May 5th Red Dress Day

Dear students and colleagues,

May 5th marks Red Dress Day, or the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). Inspired by Metis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project, this day acknowledges and highlights the disproportionate violence experienced by Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people in Canada. The Psychology Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee members join Indigenous communities across Canada in acknowledging this ongoing humanitarian crisis and collectively grieving these losses.

To learn more about Red Dress Day and MMIWG, please see the following resources:

• https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/red-dress-day
• https://www.nativewomenswilderness.org/mmiw
• https://amnesty.ca/what-we-do/no-more-stolen-sisters/
• https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/

For members of our community who may need some extra support next week, please access these on- and off-campus resources. Additionally, Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) offers counselling and cultural support services for survivors, family members, and everyone affected by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

The Psychology EDI Committee commits to educating ourselves, learning from others, and doing the work required to make our classrooms and workplace more accessible, inclusive, equitable, and anti-racist. Please reach out to us if there is anything we can do to support you.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Passey (Chair of the Psychology EDI Committee)
Sent on behalf of the Psychology EDI Committee