Creation of an artwork for those close to the victims, their families, their friends. Write a sympathy note or a message of hope to one of the chosen names.
Objective
- To foster empathy, to promote awareness regarding the impact of the event;
- Mobilization, popular action and community support;
- Initiate discussions on the history of women or girls, engage dialogue and raise awareness.
Target Audience
Youth, adults.
Duration
30 minutes.
Material
White cardboard, colouring crayons, paint and paintbrushes, scissors, list of missing or forgotten women, return envelope.
Note to facilitator
This activity allows the participant to get acquainted with the accounts of some of the missing and murdered women or girls. It fosters compassion, while enriching the understanding of such cases, searches and investigations.
At the end of this activity, the facilitator should observe the following with regards to the participants:
- A better understanding of certain stories about missing and murdered Aboriginal women or girls;
- Increased compassion for these women or girls, for their families and those close to them;
- A sense of involvement in the issue of missing and murdered Aboriginal women or girls.
What I want for women is very simple: that they may live instead of survive. To live is to respect oneself, to say what one wishes and make a place for oneself.
Steps and Procedure
1
Present the list of Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls (you can find it in the Complementary activities section) to the participants.2
Ask them to choose a name from the list.3
By drawing or painting, ask to create an image that represents how they feel about the disappearance of this woman and what they would like to share with the family, friends, or the missing or forgotten woman.4
Write the message they wish to convey on the back of a cardboard, so as to reproduce a postcard.5
Using the return envelope, send the cards to la Boîte Rouge VIF. The cards will be handed over to the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women.
Examples of settings
Aboriginal Friendship Centre, classroom, groups.
Can be presented as an activity which follows the visit of the exhibition as an autonomous activity.