Sisters in Spirit Vigil: Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls at Allan Gardens

By -

 The Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto recently held the powerful Sisters in Spirit vigil on October 4th, National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Gender Diverse People. The event began with a march at 191 Gerrard St E and concluded with a heartfelt vigil at Allan Gardens. It honored the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, bringing together community members from the Downtown East neighborhoods in a show of solidarity, raising awareness about the ongoing crisis that has seen over 4,000 Indigenous women go missing or be murdered across Canada.

Participants carried lanterns crafted by community members and clients of the Centre, symbolizing their dedication to honoring the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. The lanterns later formed a powerful circle at the vigil, representing unity and remembrance.

This year's gathering was particularly significant, as it welcomed Mayor Olivia Chow—the first Toronto mayor ever to attend this important event. Her presence underscored the city's growing recognition of this issue and its commitment to standing with the Indigenous community in their call for justice.

A highlight of the vigil was the showcase of a jingle dress created by clients of the Native Women’s Resource Centre, symbolizing the strength and spirit of those being honored. The evening also featured traditional drumming, dancing, sacred fired, and powerful speeches from participants who shared their personal stories and experiences. These moments not only paid tribute to the lives lost but also highlighted the resilience and courage of the families and communities still affected by these tragedies.

Despite these efforts to raise awareness, the statistics remain alarming—more than 80% of these cases remain unsolved.

The Sisters in Spirit Vigil stands as a beacon of hope, remembrance, and advocacy. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice, as communities continue to seek answers and healing.
RPTV was at the vigil to bring you full coverage of this powerful event.





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Regent Park Portrayed in Film and Television

By -
Image
Toronto has a rich history of being a go-to shooting location for many television and film production companies. Some notable films shot here over the years include Good Will Hunting (1997), Billy Madison (1998), American Psycho (2000), and X-Men (2000). Regent Park has also had its share of showcases in film. This article aims to review the general content of movie dramas and televisions shows shot in Regent and explore their relationship to the community. Clement Virgo is a director, producer, and writer from Montego Bay, Jamaica. He was born in 1966 and moved to the Regent Park area in Toronto in 1977. During this time Regent Park was generally populated by low-income families and as a hot spot for drugs. Virgo is most recently known for his roles in Greenleaf (2016-2018), The Book of Negroes (2015), and The Wire (2002) as Director and/or Producer. His first feature-length film, however, was Rude (1995), which was filmed almost entirely in the old Regent Park. “The film told...
Read more

What Social Inclusion Means to Me

By -
I had moved into Regent Park only a few days before I saw the pink, fuchsia, strawberry, indigo, yellow, green, neck streamers and sparkling robes worn by children, parents, aunts, uncles, and elders as they marched passed my kitchen door. Soon, the nearby Athletic Grounds was blazing with colour. Although it was the first time I heard them, the intonations on the microphone were recognizable, even to me, as prayers. It was Eid, the concluding celebration after Ramadan. It was a beautiful sight. I am a White Jewish senior and I hunted for a stairless condo for years before I chose to live in Regent Park and then only because a relative did business with the new seniors’ building there. “Regent Park?” a friend exclaimed. “You are going to have ethnic problems.”  “Not I.  I come from a long line of fiery leftie activists.” I replied. Stage four and five of revitalizing this post-war subsidized development into a multi-income community was just beginning and I ju...
Read more

Meet Your Neighbourhood Police Officers – PC Mircea Biga and PC Farzad Ghotbi

By -
Image
Community-based policing is a proactive law enforcement strategy that focuses on building ties and working closely with a community’s members to create partnerships and plans for preventing and reducing crime. While community policing will look differently depending on the community it serves, a central feature is that the same officer patrols and works in the same area on a permanent basis. Currently there are 17 community-based police programs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), but what most people don’t know is that Toronto’s community policing started in Regent Park in May of 2017. We know this because the original officers involved in setting up the Regent Park community policing program continue to work here today. The officers are PC Mircea Biga, PC Farzad Ghotbi, and PC Edward Parks; the newest officer assigned to the Regent Park community is PC Nigel Thomas (who is replacing PC Melissa Huntley while she is on maternity leave). Symptomatic of the increasing diversity...
Read more