Annual Relay Run Amplifies Calls for Justice on Highway of Tears
A poignant relay run advocating for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S) concluded its journey on Sunday in Terrace, British Columbia. The Tears to Hope Society’s annual event traverses Highway 16, a route tragically known as the Highway of Tears, drawing attention to unresolved cases and the ongoing pain of affected families.
Participants describe the experience of running along the highway as deeply spiritual. Holly Roberge (Gixdii Motx) shared that with each run, a different loved one’s picture is honored. “When I choose these runs, I smudge and I bring strength and prayers to this family,” Roberge stated. “If I can see the river, it, you know, calms me, and it gives me that strength that I need.”
A Legacy of Advocacy Born from Grief
The Tears to Hope Society initiated this relay in 2019, aiming to amplify advocacy for those lost along Highway 16. This year’s event, held over the past weekend, saw runners each cover 10 kilometers along four converging routes originating from Smithers, Nass Valley, Prince Rupert, and Kitimat. Along these routes, signs bearing the faces of over 50 individuals who never returned home serve as constant reminders.
The Highway of Tears is associated with at least 18 known cold cases of women, many of them Indigenous, dating back to 1969, alongside several current disappearances and unsolved murders. The emotional impact of seeing these faces displayed is profound for families.
Sheridan Martin spoke about her sister, Cindy Martin, who went missing in 2018 at the age of 50 and whose remains were discovered in 2022. “I can’t begin to tell you how important that is to see my sister’s picture along the highway there,” Martin expressed. “It’s not just a name. It’s not just statistics. It’s an actual face in colour. So that means a lot to me.”
Keeping Memories Alive and Seeking Truth
Denise Halfyard, manager for Tears to Hope Society, emphasized that the relay serves as a powerful reminder that families of those affected by violence along and around Highway 16 will never forget their relatives. She believes that raising awareness is crucial and goes beyond mere public demonstrations.
Halfyard’s own family has been engaged in MMIWG2S advocacy for two decades, a commitment sparked by the disappearance of her cousin, Tamara Chipman, near Prince Rupert in the fall of 2005. “With my cousin’s case, now that it’s been 20 years, people who may know something are 20 years older and maybe it’s eating away at them,” Halfyard reflected. “Maybe they’re starting to feel like they need to unload that information and let us know where she is.”
The Genesis of a Movement
The roots of the Tears to Hope Society’s extensive advocacy can be traced back to a conversation in Witset, B.C. Lorna Brown, executive director of the society and Halfyard’s mother, recounted how the idea for their walk originated on a restaurant napkin following the disappearance of her niece.
Brown explained that her cousin, Florence Naziel, was discussing a planned awareness walk for missing girls in the region and Chipman’s case with Karen Plazway, her niece. “She said, you know, ‘I need to come up with a name for our walk coming up in March…’ Karen began to draw tears… She was writing the names of those that had gone missing,” Brown recalled. “And then before you know it, the napkin was just filled with tears… Karen said, ‘It’s like a highway of tears,’ and, thus, the movement was born.”
This movement grew, contributing to national MMIWG2S campaigns and gaining international attention. Brown’s sister, Gladys Radek, also undertook a cross-country walk to further the cause.
Lorna Brown acknowledged the weight of their work: “It’s not work we ever asked to do but it feels like almost a responsibility, which in so many ways seems unfair.” She continued, “As Indigenous women, we have to resist so much violence… and we keep on, even just creating space, because it’s not just about us.”
Family-Centered Advocacy and Unwavering Commitment
Brown attributes the success of Tears to Hope Society’s efforts to its family-focused approach. “I feel like as Tears to Hope, we’ve actually created a stage. We didn’t wait for a stage, we actually created that,” Brown stated. “It’s the others that come alongside us to support what we do that allows us to keep going.”
Sheridan Martin underscored the critical importance of maintaining visibility for MMIW issues: “I thought MMIW was a story of other families until Cindy went missing, and it became our story. Because of our brown skin, we’re going missing and it is because of the colour of the skin. We have to put that truth on the table.”
Roberge expressed her enduring commitment to the relay, vowing to participate annually. “I’ll be a lifelong runner if I can,” she declared. “I’ll run until I can’t to keep this movement going.”
