By Will McGuirk

Artists Against Racism, founded in 1996, continues to use their spotlight to illuminate discrimination in society. In this week leading up to National Indigenous Peoples Day (Jun 21) AAR has launched a national billboard campaign to draw attention to the recent Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women And Girls report.

Paintings including ‘Not Forgotten’ by Dakota Sioux artist Maxine Noel; She Who Loves The Truth by Cree artist Betty Albert and ‘Sisters’ by Anishinaabe artist Frank Polson will be part of the Eagles Rising series which can be seen right across the country

"Sisters is dedicated to the memory of our missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. They were traumatized and stolen and it will continue if we do not commit to action and change. All Indigenous women and girls are sacred. We must break the cycles of violence,” says contributing artist Frank Polson in a press release..

This week-long campaign aims to both honour the memory of the more than 1000 Indigenous missing and murdered woman and girls across Canada such as Tina Fontaine (on the DAUGHTER TO US ALL billboard by Metis artist Christi Belcourt) and keep the conversation about Indigenous missing and murdered women alive following the powerful MMIW Inquiry report released last week.

“I am honoured to be a part of this project, and to donate my own art to Artists Against Racism, joining with other First Nations artists in lending our work and our voices to this desperately needed conversation and reconciliation, “ Maxine Noel (Not Forgotten).

As noted above AAR began in 1996. That’s some time ago so time to do better people, high time to be better.