The Unearthing Justices project is a living digital archive of Indigenous-led initiatives responding to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). Built through community collaboration, cross-country journeys, and deep practices of listening and witnessing, the project documents and shares grassroots efforts of justice across the lands now known as Canada.
carried in memory,
moved by justice
From community patrols and safe ride programs to memorials, search toolkits, and healing circles, Unearthing Justices showcases the strength and creativity that already exists in communities and what justice is and needs – accountability, advocacy, caring, celebrating, ceremony, compassion, educating, growing, healing, helping, honouring, mourning, nurturing, protecting, remembering, safety, shelter, sharing, and supporting.
Voice of Witness Panel
“It is community supporting community – how is a criminal justice system able to respond in that way?”
Gladys Radek with Tears4Justice, Gitksan Wet’suwet’en and long-term advocate
What Can I Do?
Sign the Choosing Real Safety: a Historic Declaration to Divest from Prisons and Policing and Build Safer Communities. Hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals have committed to ending racism, and in particular anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, and committed instead to building safety for all of our community members through divesting from policing and punishment and investing in life-affirming institutions, mutual aid, trust, and our collective capacities to care for each other.
How the Collection Emerged
The sources of this collection were taken from news, social media, online, and other public sources. Initiatives are documented by themes to more easily navigate the collection. The themes are not exclusive and there is tremendous overlap between each one. The collection is also documented by city and province more as a convenience, fully aware that all of this land is Indigenous country. We hope to soon locate each city and province on those territories and treaties. If you would like to add, modify or delete an activity from the collection, please contact us.
This project was made possible by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).