Llenllenéy'ten (High Bar First Nation) Honours Red Dress Day and Calls for Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People.

May 4, 2026

Clinton, B.C.:

On May 5th , Llenllenéy'ten (High Bar First Nation) will join Indigenous communities and allies across Canada in observing Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S).

Red Dress Day takes its name from the REDress Project, an installation by Métis artist Jaime Black, who began hanging empty red dresses in public spaces in 2010 to represent the lives of those taken too soon. Those empty dresses, and the silence they carry, remain a powerful call to action.

The crisis of MMIWG2S is not a distant one. Indigenous women and girls make up less than 5 per cent of Canada's population but account for 24 per cent of female homicide victims. The 2019 Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls called this a "national tragedy of epic proportion" and outlined 231 Calls for Justice.

For Llenllenéy'ten, this day is personal. Red Dress Day is a moment to stand in solidarity with survivors, to hold space for those who are grieving, and to affirm that the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people matter, and have always mattered.

On this day, Llenllenéy'ten encourages community members and the public to wear red, to learn about the MMIWG2S crisis, and to honour the women, girls, and two-spirit people whose lives and losses have shaped this nation.

For those seeking support or more information, the National Inquiry's Calls for Justice are available at mmiwg-ffada.ca.

About Llenllenéy'ten 

Llenllenéy'ten is a proud member of the Secwepemc Nation whose territory is located in the Fraser Canyon–Cariboo central interior region of British Columbia. Guided by traditional Secwepemc values, Llenllenéy'ten is committed to supporting the well-being, governance, and cultural vitality of its members. We have lived on these lands since time immemorial, and we will continue to steward and protect them for generations to come.

Media Background

Media are asked to review the full backgrounder prior to publication to ensure accuracy in reporting on Llenllenéy'ten. Access it here. 

Media Contact

Contact:  Roxanne Kennedy, Communications Specialist

Email:  comms@hbfn.ca

Phone:  250-819-1099

Website:  www.highbarfirstnation.ca

-30-

7645 Cariboo Hwy

Clinton, BC V0K1K0, Canada