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Photo Credit: Grande Prairie Friendship Centre Facebook page.
By Shane Clausing
Community

Residents invited to participate in third annual MMIWG2S walk

May 5, 2021 | 5:00 AM

Grande Prairie and Peace Region residents are being invited to participate in the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre’s third annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S) five-kilometer walk/run this May 5.

The purpose of the walk/run is to raise awareness and support the cause. The walk/run is being run through the 113 Friendship Centres in Canada and the United States.

Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the event has been moved to a virtual setting for the second consecutive year.

While those running for the cause this year won’t be able to gather in large groups, Grande Prairie Friendship Centre Executive Director Miranda Laroche tells EverythingGP they’ve been able to grow the event to a wider audience since they moved online.

“When we first started our hope was to just gain some momentum and advocacy and bring awareness to missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people,” said Laroche

“Last year, we did it (the event) virtual and we were able to reach many people across Canada and into the United States.”

According to Laroche, a couple of hundred people participated in the event last year.

Those interested in completing the five-kilometer run are invited to take part at Muskoseepi Park.

“We do have a route mapped out by the college at the Spirit Sisters Rock, which is at the reservoir,” said Laroche. “There will be some red ribbons (to mark the route), people can also walk and run from anywhere they would like.”

Laroche asks people participating to wear red as a sign of support for the event.

“Red is the colour and that shows advocacy and solidarity for the murdered indigenous women.”

Participants are encouraged to share their pictures of running or wearing red by using the hashtag #GPMMIWG2S.

by Shane Clausing