On September 30, 2021, as we commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we remember the thousands of children who did not make it home, and we honour residential school Survivors, their families, and their communities.
Since its inception in 2013, the goal of Orange Shirt Day has been to initiate discussions about the impact residential schools have had on Indigenous Peoples.
Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis(Jack) Webstad’s story. In 1973, six year-old Phyllis’ grandmother took her shopping to buy a new outfit for school, and she picked out a shiny orange shirt. She was so excited to wear it on her first day, but when she arrived at the Williams Lake residential school, it was quickly stripped away. Phyllis never saw the shirt again. For her, the colour orange signifies her traumatic residential school experiences. (Source: Government of Canada)
