A red dress hangs in front of the window “Hi, Sorry I’m late!”
She slips in the back door. She’s HOME! Tears of relief, sobbing laughter intake of air between cries bodies shaking in disbelief YELLS and CHEERS The walls shake with the words SHE’S HOME! Not missing or murdered… Not Silence Not Unknown
But like bad endings… It is only just a dream and I am late posting. Today is not MMIWG day. It’s over.
But it is not. Every day is Red Dress Day for families, friends, communities Aching. An emptiness. Missing from them is their daughter, sister, mother, auntie, kohkom, wife, life giver, community builder Every day is another day they should be home. They are missing from us all.
*"What can I do?" Wear a pin or a red dress on May 5th or other days...Read books by Indigenous women like: Michelle Good's, Five Little Indians, (she also has a collection of personal essays coming out), Jody-Wilson Raybould's Indian in the Cabinet, and Angeline Boulley's Firekeeper's Daughter. Reading fiction and non-fiction creates communities with greater understanding and empathy. Support local indigenous women business owners like: Bannock Express, Awasis Boutique, Packham Avenue Dental. When you support women in business you not only help them in raising up their families but their whole communities--we all benefit. Write to your MPS and MLAs...These are first steps...