City invites public to attend National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People Ceremony

In honour of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People, also known as Red Dress Day, the City of Saint John, along with presenting partner Double Curve Media, are hosting a special one-hour ceremony this Sunday.

The National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People brings awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have faced disproportionate systemic violence in Canada and serves to honour all those who never made it home.

The ceremony will be led by Ashley Sanipass is a Mi'kmaq woman who was born on Indian Island First Nation in New Brunswick in 1985. She is a mother of 2 and a Graduate from Cape Breton University (2006) . She is a multi-disciplinary artist who continues to live on Indian Island. Ashley has studied art through Mi'kmaq oral history and teachings from her grandmother Evangeline Sanipass and aunties Audrey Sanipass, Vickey Sanipass, and Ann Barlow.  Her family is her main resource of knowledge and teachers in Mi'kmaq cultural art and the knowledge she holds has been passed down through generations of women in her family.

Ashley practices art forms such as: beading, porcupine quill work, and basket making. Her most notable and recent works of art include “beaded medicines and teachers”(2021), “Mi’kmaq months of the year (2023) and “Memory Baskets”(2022).   Ashley was also commissioned to create artwork as an award for the 2023 North American Indigenous games that happened in Halifax, Nova Scotia the award was won by Team Nova Scotia. Ashley has been studying under the direction of her family for over 30 years.  She has practiced and sold art for many years before she started teaching it.  Ashley now owns a business called “ Mi’kmaq Art Experience” where she teaches her ancient Art knowledge to people from all over.  Between Jan 2023 and August 2023 Ashley has taught cultural art to over 1,015 youth in New Brunswick and approximately 2,000 people throughout Atlantic Canada since the start of 2023. Ashley is featured in a Basket Weaving book as one of the youngest master basket weavers within Atlantic Canada. The book was launched through FORMAC publishing, 2023.

Event Date: Sunday May 5, 2024 
Event Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (doors open 20 minutes prior to event)
Event Location: Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal - Fundy Room, 333 Water Street, Saint John

We ask that you R.S.V.P by completing the following form https://forms.office.com/r/pn1sgqpTkb by 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2. Seating is limited and registrations will be confirmed on a first come, first served basis.  

NOTE: As attendance is limited to 60 participants, registrations will be confirmed on a first come, first served basis.

To learn more about the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, visit: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/