The Red Dress Awareness Campaign is returning to the Comox Valley for its final installation.
The Red Dress Awareness Campaign seeks to recognize and inform the public about the increasingly high numbers of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls throughout Canada.
The REDress Project was started in 2010 by Metis artist Jamie Black to raise awareness about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada.
RELATED: Red Dress campaign returning to the Comox Valley
This is the fourth year the installation will be in the Comox Valley, and organizer Lee Everson said the installation – which will be at the top of Comox hill within the town – hopes to inspire the community to do some research about the issue.
“Hang a red dress, be aware, learn a little bit. We hope that people can share with others.”
By hanging a red dress, organizers hope all Canadians will become part of the conversation about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
The installation will hang from Sunday, Sept. 29 to Sunday, Oct. 6. Everson noted there will be an opening ceremony at noon Sept. 29 to remember and honour those impacted.
Parking is available across the street at the former site of St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Last year when the installation was in Cumberland, Everson said more than 200 people came to the opening ceremony. She added the community has become aware of the issue and she’s encouraging more sharing of information.
“This isn’t something that is just going on across the Valley, it’s going on across the country.”
Following the installation, both the Kumugwe Cultural Society and the I-Hos Gallery will continue to bring awareness to the campaign.
For more information about the Red Dress Awareness project, visit www.kumugwe.ca/red-dress-awareness-campaign.
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