Shianne Ewenin, Women’s Counsellor & Manager of Indigenous Programs at BWSS
Like many Indigenous folks, the MMIWG2S march is personal because we feel the weight of systemic, racial and gender-based violence in our lives and in the lives of our relatives. The women who are missing and murdered are not just statistics, they are our sisters, cousins, aunties, mothers, friends, and beyond.
Every year on February 14th, I march alongside my children, relatives, friends, and community to show solidarity and support to the families of our stolen sisters. I march because our stolen sisters are never forgotten, they are loved and we keep their memories alive. I march to make sure that these injustices remain visible and to demand accountability from our governments and the systems that hold these structures of violence in place. I march to prevent the continuation of violence to Indigenous women, girls and two spirit peoples. I march because the violence on Indigenous women’s bodies is directly connected to the violence on the land and this needs to end.
This picture is of my relative @debalenabella_ and I at last year’s march. We are wearing our family’s ribbon skirt that my cousin @agneswoodward made to honour Laney Ewenin who is one of the 4000+ women who is on the MMIWG2S list. The woman in the red at the top represents Laney and the other 6 women represent her sisters (which include Deborah and Agnes’ mother Danielle). Together, they represent the “strength and resilience when we stand together.”
This year is special because Deborah, Agnes & Danielle will be traveling to Vancouver to join our family living here and we will all march together for the first time.
Join us Feb 14 as we march with Indigenous Leaders to honour the MMIWG2S+
