A community discussion centred on missing and murdered Indigenous Peoples is taking place in downtown Sault Ste. Marie this week as part of a relatively new monthly event.
Cedar Smale launched Feeding the Fire at Cafe 4 Good this past March with a vigil for Emily Pike, a 14-year-old member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe whose dismembered remains were found in garbage bags on Valentine’s Day — nearly three weeks after leaving her Arizona group home.
A collection of photos has been set up at Cafe 4 Good for anyone who would like to honour the missing and murdered with photos of their own, according to the event's organizer.
“Someone had sparked the idea of maybe having monthly discussions just to keep the conversation going,” Smale told SooToday.
“That’s initially what the vigil was for, to bring awareness to what’s going on.”
Feeding the Fire has since turned into a monthly discussion that’s open to the public. The primary focus is missing and murdered Indigenous Peoples, but the talks can also extend to other issues impacting the Indigenous community as a whole.
The organizer of the monthly talks is hoping for a decent turnout when Feeding the Fire resumes at Cafe 4 Good on Thursday, March 15.
“My hope was to have individuals who are personally impacted by the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis, whether that's a friend or family member — whether it's distant or close — to see how our community is impacted, so we can learn from each other,” Smale said.
Thursday’s discussion takes place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.