Orange Shirt Day
Wear an orange shirt and participate in a collective act of reconciliation.
#everychildmatters
Wear an orange shirt on Wednesday September 30, 2020.
Join the College of Medicine’s Division of Social Accountability, the Indigenous Admissions Program and the Saskatchewan Indigenous Mentorship Network – along with a number of other departments on campus, school divisions, and communities across Canada - who are participating in Orange Shirt Day on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Orange Shirt Day aims to educate and promote awareness about the Indian residential school system and the impact this system had on Indigenous communities for more than a century in Canada, and still does today.
Wearing orange represents an active commitment to reconciliation. In wearing orange, you are acknowledging the history and truth of residential schools and their legacy, respecting survivors, and remembering those who were affected. It is important to recognize that one day of honoring the survivors is important, but this needs to be an ongoing dialogue, a conversation every day.
History of Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 after Phyllis Webstad told her story at a reunion of other survivors:
In 1973 six-year old Phyllis Webstad was gifted a brand new orange shirt from her grandmother and wore it to the residential (mission) school she attended in British Columbia. Upon her arrival, school officials removed and discarded the shirt from her and replaced it with a school uniform. This greatly impacted the mental and emotional well-being of Webstad and symbolized that "her feelings never mattered." September 30 was chosen as the date to commemorate all the children that attended residential schools as it was also the time of year that children had to leave their homes and communities to attend the schools.1
How can you participate?
Wear an orange shirt!
Read, learn, and listen to the stories of survival and resilience from survivors of the Residential School system. It is important to acknowledge the legacy and impact these schools have had on our communities and how colonialism continues to impact Indigenous lives.
Read more about Orange Shirt Day and Every Child Matters.
Take Action:
ConnectR Reconciliation Challenge: September 13-Nov 8 – Not too late to join!
Take the Reconciliation Challenge and Be a ConnectR: A Project of Reconciliation Saskatoon. Choose calls to action from the ConnectR website (www.beaconnectr.com) and fulfill those actions every week for 8 weeks. The challenge includes four online events, where Indigenous Elders, survivors, educators, artists and youth inspire and educate this community of people learning and taking action. Join Facebook Group or email beaconnectr@gmail.com
Listen & Learn:
September 22
“The Orange Shirt Story” with Phyllis Webstad
10:30 AM CST
More information and Registration
September 29
Conversations with Elder Judy Pelly
Webex | 3:00 PM
Registration
September 30
Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education
Youth Event hosted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Live National Broadcast – REGISTER HERE
Where to purchase items in support of orange shirt day:
Gabriel Dumont Institute: https://www.facebook.com/gabrieldumontinstitute/posts/3523188437719196
Orange Shirt Day: https://www.facebook.com/orangeshirtdayeverychildmatters
Support Reconciliation
Be a COMMUNITY INVESTOR and support Reconciliation Saskatoon in their efforts to engage more people in reconciliation! For more information download the community investor package.
Join the College of Medicine’s Division of Social Accountability, the Indigenous Admissions Program and the Saskatchewan Indigenous Mentorship Network – along with a number of other departments on campus, school divisions, and communities across Canada - who are participating in Orange Shirt Day on Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Orange Shirt Day aims to educate and promote awareness about the Indian residential school system and the impact this system had on Indigenous communities for more than a century in Canada, and still does today.
Wearing orange represents an active commitment to reconciliation. In wearing orange, you are acknowledging the history and truth of residential schools and their legacy, respecting survivors, and remembering those who were affected. It is important to recognize that one day of honoring the survivors is important, but this needs to be an ongoing dialogue, a conversation every day.
History of Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day began in 2013 after Phyllis Webstad told her story at a reunion of other survivors:
In 1973 six-year old Phyllis Webstad was gifted a brand new orange shirt from her grandmother and wore it to the residential (mission) school she attended in British Columbia. Upon her arrival, school officials removed and discarded the shirt from her and replaced it with a school uniform. This greatly impacted the mental and emotional well-being of Webstad and symbolized that "her feelings never mattered." September 30 was chosen as the date to commemorate all the children that attended residential schools as it was also the time of year that children had to leave their homes and communities to attend the schools.1
How can you participate?
Wear an orange shirt!
Read, learn, and listen to the stories of survival and resilience from survivors of the Residential School system. It is important to acknowledge the legacy and impact these schools have had on our communities and how colonialism continues to impact Indigenous lives.
Read more about Orange Shirt Day and Every Child Matters.
Read the stories of Survivors.
Take Action:
ConnectR Reconciliation Challenge: September 13-Nov 8 – Not too late to join!
Take the Reconciliation Challenge and Be a ConnectR: A Project of Reconciliation Saskatoon. Choose calls to action from the ConnectR website (www.beaconnectr.com) and fulfill those actions every week for 8 weeks. The challenge includes four online events, where Indigenous Elders, survivors, educators, artists and youth inspire and educate this community of people learning and taking action. Join Facebook Group or email beaconnectr@gmail.com
Listen & Learn:
September 22
“The Orange Shirt Story” with Phyllis Webstad
10:30 AM CST
More information and Registration
September 29
Conversations with Elder Judy Pelly
Webex | 3:00 PM
Registration
September 30
Every Child Matters: Reconciliation Through Education
Youth Event hosted by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Live National Broadcast – REGISTER HERE
Where to purchase items in support of orange shirt day:
Gabriel Dumont Institute: https://www.facebook.com/gabrieldumontinstitute/posts/3523188437719196
Orange Shirt Day: https://www.facebook.com/orangeshirtdayeverychildmatters
Support Reconciliation
Be a COMMUNITY INVESTOR and support Reconciliation Saskatoon in their efforts to engage more people in reconciliation! For more information download the community investor package.