Every child matters: Orange Shirt Day at TMU
Every year on September 30, residential school victims and survivors are honoured on Orange Shirt Day (external link) , a date chosen because it is the time of year children were taken from their homes. Photo: Carrie Davis.
September marks the beginning of a new school year. With it comes mixed emotions for students of all ages as they return to the classroom—a sense of excitement for new clothes and school supplies, the anticipation of reuniting with friends, and nervousness about entering a new grade or school.
For a young Phyllis Webstad (external link) , this feeling of excitement was short-lived as upon arriving on her first day at St. Joseph Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, B.C., her brand new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was immediately taken from her.
Phyllis, a residential school survivor, founded Orange Shirt Day (external link) to commemorate the residential school experience and honour survivors.
For over 150 years, more than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation children from across Canada were taken from their families and communities and forced to attend residential schools. Thousands never returned home.
Like Phyllis was stripped of her orange shirt, children who attended these residential schools were stripped of their identity, culture, traditions and languages. They were subject to abuse, punishment and poor living and learning conditions, a harmful legacy that continues to this day.
Wear orange and join us on Friday, September 29
To commemorate Ozaawaa Babigoyaan Giizhigad (Orange Shirt Day), TMU community members, Indigenous and non-Indigenous are invited to attend a number of events taking place on campus on Friday, September 29.
Opening song, prayer and welcoming remarks
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: SLC 8th floor
Programming begins at 9:30 a.m. on the 8th floor of the Student Learning Centre (SLC) with an opening song by Amy Desjarlais, lead facilitator, Rebirthed Teachings, and a welcome prayer from Joanne Okimawininew Dallaire, Elder (Ke Shay Hayo) and senior advisor, Indigenous relations and reconciliation. Additional leadership remarks will follow.
Indigenous presentations/teachings
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: SLC 8th floor
10 a.m. - Indigenous presentation/teaching
11 a.m. - Wellness break provided by TMU Eats
11:15 a.m. - Presentation by Nicole Ineese-Nash, an Oji-Cree educator, researcher and community helper whose work focuses on Indigenous community development, mental health and well-being, education and land-based practices. Nicole founded and serves as the executive director of a national non-profit organization called Finding Our Power Together, (external link) which provides mental health resources to Indigenous communities across Canada.
Indigenous Lunch
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: SLC 8th floor
Join us for some three sisters soup, bannock (scone) with maple butter, cedar tea and conversation. All community members are welcome and food will be served on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will also be an opportunity to make a paper orange shirt to be planted on the silent memorial walk in the afternoon.
Survivors’ flag raising and silent memorial walk around campus
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Meet in Kerr Hall quad
Meet in the quad (northwest side) where the survivors’ flag will be raised to honour all survivors, families and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada. Then, embark on a silent walk around campus wearing your orange shirt.
As you walk in silence, we invite you to think about what it would be like to attend an institution like TMU and be unable to speak your own language, practice your spirituality or religion or go home to see your family and friends. Think about the state forces that would keep you on the institution's grounds and prevent your family from coming to visit you. Think about what this experience would feel like to a child as young as four to five years old.
When you arrive at the Normal School façade, place your paper orange shirt at your desired spot in the soil. This spot was chosen as the gathering place as a reminder that there were different “educational” institutions for non-Indigenous and Indigenous students and very different experiences between the two groups.
Please note a clean-up team will be on hand to recycle these items at an appropriate time afterward.
Virtual tour of Woodland Cultural Centre (formerly the Mohawk Institute Residential School)
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Virtual (on own), (google form) registration required (external link)
There are a limited number of spots available for this virtual tour. Confirmation of registration for the event and a link will be individually emailed to you directly to attend the virtual tour.
Learn more about the 140-year history of the Mohawk Institute Residential School and hear interviews from survivors through a virtual tour presented by the Woodland Culture Centre (external link) .
How and where to get an orange shirt
There are several ways to show your support and order your shirt for Orange Shirt Day events. We strongly recommend that community members purchase orange shirts from Indigenous-owned businesses and retailers that give a significant percentage of proceeds to Indigenous charities and organizations.
This year, TMU's Campus Store is selling Every Child Matters orange t-shirts in partnership with Indigenous Initiatives in the Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion (OVPECI). The shirts are available for purchase and 100 per cent of profits are donated to the Orange Shirt Society (external link) .
Orange shirts can also be purchased from the official Orange Shirt Day merchandise website (external link) .
Support for Indigenous students, faculty and staff
For Indigenous students
Indigenous students can access culturally supportive programs and services, including peer support groups and Indigenous traditional counselling through Gdoo-maawnjidimi Mompii Indigenous Student Services.
The Centre for Student Development and Counselling (CSDC) is working in collaboration with Indigenous Initiatives and Indigenous Student Services to offer counselling support to Indigenous students. Indigenous students looking to learn more or book an appointment can contact Eden Abraham, counsellor, at eden.abraham@torontomu.ca.
Good2Talk (external link) is a free confidential and anonymous service for post-secondary students for 24/7 professional counselling. Good2Talk also provides mental health information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being. Access their services immediately by calling 1-866-925-5454 or texting “GOOD2TALKON” to 686868.
For Indigenous staff and faculty
Through the university’s Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), Telus Health (formerly Lifeworks), Workplace Wellbeing and Indigenous Initiatives have arranged for Michael Diotte (Indigenous trauma counsellor) to be available for individual, confidential, virtual or in-person counselling (Michael is located in Oshawa area).
Indigenous employees (who have self-identified through the Employee Diversity Self-ID Program) can call the Telus Health Care Access Centre at 1-844-880-9142 and request an appointment with Michael.
Indigenous employees who have not self-identified through the Employee Diversity Self-ID Program and wish to access support through Life Works are also eligible for this service. If you have any questions about your eligibility for EFAP services, contact Jennifer Alefounder (director, Workplace Wellbeing) at jennifer.alefounder@torontomu.ca. Jennifer continues to be a member of the working group that oversees the ongoing resources and support of Indigenous employees.
Crisis support through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society
The Indian Residential School Survivors Society is a provincial organization that provides essential services to residential school survivors and families experiencing intergenerational trauma. For immediate crisis support, please call 1-866-925-4419, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
This event is brought to you by the Orange Shirt Day organizing committee
This year’s event is organized by a collective of Indigenous and non-Indigenous colleagues, led by Crystal Osawamick, E-nankiid Anishinaabe Maawnjidowinan miiniwaa Shki-maajiishkaachiganan, manager, Indigenous events and special projects.
The committee includes staff from Alumni Relations, Career, Co-op and Student Success, Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Ceremonials Office, Gdoo-maawnjidimi Mompii Indigenous Student Services, Indigenous Initiatives, Indigenous Education Council, Lincoln Alexander School of Law, Office of the Provost, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion, School of Early Childhood Studies, Student Affairs, Student Learning Centre, Student Life and Learning Support and TMU Libraries.