Tears to Hope Society was formed in 2019. Lorna Brown and her family began raising awareness for MMIWG when her niece, Tamara Chipman, went missing from Prince Rupert in September 2005.

On March 7, 2006, Tom Chipman’s cousin, Florence Naziel, organized the first Highway of Tears walk from Prince Rupert to Smithers to honour Tamara and raise awareness of the many First Nations women and girls that were going missing from their community. Tom’s sister, Gladys Radek, who later founded Walk 4 Justice, also joined the walk. The walk continued from Smithers to Prince George, led by MMIWG advocate Matilda Wilson, mother of Ramona Wilson who was found murdered in Smithers and remains unsolved. The walk concluded at the 2006 Highway of Tears Symposium. The purpose of the symposium was to raise public awareness and create a call to action, after 14 year old Aileah Saric-Auger was found murdered in Prince George, February of 2006. More than 500 people were in attendance, from the victim’s family members to the public sector service providers.

Our name comes with the hope of turning the Highway of Tears from tears… to hope.

• Supporting families of MMIWG and facilitating activities that foster health, wellness and healing.

• Encourage public understanding and raise awareness of MMIWG on the Highway of Tears.

• Develop partnerships with communities and organizations that align with our core values, as we work towards culturally safe communities and move from protection to prevention.

• Create awareness for the need of community safety planning, addressing Indigenous-specific causes of gender-based violence.

• Share information and tools to navigate the justice and public safety systems to ensure the self-determination of Indigenous communities.

• Collaborate with community leaders and organizations to offer culturally appropriate, trauma informed safety training and support services that work towards healing, empowerment of Indigenous women to reclaim power and place.

We encourage all to take charge of their mental and physical wellness.

Through hope, awareness, healing, empowerment and wellness, we can create change.

We have hope for a future where women and girls can walk safely, without fear.

We support families of Missing and Murdered loved ones. We keep their memories alive by creating continued awareness.

We are committed to empowering women and encourage them to use their voices.

We are committed to providing safe spaces to heal.

Lorna Brown is Wet’suwet’en, Laksilyu (Small Frog Clan), G’en egh l_a yes (House of many eyes) from the community of Witset, BC. She has been advocating for justice for MMIWG since her niece, Tamara Chipman, went missing from Prince Rupert, BC in 2005. During the long, cold days of searching for Tamara, the family received support from friends, fellow fishermen, and later search & rescue, who helped her brother Tom look for his only daughter. The search lasted for weeks and remains unsolved.

Tamara’s family testified at the National Inquiry into MMIWG. Lorna traveled across Canada with her sister Gladys Radek (National Family Advisory Circle), where the stories were all too familiar.

Lorna directed and produced her first feature documentary film Adaawk, co-produced by MMIWG advocate and family member Wanda Good. The film premiered at the ImagineNative Film Festival and won the “New Voice in Storytelling” award. Lorna believes it is so important to tell our own stories, as only we can.

Lorna, a mother of 5, coached soccer, managed her kids soccer and hockey teams and supported them in a variety of sports. Lorna was also on the NW Aboriginal Sports, Recreation and Physical Activity Partners Council committee, now known as the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (ISPARC).

Lorna is a Board member at Terrace Pentecostal Assembly and is a member of the Highway of Tears Governing body.

Despite growing up with the destructive impacts of discrimination and violence, Lorna has always been proud of her culture and is empowered by the strong example of her late mother Agnes Chipman who faced many challenges throughout her lifetime. Lorna continues to work to make positive change by encouraging Indigenous women and youth to build confidence through sport, healthy thinking and ending cycles – it starts with us.

Denise’s cousin, Tamara Chipman, went missing in September, 2005. After hearing so many heartbreaking stories when the inquiry into MMIWG came to Vancouver, her calling to help was clear.

A reformed “shy girl,” Denise (Wet’suwet’en from her mother, Tsimshian from her father and grandmother & Gitxsan from her paternal grandfather) now uses her voice to encourage others to use theirs. As coordinator for the Tears To Hope Society, she not only organizes the many in-person events, but also is a professional web and graphic designer. Her skillset is paramount to the day to day operation of this evolving and vital Indigenous led Society.

As a professional voice actor, she uses her voice to narrate for a variety of organizations and projects promoting Indigenous culture, language, reconciliation and health and wellness through strong business relationships across North America. Milestone projects include; Narration of Indigenomics audiobook by Carol Anne Hilton and the described video voiceover for the critically acclaimed film and TV series, ‘Bones of Crows’.

As the founder of The Frog Radio, Denise personally curated hundreds of Indigenous artists from across Turtle Island, meeting many of them in person at Indigenous music festivals she regularly attends. The Frog Radio is a 100% Indigenous music station 24/7, which promotes artists’ voices to tell their own stories.

Denise resides on the territory of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth people, in Ucluelet, BC, where she co-owns Ukee Sound, a professional recording studio nestled in the rainforest. She loves to spend her time outdoors on the many beaches and trails with her husband, Brent, and pup, Sugar. She continues to play her favorite sport, soccer, and is learning to surf!

A donation to the Tears to Hope Society will help support initiatives, events and support for families of MMIWG. We are grateful for your gift. Thank you so much for your consideration in donating.

Tears to Hope Society a is non-profit organization, we are not a charity, and cannot issue charitable tax receipts.

If you would like to donate you can send an e-transfer to:

ACCOUNTING@TEARSTOHOPESOCIETY.COM

Make a cheque to:

TEARS TO HOPE SOCIETY
5684 KWINITSA AVE
TERRACE BC
V8G 0C8

or make a donation via PayPal