AmINext facts for kids
#AmINext is a social media campaign that started on September 5, 2014. It was launched by Holly Jarrett, an Inuit woman from Canada. The campaign wanted to bring attention to the many Indigenous women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered in Canada. It was one of many campaigns started by activists since 2000 to raise awareness.
Holly Jarrett began her campaign with a special hashtag after starting a Change.org petition in August 2014. This petition asked the government to look into the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Both her petition and the hashtag campaign were connected to the murders of her cousin, Lorraine Saunders, and Tina Fontaine. In December 2015, the government led by Justin Trudeau announced they would start an inquiry. This inquiry officially began in 2016.
When it first started, the #AmINext campaign asked the government at the time, led by Stephen Harper, to recognize the pattern of violence. The campaign became widely known across Canada. This was because news reports about the Tina Fontaine case were released at the same time. On September 11, 2014, the BBC talked about the campaign, which helped it get attention around the world. By March 2016, the petition on Change.org had more than 300,000 signatures.
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Why the Campaign Started
In February 2014, Loretta Saunders, an Inuit woman, was murdered by her roommates. This happened during an argument about rent money. Loretta was about to finish her studies at Saint Mary's University in Halifax. She was working on a school project about the missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada.
After the murder of Tina Fontaine in September 2014, Holly Jarrett, Loretta's cousin, started the #AmINext campaign. She wanted to continue Loretta's work to make more people in Canada aware of the violence against Indigenous women. Holly said she hoped the campaign would encourage a national discussion about an issue she felt many non-Indigenous Canadians did not know about.
To join the campaign, people on social media were asked to post "selfie" photos. They held signs with the hashtag #AmINext and wrote a short message about why they were taking part. For over ten years, Indigenous activists had been asking the government to investigate why so many Indigenous women faced violence and murder. After Tina Fontaine's murder, calls for such an inquiry became even stronger.
After starting the hashtag campaign, Holly Jarrett announced she was making a documentary. This film would be about Loretta Saunders and the reasons why so many Indigenous women faced violence. In June 2016, Holly shared on her Change.org site that she had met with two government ministers. They were Carolyn Bennett, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and Patty Hajdu, the Minister of Status of Women. During this meeting, Holly talked about the personal stories shared by people who signed the petition and joined #AmINext.
What Happened Next in Politics
Even though the #AmINext campaign was most active in late 2014, it became popular again during the 2015 federal election. Justin Trudeau talked about the violence against Indigenous women during his election campaign. He promised that a national inquiry into the missing and murdered Indigenous women would be one of his first actions if elected.
On December 8, 2015, Justin Trudeau announced that a national inquiry would indeed take place. Since then, Patty Hadju, the Canadian Minister for the Status of Women, has said that the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women might be as high as 4,000. She used information and estimates from a group working for change.
What Some People Thought About #AmINext
Some people had concerns about the #AmINext campaign. They felt it focused on who might be next to be harmed, instead of recognizing those who had already been hurt. Also, some social media users said that asking "Am I Next?" might make people feel like they couldn't do anything to stop the violence.
Because of this, Sarah Raineville started #ImNotNext. She wanted to encourage a feeling of strength, not helplessness. Since then, other social media users have focused on helping Indigenous women feel strong and in control. Holly Jarrett said she was happy that people were talking about the issue.
Other Important Campaigns
See Also
