We Care Quilt

The We Care Quilt (2015-2016) is a community made quilt engaging Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to take a stance against violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people. Individuals were able to make manifestations of their care by crafting a We Care Square. The project was facilitated by the University of Winnipeg’s Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies (Roewan Crowe, Christina Hajjar, & Erin Schwartz), the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library (Marieke Gruwel & Andrea Reichert) and the We Care Campaign MMIW (Leah Gazan & Raine Hamilton). It was assembled and hand-quilted by Tracy Popp & Judy Stewart.

During the making of the quilt we held craft sessions and a round table discussion. After it was completed the quilt attended Take Back the Night in Fall 2015 and Sarasvàti Productions’ International Women’s Week Cabaret of Monologues: Stolen Sisters in Spring 2016.

The quilt became permanently installed outside the Hive at UWinnipeg in Winter 2017 to continue engaging campus and community members.

The unveiling event was a collaboration with the Women’s Memorial March of Manitoba on February 14, 2017 to honour MMIWG2S. The event was co-organized by the quilt’s collaborators, the Women’s Memorial March of Manitoba, and the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA).

Press

‘We Care Quilt’ at U of W a new symbol of honour for MMIW, CTV News.

‘These women are loved’: Winnipeg March remembers missing and murdered Indigenous women, CBC News.

Care to Quilt!, UWinnipeg.