February 14th is a Memorial Day to remember murdered and missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit family and community members. The ISC remembers and honours all our Indigenous loved ones who have been murdered and gone missing. Every February 14th the Women's Memorial March takes place. The first women’s memorial march was held in 1992 in response to the murder of a woman on Powell Street in Vancouver. Out of this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on unceded Coast Salish territories. We encourage others to join us in supporting this event and continue raising awareness.

How to Support the Women's Memorial March:

• SPREAD AWARENESS: Spread the word and invite your friends to the March.
• ATTEND: On February 14 join the March to honour the lives of our stolen sisters and gender-diverse relations.
• RESPECT THE PROTOCOLS: For this event to happen in a good way please refer to the Women's Memorial March website for event protocols.
• VOLUNTEER: Help is need for setup, cleanup and more. 
• DONATE: The March is made possible by individuals like you. This year the community needs to raise $10,000, you can make a donation online on the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre's website.

May 5th is National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). On this day we remember the people who have lost their lives to colonial, gender-based violence, and their families and communities that live daily with the grief of losing loved ones. May 5th is also known as  Red Dress Day. Red Dress Day started as a campaign entitled, The REDress Project, that launched in 2014 by Métis artist Jamie Black and has been used to symbolize the thousands of MMIWG2S. The ISC remembers and honours all our Indigenous loved ones who have been murdered and gone missing. We encourage others to join in raising awareness on this day.

The SFU Library has created more resources about National MMIWG2S Awareness Day here. 

Join the ISC & FNMISA to...

• Learn more about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Peoples
• Help Raise Awareness about Red Dress Day
• Spend time crafting Red Dress art
• Eat bannock while visiting with students and ISC staff

How to Support MMIWG2s

• Wear Red on May 5th to show your support and raise awareness.
• Attend a MMIWG2S Awareness Event to learn more.
• Hang a red dress in your window to support women who are on the frontlines fighting for all of us everyday.
• Read the final report from the National Inquiry on MMIWG.
• Donate to initiatives that support Indigenous women in our community: 
  • Downtown Eastside Women's Centre
  • Native Women's Association of Canada
  • Aboriginal Mother Centre Society
• Connect on social media using the hashtags: #SFUIndigenous #NoMoreStolenSisters #WearRed
• Help spread awareness by downloading and using our Zoom virtual background.    

The following list has been compiled by the Pacific Association of First Nations Women (visit site). 

• Free, Online 1-1 Counselling with Char Leon - for Indigneous peoples who have missing or murdered family members (Sign-up)
• Reclaiming Power and Space: The Final Report
• Reclaiming Power and Space: Calls for Justice 
• MMIWG and Violence Prevention
• Sister Watch: Protecting Women in the Downtown Eastside
• Coalition MMIWG Inquiry
• MMIWG-related articles on UBCIC website
• Downtown Eastside Women's Centre Report

Support by Phone: 

• For immediate emotional assistance, call 1-844-413-6649. This is a national, toll-free 24/7 crisis call line providing support for anyone who requires emotional assistance related to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. 
• Health Support Services Directory Per Region (phone numbers)
• BC Bereavement Line
• Kuu-us Crisis Line Society
• Hope for Wellness Help Line - Immediate help to all Indigneous peoples across Canada

SFU Health & Counselling Services:

• Indigenous Counsellors are available for individual appointments Monday - Friday. Please email isc_well@sfu.ca and one of the counsellors will get back to you to follow up with your request during regular office hours.
• My SSP (Student Support Program) phone 1-844-451-9700 and ask to book an appointment with an Indigenous Counsellor.
  You can also download the My SSP App and connect 24/7 with support. All support through My SSP is free and confidential