People taking part in the Freedom From Injustice walk will begin their long journey Monday.
The group plans to meet at Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench, then walk to Regina and on to Manitoba, where they’ll stop in Brandon and Winnipeg.
The goal of the walk is to bring attention to issues facing Indigenous youth and to call for reforms to the justice system.
“If we can do this walk and make the commitment and make a journey that far than we can definitely see a change in the justice system,” event organizer Kayla Ironstar Murray said.
Ironstar Murray said she and fellow organizer Katryna Smith felt called to action after Biggar-area farmer Gerald Stanley was found not guilty of murder in the 2016 death of Colten Boushie and Raymond Cormier, accused of murder in the death of 15-year-old Tina Fontaine, was found not guilty in Winnipeg.
“Just wanting to make a change in our society and wanting to bring awareness to all of these injustices,” Ironstar Murray said of their motivation.
Organizers plan to meet with mayors and police in each city they visit.
Ironstar Murray said Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark supported the campaign and had helped spread the word and get sponsors.
Regina Mayor Michael Fougere is expected to join them for part of the walk when they arrive on May 12th.
“There’s so much negativity right now, we just want to show people that Saskatchewan is a safe place to live,” organizer Katryna Smith said.
“We want to show that we as First Nations people can live peacefully with other people.”
Throughout the walk, people will be joining for as long as they can and children are welcome to come too.
“We’ve put out a community challenge to teachers that if they want to get their kids to walk and tell us about it, we will drive for each kilometre they walk,” Smith said.