In recognition of Red Dress Day on May 5, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the disproportionately high rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people in Canada, we invite you to explore our curated selection of books, media, and resources. Engaging with these resources is a step toward acknowledging the injustices faced by Indigenous communities and supporting the ongoing efforts for justice and reconciliation.
Content about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People can be deeply emotional. If you find yourself overwhelmed, please refer to this comprehensive list of healing and wellness resources for Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals, including learners, staff, and faculty.
Books
Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls
by Angela Sterritt
Highway of Tears: A True Story of Racism, Indifference and the Pursuit of Justice for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
by Jessica McDiarmid
My Privilege, My Responsibility: A Memoir
by Sheila North
Stolen Sisters: The Story of Two Missing Girls, Their Families, and How Canada Has Failed Indigenous Women
by Emmanuelle Walter
Rematriating Justice: Honouring the Lives of Our Sisters in Spirit
by Jennifer Brant & Dawn Memee Lavell Harvard
Becoming a Matriarch: A Memoir
by Helen Knott
Podcasts
Stolen: The Search for Jermain
In 2018, a young Indigenous mother named Jermain Charlo left a bar in Missoula, Montana, and was never seen again. After two years and thousands of hours of investigative work, police believe they are close to solving the mystery of what happened to her. We go inside the investigation, tracking down leads and joining search parties through the dense mountains of the Flathead Reservation. As we unravel this mystery, Stolen: The Search for Jermain examines what it means to be an Indigenous woman in America.
Missing & Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams?
This eight-part podcast investigation uncovers new information and potential suspects in the cold case of a young Indigenous woman murdered in British Columbia in 1989.
Stolen: Trouble in Sweetwater
Violence. Retaliation. Disappearances. The Navajo Nation is 27,000 square miles of remote terrain with just over 200 tribal police officers. This season on Stolen, Connie Walker’s investigation into the cases of two missing women leads her on a search for justice in a place where people say you can get away with murder.
Missing & Murdered: Finding Cleo
This podcast joins a family as they search for their sister Cleo Nicotine Semaganis. In the early 1970s, Cleo and her five siblings were apprehended by child welfare authorities in Saskatchewan. The children were adopted into white families across North America. All but one of the siblings have reconnected and have been told various mysterious stories about what happened to Cleo, but they can’t find her.
Indigenous Speakers Series
Unbroken: My Fight for Survival, Hope, and Justice for Indigenous Women and Girls
Watch a recording for a conversation with Angela Sterritt, an award-winning investigative journalist, TV, radio, and podcast host, and national bestselling author for her book Unbroken. Angela is from the Wilp Wiik’aax (we-GAK) of the Gitanmaax (GIT-in-max) community.
My Privilege, My Responsibility: A Higher Calling To Do Better in an Era of Truth, Reconciliation & Redress
Watch the recording of a conversation with Sheila North, the creator of the widely used hashtag #MMIW – a movement that advocates for the end of violence against First Nations/ Indigenous women and girls.
Foundational Reports
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
(2019)
Forsaken: The Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
by the BC Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
(2012)
Resources for Health-Care Providers
Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care
- Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care (TVIC) by EQUIP Health care (resource list)
- EQUIP Equity Essentials: Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care (video)
- Trauma-Informed Practice by BC Mental Health and Substances Use Services (BCMHSUS)