Red Dress Day at Shuswap Middle School

A display at Shuswap Middle School (SMS), includes a permanent painting which is a collaborative effort by a group of students and a few staff members. Located near the library, the painting is entitled, “Resilient Reflections in Red” and is part of the display for Red Dress Day on May 5, 2025.

Indigenous Education Worker Theresa Johnson explains the painting is an expression of the importance of Red Dress Day. “It highlights the intergenerational connection of Indigenous women and the significance of this bond in our communities.”

SMS student Jayda expressed the significance of this project, saying, “It’s important for everyone to learn about Red Dress Day. We can change it if we know about it, and it gives me hope for the future. I liked working on this painting.”

She adds that at Shuswap Middle School (SMS), the importance of Red Dress Day is deeply felt and actively honoured. “This painting commemorates the strength and resilience of Indigenous women, who have been the heartbeat of our First Nations communities. Students and staff at Shuswap Middle School honour their unique wisdom as leaders, healers, and caretakers, symbolized by the women in the picture passing down traditional teachings.”

The Red Dress movement, born from advocacy and heartbreak, honours the thousands of Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people who have gone missing or been murdered. Red Dress Day, observed on May 5th, was inspired by Métis artist Jamie Black’s 2010 project, which used empty red dresses to symbolize these losses.

Johnson encourages everyone to take a moment to reflect on the importance of awareness and the dedication of the students and staff at Shuswap Middle School. “Their collaborative effort in creating “Resilient Reflections in Red” not only honours the memory of Indigenous women but also serves as a beacon of hope and resilience for future generations.”