Orange Shirts emblazoned with “Every Child Matters” and two feathers will be available in Conestoga campus stores to wear on September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Orange Shirts are being sold in Conestoga campus stores to raise funds for Indigenous-related initiatives.
The day honours children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
It is also Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family and community intergenerational impacts of residential schools and to promote the concept of “Every Child Matters.”
This year’s shirt sales at Conestoga will support two initiatives.
Indigenous Services partnered with Survivors’ Secretariat to purchase the shirts. The organization was established in 2021 to organize and support efforts to uncover, document and share the truth about the Mohawk Institute in Brantford during the residential school’s more than 140 years of operation.
Proceeds from shirt sales at Conestoga will support Indigenous food security initiatives on campus, funding programming and workshops on food security and access to fresh food in the pantry at the Indigenous Services office Be-Dah-Bin Gamik.
The shirts are $25 plus tax, available in-store only while supplies last.
Other events on campus:
Beading workshop
A workshop will be held at Be-Dah-Bin Gamik at the Kitchener - Doon campus from 1 to 3 p.m. where registered participants will make beaded Orange Shirt Day pins. There will be 30 kits available, prioritized for students but staff and faculty are also welcome. The session is an opportunity to gather in community to create, build and learn together while celebrating the continued resiliency of Indigenous communities.
Library event
Indigenous Services and Library & Learning Services is hosting a collaborative event to mark the day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the library at the Kitchener - Doon campus. Discover a selection of books by Indigenous authors alongside a collection of Indigenous artifacts and crafts. This event is an opportunity to delve into Indigenous culture and heritage, and the Conestoga community is encouraged to ask questions and deepen their understanding.
Conestoga’s Be-Dah-Bin Gamik provides academic and cultural services and support for Indigenous students at Conestoga, including First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and Inuit. Visit Conestoga’s website to learn more about Indigenous initiatives at the college.