SD73 Students and Staff Honour Red Dress Day

Posted On Tuesday May 06, 2025
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Red Dress Day Gathering at Westmount Elementary

Story provided by Chelsea Isenor, Director of Communications and Board Administration

On Monday, May 5, 2025, students, staff, and schools across the Kamloops-Thompson School District recognized the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ People, also known as Red Dress Day.

In the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan, the District is committed to helping students develop a sense of cultural safety and humility in communities so every learner can feel safe and thrive personally and culturally. Acknowledging and learning about this significant day that honours the memories of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls across Canada is an important step towards Truth and Reconciliation in our District.

“Red Dress Day holds deep significance as we honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people,” shares Mike Bowden, District Principal of Indigenous Education. “When our schools take the time to acknowledge this day, we show our commitment to truth, reconciliation, and creating safer and more compassionate learning communities. It is a moment to reflect, to learn, and to stand with Indigenous families who continue to seek justice and healing.”

The beginnings of Red Dress Day can be traced back to a powerful art installation. In 2010, Métis artist Jaime Black hung hundreds of red dresses in public spaces as a way to bring awareness to missing and murdered Indigenous women.

This year, Red Dress Day was honoured by schools throughout the District, with students, teachers, school leaders, and administrators wearing red shirts and red dress pins, displaying red clothing in schools, creating impactful and educational displays, acknowledging the importance and purpose of the day with school announcements, and participating in age-appropriate lessons and discussions in classrooms.

Twin Rivers Education Centre displayed red dresses throughout the school as well as signs to acknowledge the meaning and importance of the day. Teachers also facilitated classroom discussions throughout the day.

At Chase Secondary School, staff wore red shirts created specially for their school. Students were also encouraged to wear red and some students chose to wear ribbon skirts. Last week in preparation for Red Dress Day, Mrs. Toews Art 9-12 students were joined by Elder Doreen Kenoras and the Indigenous Education Workers for a lesson on creating beaded Red Dress Day pins.

Beattie Elementary students and staff were encouraged to wear red and Red Dress Day awareness was shared on school announcements and to their school community through the school’s weekly update. Indigenous Education Worker Diana Baglee also invited Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Knowledge Keeper Jackie Jules to share stories and age appropriate lessons with students in the library throughout the morning.

Sa-Hali Secondary organized an afternoon walk for several classes to acknowledge Red Dress Day. Students wore red shirts, red dress day pins, and made signs to help raise awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ People.

Westmount Elementary hosted a school wide gathering with songs, lessons, and stories led by Knowledge Keeper Jackie Jules. The assembly started with students and staff drumming and singing the Welcome Song while Jackie Jules danced the Welcome Dance. Indigenous Education Worker Allenda Adolph thanked all the students for learning about and participating in Red Dress Day and shared the work of two Westmount students, Annabelle in Grade 7 and Aubree in Grade 6, who recently made their own ribbon skirts. Aubree Smith wore her ribbon skirt along with the jingle dress her grandmother made her. Her grandmother, Pam, joined Aubree at the gathering to share about the inspiration and importance of the jingle dress she made for her granddaughter. Jackie Jules, Allenda Adolph, and Pam ended the gathering by joining together to lead the Women’s Warrior Song.

During the Westmount school gathering, Jackie Jules shared, “Today's important day. Red Dress Day is about bringing awareness to the missing, murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people… The red dress has become a powerful symbol of this issue. By acknowledging Red Dress Day, we stand in solidarity, we stand together with Indigenous families, communities, and advocates who are working tirelessly to bring attention to this critical issue and call for systematic change.”

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