The first time I witnessed the Vancouver’s downtown east side was four years ago. I was here for vacation and took a detour from our comfortable hotel and in less than 15 minutes ended up in a neighborhood like none I had ever seen before. Growing up in a small town in Saskatchewan the “rough neighborhood” of town really consisted of a old couple houses- not an entire neighborhood and nothing to the extent of what was and still is here in Vancouver. As I looked upon the scattered rows of people, most looked sad, lost or confused- I felt the same way. This stark and intense transition that takes place in literally walking distance from the pristine and luxurious atmosphere of downtown to the east side streets left me utterly speechless. It is here that an extremely difficult and treacherous life is lead by many here in Vancouver- particularly Aboriginal women. It is also here in this neighborhood of poverty and sadness that the Annual Women’s Memorial March, a march which recognizes missing and murdered women of the downtown east side. Here amongst those living in one of the poorest areas of the entire country are those who march and seek to find answers and hope for their loved ones. This compassion is also fueled by anger by those that feel as if the missing women have failed to have been given adequate measures to be found due to the area in which they lived. The march hopes not only to honor those missing but to build hope, support and attention to the increasing instances of missing or murdered women in Vancouver.