(The Canadian Press)

By Cam Lee

MMIWG2S+

MMIWG2S+ Walk coming to Melfort

Apr 19, 2024 | 12:14 PM

It is a walk to recognize those who have been lost.

The second annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit Plus Walk (MMIWG2S+) Walk in Melfort is coming up on May 3 at Memorial Gardens.

A youth art installation will be set up as part of a project in collaboration with Grade 11 and 12 students at Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate (MUCC). A traditional Red Dress display will also be there, courtesy of the Melfort Reconciliation Group.

Syndel Thomas Kosar is a Resolution Support Worker at the Marguerite Riel Centre. She told northeastNOW the walk will be led by the drum group Digging Bear from James Smith Cree Nation. Local chiefs will also be on hand to lead the walk.

“We will have Kirby Constant of James Smith, Calvin Sanderson of Chakastaypasin, Rob Head of Peter Chapman, and Ron Bear of Muskoday,” said Thomas Kosar.

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The walk will kick off the event around 4 p.m. and go from Memorial Gardens to RBC, to City Hall, and back to Memorial Gardens. Thomas Kosar said even if you don’t want to or cannot walk, you can come and enjoy the event.

She added that musician Kevin Arcand will perform a song inspired by the event, and Thomas Kosar herself will share a poem she wrote about the MMIWG2S+ crisis.

She said having the event to honour those lost in the crisis is important, and even if you’re not a woman, gender-diverse, or Indigenous, chances are you’ve been impacted in some way.

“All these women and all these people are friends, family, co-workers, members of our community. We could not ignore the magnitude of these losses.”

The event will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on May 3. The red dresses will be displayed at Memorial Gardens from May 1 to 17, while Red Dress Day is May 5.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK