Orange Shirt Day

Indigenous Engagement and Reconciliation

Orange Shirt Day was started by Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a residential school survivor and community leader from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. The initiative, which encourages people to wear an orange shirt on September 30th, is meant to create awareness of residential schools and their impact on survivors and their families and spark meaningful discussion about residential schools and reconciliation.

The colour orange relates to Webstad’s story of having her bright new orange shirt taken away from her on her first day of residential school at the age of six years old. The date, September 30th, coincides with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and was chosen because it is during the time when children were brought to residential schools from their homes.

Learn more about Orange Shirt Day here

Download our 2023 Toolkit

BGC Canada’s Orange Shirt Day Design Contest

This year’s Orange Shirt Day Contest winner is Sophia Westcott from BGC South East.

I wanted it to convey the strength encompassed within the theme of Orange Shirt Day. The figure’s head, which appears to be “dissolving” into eagle feathers, is meant to represent the Indigenous community’s courage and strength. The figure is not supposed to represent just one person, but everyone that faces hardships because of the injustice of residential schools.

In addition, the eagle feathers that flow from this person shows the immense resilience that Indigenous people’s continue to show. By having the eagle feather representing power, wisdom, trust, strength, and freedom, I felt although this symbol would represent this idea best.

To read more about Sophia and create your own Orange Shirt from our template, click here.

Ways you can enact Reconciliation

WEAR
READ
WATCH
  • Gord Downie’s The Secret Path – YouTube
  • NVision Insight Group’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2023 Webinars (pre-registration required)
  • Part 1: History and Context, September 26, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PST – Register
  • Part 2: Reconciliation and Design, September 27, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PST – Register
LISTEN
HOST
PARTICIPATE
  • In your local community or regional Truth & Reconciliation Day events

BGC Canada acknowledges that our work spans many Territories and Treaty areas and we are grateful for the traditional Knowledge Keepers and Elders who are with us today, those who have gone before us and the youth that continuously inspire us in the work that we do. BGC Canada’s mission statement is to provide safe, supportive places where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life. We recognize that these values are impossible to attain without the ongoing guidance and partnership with Indigenous peoples.

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