09/26/2023
September 30th is Orange Shirt Day; a grassroots campaign founded by Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, which grew from her experiences and the experiences of other residential school survivors. The orange shirt that was taken away from Phyllis upon arrival at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school is now a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom and self-esteem experienced by Indigenous children over generations. As an annual commemorative day, it honours the children who never returned home and the survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Orange Shirt Day is now a federally recognized National Truth and Reconciliation Day; a time to honour the resilience, dignity and strength of survivors and intergenerational survivors and remind us all that every child matters. For more information, visit https://nctr.ca/