Why a 4000-Page Newspaper Remembered Indigenous Women
A critical issue, which Canadians do not speak enough about, is the country’s alarming history of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. Not only is this demographic 12 times more likely to go missing or be murdered, but over 4000 Indigenous women and girls (and their stories) have not received proper media attention.
It’s for this reason that the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRCT) and Forsman & Bodenfors Canada urges Canadians to act now to protect Indigenous women. And they’re leading by example. On October 4th 2022 - the Canadian National Day of Action for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls - the NWRCT revealed ‘4000 Cover Stories’, a collaborative campaign intended to commemorate the 4000 Indigenous women who had been taken from their loved ones, and whose stories had been excluded or misrepresented in the news and media.
Calling Canadians to action and spreading awareness of the danger Indigenous women face every day, the campaign featured a 25-pound, 4000 page newspaper composed entirely of the cover stories these women ought to have received - and was unveiled as part of a newsstand at Ontario’s provincial government building in Toronto. Following this, the paper was hand delivered to prime minister Justin Trudeau’s office on October 3rd, representing a demand for the action of the Canadian government.
Supporting this campaign was a minute-long campaign video detailing the issue and the project, as well as 300 large-scale ‘Missing’ posters (which were also displayed at the newsstand). Each cover story, poster and the campaign video included a QR code, which when scanned, would allow viewers to email the member of parliament from a stolen sister’s local riding.
LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with Forsman & Bodenfors Canada senior copywriter Darby Clarke, senior art director Alexandra McGuirk-Penedo and the NWRCT’s executive director Pamela Hart, to discuss how this campaign was brought to life.
LBB> Murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Canada is a timely, pressing, and obviously sensitive subject. What was the brief? What immediate ideas came to mind when you first saw it?
Darby & Alexandra> In truth, there was no real brief. We were aware of the problem and wanted to help, but we weren’t really sure how. Our first step in meeting with Pamela was figuring out if this was a priority for her organisation (it very much was). The second was determining if we were the right people to help. As a non-Indigenous team, we did not want to come in and try to solve a problem that Indigenous leaders have been actively working on for years. But in further discussions with NWRCT, we knew we could help amplify the work already being done. Our strategy team worked with the client to help formulate an extensive background and pinpoint how we could help raise more awareness.
LBB> What made Forsman & Bodenfors the right agency for this job?
Pamela> F&B reached out to the NWRCT after a referral from another community agency, in an effort to raise awareness on ‘The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ (MMIWG) and start a path of truth and reconciliation. Through this, they were able to elevate the voices of NWRCT. After a few initial conversations, the effort just clicked and felt supportive, exciting and accurate. They were the right agency because they approached the task with heart, respect, a willingness to learn and grace.
LBB> The campaign draws on a wide array of data, including the fact Indigenous women and girls are 12 times more likely to go missing or be murdered. What was your research process like? What key data points and takeaways came from it?
Darby & Alexandra> The research process took up the majority of the time on this project. There is a lot of data out there from the RCMP and the government that is simply inaccurate. Because of this, we went right to the source. The MMIWG gathered stories directly from families impacted, combined with years of data and facts. We read through every court transcript we could find from the ‘Truth Gathering’ process, and quickly realised this wasn’t a project about data points. These are mothers, daughters, grandmothers, sisters and cousins whose loss greatly impacted their families. We learned about their lives, their personalities and their stories from family members who were brave and gracious enough to share. So, the project became much less about the numbers - although they’re still important - and more about sharing the stories.
LBB> How did the idea for ‘4000 Cover Stories’ come to pass? And what made creating a newspaper consisting of only cover stories the right approach?
Darby & Alexandra> It started from a point of anger and frustration. Anger that we hadn’t heard any of these stories before, despite each one of them being worthy of national news coverage. That’s what sparked the idea. We see the wall-to-wall media coverage that white women get in the news every day, but the general public has no idea how massive this epidemic of MMIWG is - in large part because they’re not hearing about it. This project was designed to help get every missing or murdered Indigenous women or girl get the media attention they deserved, while also using scale to show how massive this issue is. When you see a 25-pound, 8.5-inch-thick newspaper, the facts are hard to ignore.
Pamela> The concept came after several honest and frank conversations about the realities for Indigenous women, and the intersections with systems and media and the failures we continue to see. The paper provided this space to honour, give them each the cover page they deserve (and still deserve), and have a physical demonstration of the weight of the matter. The community carries that grief, those stories, that pain and that loss times 1000, every day.
LBB> You mentioned that the newspaper was designed with an Indigenous artist, and was printed with an Indigenous printer. Tell us about the collaborative process! How did this paper come to life?
Darby & Alexandra> When we started thinking about the design for this newspaper, we knew everything on the page had to have a purpose and intention. We worked with Pamela, as well as Dani (an Indigenous artist at the NWRCT) to create this design. When looked at, you see elements of the medicine wheel, different colours to represent different aspects of life, different dresses for different ages, and so on. There was a lot of work put into this paper, even before going to print.
When looking for a printer, the most important thing to us was authenticity. Production was key in helping us find the right partner - Steve at the Aboriginal Printing Company jumped on the project. Without his ingenuity, we wouldn’t have been able to bring this paper to life. Binding a 25-pound, 8.5-inch paper isn’t the easiest task, but he made it look that way.
Pamela> F&B was one of the most dedicated, special and supportive groups we have had the honour of working with. They worked with care, created trust and this is what reconciliation looks like. Their work allowed the community and the NWRCT to guide every decision, direction and detail, and they worked endlessly to present and create something that truly carries depth, meaning and longevity. Every element and step was inclusive of our knowledge, done with our approval, and carried out with appreciation and respect. We are beyond grateful.
Aside from F&B, we also wanted to express our gratitude toward Steve at the Aboriginal Printing Company and Dani. We’re thankful that they too, were a part of this work.
LBB> The NWRCT unveiled a newsstand at Queen’s Park in Toronto, featuring the newspaper. Please tell us more about this event. How did it go, and do you have any memorable stories to share?
Pamela> The event was meant to have a physical impact and presence. We wanted to create space and take up space in honour of each murdered and missing Indigenous woman. The entire project was memorable - honouring each story, creating new relationships around a topic that impacts our community every day, and speaking out loud on different platforms about the genocide we continue to see. Standing in Queen’s Park and having the paper there was moving and powerful. We know the spirit was with us.
LBB> Another big aspect of this campaign is the campaign video which provides stats and details about the importance of this national issue. Can you tell us more about how this was made?
Darby & Alexandra> The campaign video was a bit of a mad dash. We had it all planned out, but knowing we had to shoot the footage, get back to the office from Ottawa, and edit it the same night made it a bit of a push. Our director of content, David Quach, travelled with us from Queen’s Park to Ottawa, and shot all the footage. Then, after attending the incredibly moving ‘Sisters in Spirit Vigil’ held by the NWRCT in Allen Gardens, we went back to the office and edited until about one in the morning. The video was an important piece because we knew most people wouldn’t be able to hold the physical newspaper and feel its weight - so it was integral that the video captured that.
LBB> The video is very powerful, showcasing key statistics, the newspaper, and at the end, the faces of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. What made this simple approach the right one for the job?
Darby & Alexandra> This is an incredibly complicated issue, with lots of background to explain. But it was also important to convey the humanity and connection to each woman. We wanted to ensure the video explained all the necessary information while still conveying emotion. When we showed Pamela the video, her response told us we had done just that.
LBB> The newspaper was hand delivered to prime minister Justin Trudeau on October 4th. Has he offered any response to this campaign since?
Darby & Alexandra> Not yet, but we look forward to his response.
Pamela> Not yet. In an ideal world, Justin Trudeau would have spoken about the importance of MMIWG on October 4th, and any next steps that will occur in coming plans. This should have been especially true after the pandemic, which we know impacted the community in deep ways.
Unfortunately, we also know that inaction for Indigenous women is historically the stance of our government, and thus we expect no reply. The gesture was to demonstrate and demand he take on his leadership and governance responsibility. We wanted this to be public, so not only the NWRCT holds him accountable.
LBB> Also created for this campaign were 300 large-scale ‘Missing’ posters - serving to highlight the stories of Indigenous women and call Canadians to action. Since then, how has the national response been?
Darby & Alexandra> We’re still waiting on the data for emails sent to our government, but those QR codes will be active forever, meaning this call to action will be ongoing. If you’re reading this, scan away and demand action! However, we are very excited with the amount of media coverage this important project was able to receive, thanks to our partners at Veritas and PHD. We know that Canadians are more aware and ready to take action after listening to Pamela’s powerful words in interviews - after all, we know we are.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this initiative? How did you overcome them?
Darby & Alexandra> A big challenge was time. You would think a year is more than enough to pull a project together, but there was a lot of learning and research that needed to be done. Luckily, the entire agency was behind us. A special shoutout to members of our creative team, Seamus Slingerland, Chantal Lamont, Micheal Liao, and Duru Kose for helping read through court transcripts to gather facts to write each story, and to Morgan Wroot for helping copy edit. But it wasn’t just the creative department - almost everyone at the agency touched this project throughout the year.
LBB> While this campaign has been impactful, the issue of MMIWG will not go away overnight. Is there the possibility of follow-up campaigns?
Darby & Alexandra> This is an ongoing issue that certainly won’t be solved overnight. There are years and years of learning and work to be done. We’ve had the blessing of seeing Pamela Hart’s intelligence and passion first-hand, and we won’t soon forget it. We hope to continue this partnership and try to make Canadians more aware and as passionate about ending the genocide of Indigenous women and girls as we are. As long as we can be of help, we will be.
Pamela> We will maintain follow-ups and awareness. The response has been touching, kind, and supportive. We hope more changemakers join the conversations, and that systems and governments respond next.
LBB> Working on a campaign steeped in Canada’s darkest history must have been a moving experience. As such, what did the chance to be involved in this project mean to you?
Darby & Alexandra> We’re extremely thankful that we were able to learn so much during this process, and extremely grateful for the teachings and passion we received from Pamela and the NWRCT. It was a very emotional process, and very eye-opening. This isn’t a singular issue - it’s all connected to contact and we know the number of Indigenous women lost is likely much higher than 4000. If more Canadians take the time to learn about our dark history, that will be how we move forward.
LBB> What’s something you wish more people knew about the issue of missing Indigenous women and girls? And how can Canadians be better allies?
Darby & Alexandra> For those looking to be allies and work toward reconciliation, listen to Indigenous leaders, read the far too many stories in this newspaper, and demand action from your governments and institutions.
Pamela> We wish everyone knew about the issue, to begin with. People need to be aware of the severity, the genocide, the historical harms, the systemic networks that continue to cause harm, and the inherent racism that everyday systems, society and populations carry towards Indigenous women.
We also wish everyone knew the true beauty and sacred power of every Indigenous woman. Make a difference by learning the truth! Lean into your discomfort and speak out against the harms that continue to occur. Stand with us, beside us, and behind us as we march forward to raise awareness, expose the injustices, and continue to support the elevation of Indigenous women's voices.
