Sisters in Spirit will be held on Friday, October 4 at the south side of Royal City Park in Guelph.

Take a moment during the day to wander through an installation of red dresses representing the lives of Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people or join Guelph Community Health Centre (CHC), the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) and G-W WIC  in the evening at 6:30 pm for speakers, music and a meditative walk to support the families, loved ones and communities impacted by the MMIWG2S+ crisis.

Indigenous women represent about 4% of Canadian women, but represented 24% of all women homicide victims between 2015 and 2020.

Recent research by the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics shows that Indigenous women and girls experience disproportionately high rates of violence in Canada, with 56% of Indigenous women having experienced physical assault and 46% having experienced sexual assault. Two-Spirit people are at even greater risk of violence.

This event will offer space for reflection on the impacts of this violence, as well as for remembrance and healing. We hope you can make it.

If you’re interested in learning more about the issue, you could start with these resources:

Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

The Native Women’s Association of Canada’s Issues in Trafficking and MMIWG2S+

The Ontario Native Women’s Association’s Resources on MMIWG

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ Resource Guide on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+

Amnesty International’s No More Stolen Sisters campaign