34th Annual MMIWG2S Memorial March

This post contains upsetting information that may cause you distress. Please take a moment to decide if you are in a suitable emotional space before reading on. The Government of Canada has set up a national, toll-free crisis line to provide support for anyone who requires assistance. This line is available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Service is available in English, French, Cree, Anishinaabemowin (Ojibway) and Inuktitut.

Please call 1-844-413-6649 if you or someone you know needs help or support.

Counselling services specifically for Indigenous students is available, for information to book an appointment see here.

illustrative image with bold white text that reads "MMIWG2S Memorial March, February 14 10am-5pm Main & Hastings." Silhouettes of four women hugging in the center of the image, with a deep red gradient background that has various abstract design elements in shades of red, peach, and maroon. The bottom right corner has a scannable QR code with the caption "Research Guide."

Join the public march

An annual march is held on February 14th in Downtown/Eastside Vancouver to memorialize the Indigenous women, girls, and 2-spirit who have fallen victim to gender-based violence. This year marks the 34th Women’s Memorial March. The first memorial was organized a few weeks after the 1992 murder of an Eastside Vancouver Indigenous woman, Cheryl Ann Joe, whose body was discovered in a public parking lot. The march has grown from a small memorial for Cheryl Ann Joe to an annual public event that recognizes all MMIWG2S (Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-spirit).

This year, the march will be held on Friday, February 14th from 10am – 5pm, starting in Downtown Vancouver at the corner of Hastings & Main. For more details and to stay up-to-date, follow the Facebook event page.

Learn more about MMIWG2S

Come check out our display of various resources about MMIWG2S. Our team has curated stories of grief, anger, and resistance alongside informational resources about the MMIWG National Inquiry, history, and health of Indigenous women, girls, and 2-spirit.

photo of a red bookshelf at the Xwi7xwa library display. Several books, illustrated icons, and infographics related to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit are spread across the shelves.

We also have an entire section in our collection dedicated to women – look for call numbers starting with “PW” if you’re interested.

Our online research guide is an excellent place to learn more. There is also a page on Wikipedia about the Women’s Memorial March that links to some other great resources.

Though this Memorial March is not affiliated with REDress, you may have seen imagery of red dresses when folks talk about MMIWG2S. To learn more about this art project, visit the REDress project webpage or watch this documentary available on YouTube.