September 30th, 2022 is Orange Shirt Day and the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
The History of Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day was started by residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad in 2013 to raise awareness about the abuses committed in the residential school system.
At six years old, Webstad attended her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission, where her brand-new favourite orange shirt she got from her family was taken away and never returned. Phyllis Webstad is one of more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children who attended Indian residential schools in Canada between the late 1800s and 1996. It is estimated that between four to six thousand children died at residential schools.
Phyllis is the founder and Ambassador of the Orange Shirt Society, She tours Canada sharing her story to raise awareness about the impact and harm of the residential school system.
Watch Phyllis Webstad Orange Shirt Day Presentation:
In June 2021, the federal government declared 30 September a national statutory holiday to coincide with Orange Shirt Day and to honour survivors and intergenerational survivors of the Indian residential school system, and commemorate those who didn’t return home.
September 30th provides an opportunity to honour the experiences of Indigenous Peoples, celebrate their resilience, and affirm that every child matters. September 30th was chosen because for many generations, on that day, Indigenous children were taken from their families and homes and forced into the residential schools.
How You Can Show Support to Indigenous Peoples
Wear orange on September 30th to symbolize the Indigenous identities lost, shows support to Indigenous communities, and remind Canadians that #EveryChildMatters. Share a photo on social media using the hashtag #ORANGESHIRTDAY.
Read the 94 Calls to Action in the Truth and Reconciliation Report
For Travel Experiences
www.Destinationindigenous.ca
Arts and Crafts
www.BuyAuthentic.ca
Listen to a Podcast
https://voicesfromtheland.podbean.com/
Donate to organizations and foundations that support Indigenous peoples
Orange Shirt Society: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/orange-shirt-society.html
Indian Residential School Survivors Society: https://www.irsss.ca/
Legacy of Hope Foundation: https://legacyofhope.ca/
Woodland Cultural Centre – Save the Evidence: https://woodlandculturalcentre.ca/support/save-the-evidence/
Downie & Wenjack Fund: https://downiewenjack.ca/
Through our #GiveBackOntario initiative, Youngs Insurance Brokers is proud to support and donate to The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund, a registered Canadian charity dedicated to building cultural understanding and creating a path towards reconciliation.