September 30th is orange shirt day, the day to raise awareness of the effects of the residential school systems and the resulted intergenerational trauma.
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in Williams Lake, in May 2013. The events were designed to commemorate the residential school experience and to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families. As well as continuing the commitment to the reconciliation process. Now, orange shirt day is a legacy of this project.
The date was chosen because it is the time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools. It is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.
Orange shirt day was first started in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad.
Photo credit: orange shirt day
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