Dozens took to the streets in downtown Red Deer to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women.
About 50 people participated in the Sisters in Spirit walk and candlelight vigil, which began at the Red Deer Native Friendship Society and ended at the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery Thursday.
“I really believe it’s important to do these things to raise awareness and show support in the community,” said Teresa Cardinal, walk organizer and Red Deer Native Friendship Society community resource connector.
The walk, which was hosted by the Friendships Society and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, is also held to support the those who have lost a loved one, Cardinal added.
The Sisters in Spirit campaign was launched by the Native Women’s Association of Canada in 2004 as a way to bring awareness to violence against Indigenous women in Canada.
The association partners with groups to hold events across the country every Oct. 4. Cardinal said the walk has been in Red Deer for about five years.
Cardinal said it was “extremely emotional” to organize the event.
“This is my first time organizing it and I was trying to be strong,” she said. “My community is going through this exact thing, having a woman missing in our community. So it really impacted me.”
Cardinal said there are “alarmingly high rates” of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
Indigenous women are “at the top of the list and it’s like, ‘What’s going on there?’” she said. “We need to understand these atrocities and (learn) how we stand up against them.”
Cardinal said it was “heartwarming” to have so many people walk Thursday.
“It’s a rollercoaster to plan something like this. It’s really nice to see more people come out every year and have it grow,” she said.
Cardinal said she hopes people “educate (themselves) and open (their) minds and hearts to understand what’s happening and do our best to work together so this doesn’t happen anymore.”
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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