The final preparations are underway for the Women's Memorial March and the REDress Project. There’s just one thing missing - the red dresses.
Colleen Arnold, director of the Women’s Resource Centre, said the centre partnered with the Prince Albert Value Village and is looking for drivers to help move the dresses from Prince Albert to Flin Flon.
The REDress Project was conceived by artist Jamie Black, who visited Flin Flon during last year’s memorial march. The project is an installation art exhibit that displays red dresses in public spaces as a visual reminder of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada.
Arnold said she was hoping to get around 1,200 dresses before the march Feb. 14. The dresses will be hung up and down Main Street.
“The youth hang the dresses along Main Street,” Arnold said.
“The more we have, the more of a visual effect it has. These represent actual women that are missing or murdered.”
Arnold added this year’s march will include more involvement with local youth.
“They're going to bus (the kids) down,” she said.
“We're going to hang all the dresses, then at 5:15 p.m. sharp, we're meeting at Pioneer Square and that's when we're going to have some public speeches. We’ll be quick.”
After the march, there will be refreshments, speeches, drumming, singing and a round dance.
Engaging youth is key for Arnold.
“Education and awareness of what's happening (is important), so we make sure that things like this don't happen again and for them to have the opportunity to honor the past,” she said.
Arnold said she’s looking for someone to head down to Prince Albert before Feb. 14 for a final pickup of dresses. If you can volunteer, call the Women’s Resource Centre, (204) 681-3105.
