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For Carol Archie, she has lived through the reality of Red Dress Day.

Archie is the niece sa国际传媒� from her momsa国际传媒檚 side sa国际传媒� of a murdered Indigenous woman.

sa国际传媒淪he was brutally raped and murdered and the individuals that were responsible for her death, two of them were provided small fines and one was able to walk away free, none of them had jail time. This is our reality. We were born and raised with the mindset that we have to be aware of the dangers, not out in the wilderness, in community,sa国际传媒� said Archie, who spoke at Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Red Dress Day march Friday (May 5).

While wearing red and holding signs, the group of hundreds marched from the friendship society on Leon Avenue before eventually ending up at the Kelowna Court House to bring awareness to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) and the ongoing violent epidemic throughout North America against Indigenous women and girls.

While Red Dress Day has been commemorated for more than a decade, Friday marked the first time the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society held an event.

Indigenous people have been targets for years and Archie still sees that today.

sa国际传媒淚 have the ability to be able to work for an employer that understands where Isa国际传媒檓 coming from because in this day and age, my youngest daughter was followed from my work to her school,sa国际传媒� said Archie, who has two daughters, 19 and 16. sa国际传媒淚 know to make certain I get to work extra early in the morning and my day ends when her day ends so that way I know Isa国际传媒檓 the one driving her home and Isa国际传媒檓 the one picking her up, because we are visitors on the Sylix traditional unceded territory so we donsa国际传媒檛 have a lot of family here.sa国际传媒�

Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society executive director Edna Terbasket said it warmed her heart to see the support Friday.

sa国际传媒淭he message is getting out there to many, many people,sa国际传媒� said Terbasket. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e lived with it for a long time as Indigenous people and when I see a lot of the folks here that are from the mainstream, I go sa国际传媒榃ow, wesa国际传媒檙e getting our message out there.sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�

Terbasket explained red is symbolic because itsa国际传媒檚 spiritual to Indigenous people. It also stands for the violence behind whatsa国际传媒檚 been happening, at the same time representing love.

sa国际传媒淚 think families talk more with their children about safety and even lifestyle and taking good care of themselves,sa国际传媒� said Terbasket. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not only Indigenous women and girls, itsa国际传媒檚 all peoples. I couldnsa国际传媒檛 imagine if I lost a sister or a niece or a granddaughter and she wasnsa国际传媒檛 found, I couldnsa国际传媒檛 imagine that. Is she alive? Is she okay? Has she been brutally assaulted or murdered?sa国际传媒�

Both Terbasket and Archie have seen tremendous growth and awareness, especially since the remains of 215 Indigenous residential school children were found in Kamloops almost two years ago.

sa国际传媒淲hat we are doing here today, wesa国际传媒檙e becoming stronger as a people, we are being more aware of who we are as a people and how we contribute to our families, communities, and nation,sa国际传媒� said Archie. sa国际传媒淗aving this awareness across Canada and North America is huge for us, and it all started with residential school. That ripple effect comes into today and wesa国际传媒檙e answering back with our own ripple effects and itsa国际传媒檚 becoming more powerful.sa国际传媒�

And for more people who want to become aware, learn, and be a part of the solution, Terbasket and Archie say to ask questions and have open conversations.

sa国际传媒淲e all have to work together, collaborate together, heal together,sa国际传媒� said Terbasket.

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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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