousands of Indigenous women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered across the country.

In Blairmore, red dresses hung quietly from the gazebo fence, fluttering in the wind as a solemn tribute.