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Thousands gathered on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside for 32nd annual Women's Memorial March

Thousands of people participate in the annual Women’s Memorial March in honour of missing and murdered women and girls in Vancouver, B.C., on Feb. 14. (Ben Nelms/CBC - image credit)
Thousands of people participate in the annual Women’s Memorial March in honour of missing and murdered women and girls in Vancouver, B.C., on Feb. 14. (Ben Nelms/CBC - image credit)

The streets of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside were a sea of movement as chants filled the air and signs were hoisted for the 32nd annual Women's Memorial March on Tuesday.

Those who gathered marched in honour of the Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ+ people who have died on the Downtown Eastside and across the province. The first march was held in 1992 to commemorate the life of a woman who was murdered on Powell Street.

"Increasing deaths of many women and gender-diverse people from the DTES still leaves family, friends, loved ones, and community members with an overwhelming sense of grief and loss," said the Women's Memorial March committee on their website.

"Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit and trans people disproportionately continue to go missing or be murdered with minimal to no action to address these tragedies or the systemic nature of gendered violence, poverty, racism, or colonialism."

During a ceremony at the march, two bald eagles flew overhead and the crowd cheered and applauded. One elder told CBC News that the bald eagles are messengers from the creator, and that seeing the birds felt as if their ancestors were there with them.

A march was also held in Terrace, B.C. to raise awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

Ben Nelms/CBC
Ben Nelms/CBC

'The way we heal is together'

Among those marching in the crowd was Maggy Gisle, a Nisga'a woman who lives in Powell River on the Sunshine Coast.

She marched in honour of 64 friends and loved ones who have gone missing or were murdered, she says.

Gisle used to live on the Downtown Eastside but moved away in 1998.

"I got scared straight because of all my friends going missing and I knew eventually it was going to be me," said Gisle, who sang a mourning song at the march.

"I come down here and I pray and I spend time in prayer remembering each of these women and saying thank you for the time that I have."

Ben Nelms/CBC
Ben Nelms/CBC

Elsewhere in the crowd was Wesley Mitchell, who travelled from Smithers, B.C., about 371 kilometres west of Prince George. He marched in honour of two women, Jessica Patrick and Frances Brown.

Patrick went missing in September 2018 and her body was found 12 days later at a local ski hill northwest of Smithers.

Frances Brown, his aunt, went mushroom picking in Smithers in 2017 and never returned.

"Today we still have no justice," said Mitchell.

"Somebody out there knows what happened. We're hoping someone faces that fear and speaks up."

Mitchell said the march filled him with connection and love, as well as hope that his family would one day find answers.

"The way we heal is together," he said.

Ben Nelms/CBC
Ben Nelms/CBC

More work to do: province

In B.C., Indigenous women and girls are nearly three times more likely to experience domestic violence, murder, or other violent crimes than non-Indigenous women, according to information from the province.

In a statement, Premier David Eby and several of his colleagues said violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQ+ people is an urgent issue.

"All of us have a responsibility to come together on this day, and every day, to protect those who are most at risk of being targeted with violence," he said.

"We recognize there's much more to do. We will continue to listen, take action and work with Indigenous people toward a future where Indigenous women, girls, 2SLGBTQ+ people and children are safe in every home, every workplace and every community in this province."