Grade 8 students want to spread message about MMIW

WINNIPEG — Red dresses representing hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women in the community hang in the playground of St. John’s-Ravenscourt School. They represent an issue that the grade 8 students are very passionate about.

“These lifeless dresses, they kind of represent the truth, that we need to reconcile toward it,” Spencer Bubis, a grade 8 student said. “It’s a small act, it’s not going to end this problem of missing and murdered Indigenous women, it’s just a way to get there.”

The REDress project was started by local artist Jaime Black. The aim is to hang red dresses in public spaces as a representation of the missing and murdered Indigenous women. The students said it was a project that was easy to bring to their backyard on an issue that hits close to home.

READ MORE: Red dress campaign looks to raise awareness about missing, murdered indigenous women

“We are helping to fix problems halfway around the world, well there’s a problem in our own community. One that is important and still needs to be solved,” Aasiyah Siddiqui said.
These students felt particularly inspired after attending education days as part of the opening for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. They approached their teacher, eager to make a difference.

“With the knowledge they’ve learned through their education here as well as their passion they found at education days, it didn’t surprise me they wanted to do something,” Aaron Russell, grade 8 teacher said. “I was really happy they took the torch and carried it forward.”

Currently 32 dresses hang on the trees of their schoolyard, with plans to gather more.
“All we had to do is get some red dresses, and it’s a simple act, but has such a big affect on the community,” Bubis said.

The students hope the project catches on at other schools across the province.