National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day
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In the spirit of reconciliation and hope
Orange Shirt Day is an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters”.
Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30.
The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. Orange Shirt Day began with the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis Webstad's story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.
Please join us in wearing orange this Friday, September 29.
Phyllis Webstad: The story behind why we wear orange shirts