An international women's march in Windsor and Detroit hopes to shine a light on missing and murdered women.
The Women's March Michigan and Women's March Windsor groups will face each other from across the Detroit River Thursday evening for a vigil to honour women who have been murdered, gone missing, been incarcerated, or deported. In Windsor, the group will be remembering the lives of Lori Dupont, Cassandra Kaake, Autumn Taggart, and many more.
Dupont was killed at Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital by former boyfriend Doctor Marc Daniel in November of 2005. Kaake was murdered inside her home in December of 2014, and Taggart died after being strangled in her apartment in June of 2018.
"Connecting with women and allies in Michigan across the Detroit River demonstrates solidarity for the struggles on both sides of the border," group organizers said.
This year's theme is to end gender-based violence. The World Health Organization reports that one-in-three women worldwide have experienced either physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
This downtown border march kicks off events for global Women's March 2019 and marks the anniversary of 2017’s groundbreaking Women’s March where six million people marched in solidarity. People across the globe will march this year for the rights, freedom, and justice of women and allies everywhere.
The march in Windsor starts at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Riverside Drive and Ouellette Avenue and will proceed to Festival Plaza, facing north to Detroit. The Detroit event will start at the same time at the GM Plaza Promenade at Beaubien and Atwater in front of the Renaissance Center, facing Caesars Windsor.
Participants are asked to bring lights to be visible on both sides of the river and bring a photo of a missing, murdered, deported, surviving or inspirational woman. Additional signs and lights will be available.
People of all ages and genders are welcome to attend.