Dedicated to the cause

Opinion

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This article was published 21/06/2021 (1567 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Alaya McIvor has volunteered for the past four years organizing two events that honour missing Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people, but her dedication to the cause goes back further than that.

Her best friend was found murdered in late 2004, two months after going missing. McIvor recalls the mixture of emotions she felt after hearing that her friend’s body had been discovered.

“I don’t know how to put it in words,” the 38-year-old says. “It was a fog and it really hurt my heart. I was determined back then to draw attention to the issue.”

Today, McIvor does just that as the lead organizer for the MMIWG2S Memorial March and the MMIWG2S Mother’s Day Memorial Walk.

The events provide opportunities for people to remember their loved ones who have gone missing or been slain, and they draw awareness to the cause.

One of the first events she organized took place on Valentine’s Day in 2018. About 100 people marched through the streets, many of them wearing large, butterfly-shaped signs bearing the names of missing and murdered loved ones.

McIvor wore a butterfly with the name of her cousin, Roberta, who was killed in 2011 in McIvor’s home community of Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation.

“When I became directly impacted (again), I continued even harder to address the issue,” McIvor says. “I was determined to continue on that heart medicine work and continue amplifying the voices of Indigenous women, two-spirit and trans folks.”

“At one point, I could have been one of those missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls,” she adds.

Although the marches are when McIvor is most visible to the public, her work continues year round. It includes creating and putting up posters for families who have loved ones who have gone missing, and consistently reaching out to worried and grieving families.

“This work continues daily — it’s not just twice a year for me,” McIvor says. “Every day I am really rooted in that volunteerism and rooted into helping walk alongside families… I’m walking with our community and helping them along their journey in trying times.”

More than two years after the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report, calling it an ongoing genocide against First Nations, Métis and Inuit women and outlining 231 calls for justice, McIvor is working hard to rally the community.

“It’s not just an Indigenous issue,” she says. “It’s everyone’s issue.”

McIvor’s efforts caught the attention of Manitoba 150, the organization responsible for celebrating the province’s sesquicentennial.

She was named as part of Honour 150, a list of 150 Manitobans who have made significant contributions through their volunteer efforts.

Each honouree received a commemorative medal designed and created by Manitoba artist Takashi Iwasaki, and Canada Life made a $500 donation to the charity of each honouree’s organization of choice.

“I don’t think anyone deserves it more than she does. She’s really amazing,” says Vivienne Ho, who nominated McIvor for the recognition. “She’s a fierce, longtime advocate.”

McIvor attributes her desire to help to the seven sacred teachings of her Indigenous heritage: love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility and truth.

“I’m deeply rooted in those seven teachings and the heart medicine work we do as a community,” she says.

If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com.