Orange Shirt Day

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Rose Patten

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

New College

Subheadline

Events took place across the three campuses in advance of Sept. 30

The ��Ƶ community came together to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by honouring survivors of Canada’s residential school system, reflecting on its lasting impact on Indigenous communities and recommitting to reconciliation.

Attendees packed the Great Hall at Hart House for a tri-campus event Friday, with hundreds more tuning into a livestream – one of several events across the university’s three campuses in advance of Sept. 30.

The Hart House event included a panel discussion on the Indian Residential School Survivors’ Storybase, a project at U of T Libraries that aims to make the stories of residential school survivors more accessible by compiling accounts from across the internet into a single searchable resource.

From left: Angela Henshilwood, Desmond Wong, Mikayla Redden and Grant Hurley (photo by Polina Teif)

Mikayla Redden, information services and instruction librarian at New College Library, says storytelling was instrumental in shedding light on the horrors of the residential school system and she hopes the storybase can be a tool to help address its ongoing harms.

“Stories are a huge part of the reason that we know the truth, the courage of residential school survivors in telling their stories for decades – even in the face of disbelief and denial from the Canadian masses,” Redden said.

“They're the reason we're here today. They are the reason for this day. They're the reason for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and everything that resulted from it.”

From left: Ayeza Ahmad, Alexandra Gillespie, David Kim and Rose Patten (photo by David Lee)

Redden, who is a mixed-race woman of Anishinaabe and Anglo settler heritage, says library staff met last year to discuss ways they could go beyond reading lists to amplify the voices of residential school survivors, their families and communities.

They wanted the project to meet an educational need without “taking” from Indigenous Peoples by enlisting their labour or exacerbating intergenerational trauma, Redden said.

“Canadians of all ages, from all walks of life can access the storybase, and they can use these stories, to listen to more of the truth, and learn and unlearn,” Redden said. “Hopefully, they can take what they've learned, encourage others to do the same and turn the emotions that they are feeling … into an action. And that's what reconciliation is, it's an action.”

From left: Andrew Bomberry and John Croutch of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (photo by Polina Teif)

Redden was joined on the panel by Grant Hurley, Canadiana librarian at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, and Desmond Wong, outreach librarian at OISE Library, in a discussion moderated by Angela Henshilwood, head of the Engineering & Computer Science Library.

David Kim, warden of Hart House, emceed Friday’s commemoration, which also featured remarks by Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga.

Gillespie thanked U of T Mississauga student MJ Singleton for designing the orange shirts worn by many at the event, which shows a mother holding hands and walking forward with her two children beneath the words “Every child matters.”

U of T Chancellor Rose Patten described the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as “one of the most important days in the life of our community and our country.”

The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy building is lit up orange (photo by Steve Barratt)

“In so many ways, Canadians have only begun to take and show responsibility for this,” Patten said at the event. “And doing so requires an unfaltering commitment from all of us.”

After the event, First Nations House hosted a fire for Indigenous community members in the Earth Sciences Courtyard.

Also on Friday, Professor Kisha Supernant of the University of Alberta gave a talk at New College about her research using ground-penetrating radar to identify the sites of potential unmarked graves at former residential schools and her work with Indigenous communities to preserve the sites.

Meanwhile, at U of T Scarborough Campus Farm, footage of the Indigenous Garden was livestreamed from sunrise to sunset.

Earlier in the week, Orange Shirt Beading Workshops were held at the St. George, U of T Mississauga and U of T Scarborough campuses.

Flags will be lowered to half-mast across U of T’s three campuses on Sept. 29 ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is formally recognized across Canada on Sept. 30.

Members of the Indigenous U of T community in need of support can reach out to:

The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419)

Students:

U of T Telus Help Student Support can be accessed 24-7.

Other mental health resources, programs and supports are available through the student mental health resource page.

Staff and faculty:

Employee and Family Assistance Program (1-800-663-1142)

Anishinaabe student shares inspiration behind U of T’s 2023 Orange Shirt Day design

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 14:15:49 +0000

Anishinaabe student shares inspiration behind U of T’s 2023 Orange Shirt Day design

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 09/28/2023 - 10:15

Cutline

MJ Singleton, a student at U of T Mississauga, says their winning Orange Shirt Day design emphasizes the importance of healing the intergenerational trauma of residential schooling by supporting and loving those around you (supplied photo)

Topic

Subheadline

Earlier this year, MJ Singleton won the university's Orange Shirt Day design contest, which saw submissions from Indigenous students across the three campuses

For Anishinaabe and two-spirit ��Ƶ Mississauga student MJ Singleton, part of truth and reconciliation is healing through intergenerational trauma and breaking the cycle.

A lifelong artist, Singleton uses the medium of painting to express themselves and their heritage.

Earlier this year, Singleton won U of T’s Orange Shirt Day design contest, which saw submissions from Indigenous students across the three campuses to commemorate Orange Shirt Day 2023. Also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Sept. 30 is a day to recognize the destructive legacy of the Canadian Indian residential school system.

“My grandma was a residential school survivor in Kenora (Ont.) – at St. Mary’s,” Singleton says.

Singleton’s grandmother, along with seven other siblings, attended St. Mary’s Indian Residential School. Growing up in Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation (Eagle Lake) between Kenora and Thunder Bay, Singleton recalls hearing stories of trauma and grief about their grandmother’s experience and how it affected generations to follow – an idea they incorporated into their design.

“[The design] is about how someone feels for another person,” Singleton says. “How intergenerational trauma can be broken and healed for future generations.”

“I wanted to showcase that even through you are hurt, you can still be strong for one another and be there for one another.”

The design is titled noojimo’iwe, which is Anishinaabemowin for “she heals.” It emphasizes the importance of healing the intergenerational trauma of residential schooling by supporting and loving those around you. It portrays a mother holding hands and walking forward with her two children. Above them, a bright sun with contour lines connecting to floral patterns and designs represents all living things.

Singleton says the design was additionally motivated by the discovery of more than 170 plausible graves at St. Mary’s.

“It’s just heartbreaking to think of what my grandma would have gone through in her childhood,” Singleton says.

The image of the mother clasping the hands of her two children was also inspired by a family photo with their brother and mother. While Singleton says they weren’t thinking of it while painting, the image was ingrained in their mind.

Singleton studies criminology, law and society at U of T Mississauga, with a minor in psychology. While initially attracted to U of T Mississauga’s forensic science program, Singleton grew to like the professors in the criminology, law and society program and the prospects of a law career.

After feeling overwhelmed in first year, Singleton says they became involved at the Indigenous Centre at U of T Mississauga, made new friends – and discovered the Orange Shirt Day design contest.

“It really was an uplifting experience,” Singleton says, “especially when the [All-Nations] Powwow came to UTM – that was really exciting and all my friends were there.”

Having won a similar contest in December for the Ontario Native Women’s Association, Singleton says it gave them the courage to enter U of T’s contest.

Singleton hopes to pursue Indigenous law to effect change for their community.

T-shirts with Singleton’s design are available U of T Bookstore while supplies last, with $10 from each $21.99 shirt given to the Orange Shirt Day Society.

Survivors' Flag raised on U of T's three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:23:39 +0000

Survivors' Flag raised on U of T's three campuses

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 09/25/2023 - 09:23

Cutline

The Survivors' Flag flies alongside the Varsity Blues and ��Ƶ flags at Varsity Stadium on the St. George campus (photo by Jason Wang)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Centre for Indigenous Studies

New College

U of T Libraries

Subheadline

U of T will mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with an event in advance of Sept. 30

As the ��Ƶ community prepares to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Survivors’ Flag, which honours Indigenous lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada, has been raised on each of its three campuses.

On the St. George campus, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), in partnership with First Nations House and the U of T Office of Indigenous Initiatives, raised the Survivors’ Flag at Varsity Stadium last week. It will be lowered to half-mast on Sept. 30 when the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is formally recognized across Canada.

Professor Gretchen Kerr, dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, said the flag is an important sign of support and solidarity with Indigenous communities.

“Public commemoration of the painful history of Canada’s residential school system, whose tragic consequences continue to reverberate today, is a vital component of the reconciliation process,” said Kerr. “It’s also a time for settlers to reflect on taking action to strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples and build a better future together.

“I take this opportunity to invite all students, staff and faculty members of KPE to attend Truth and Reconciliation events where their schedule permits and to spend some time reflecting on their own efforts towards reconciliation.”

U of T will commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a tri-campus event on Sept. 29 in the Great Hall at Hart House that can be attended in person or watched via YouTube livestream. It will feature remarks by Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga, and U of T Chancellor Rose Patten.

Emceed by Hart House warden David Kim, the event includes a panel discussion on making residential school survivors' stories accessible at U of T libraries. The panel, moderated by Angela Henshilwood, head of the Engineering and Computer Science Library, features Grant Hurley, Canadiana librarian at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Mikayla Redden, information services and Instruction librarian at New College Library, and Desmond Wong, outreach librarian, OISE Library.

“There is no way to quantify the trauma suffered by the victims and survivors of residential and day schools. Yet this trauma has been shared – as Phyllis Webstad did by recalling the childhood experience that gives Orange Shirt Day its name,” Kelly Hannah-Moffat, U of T’s vice-president of people strategy, equity and culture, said in a statement.

“I urge non-Indigenous members of the U of T community to seek out this and other survivors’ stories to gain greater knowledge, to foster deeper compassion, and to strengthen your resolve to engage in work that restores mutual respect and understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.”

‘The longest-lasting injury’: U of T marks Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 18:12:08 +0000

‘The longest-lasting injury’: U of T marks Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/30/2022 - 14:12

Cutline

Brenda Wastasecoot, an assistant professor at the Centre for Indigenous Studies, delivers a keynote address to mark Orange Shirt Day and the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at a tri-campus event (photo by Polina Teif)

Topic

Indigenous Initiatives

Kelly Hannah-Moffat

Faculty of Arts & Science

St. George

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

The ��Ƶ community gathered in-person and virtually Friday to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – and to reflect on Canada’s treatment of Indigenous Peoples and the lasting impact of the residential school system on Indigenous communities.

As many as 100 people – most wearing orange shirts – attended a ceremony at Hart House on the St. George campus that was streamed live over YouTube, where hundreds more watched.

Keynote speaker Brenda Wastasecoot, an assistant professor at the Centre for Indigenous Studies who is Cree from Churchill, Man, reflected on the trauma residential schools inflicted on her family.

“Residential schools, taking kids away from their families … that’s the longest-lasting injury,” she said. “There are many of us who didn’t go to residential schools, but we saw off our siblings.”

She shared personal details of her story through a visual presentation of her doctoral dissertation titled, “The Nikis Story is the Story of Canada: Reflecting on the Impacts of the Indian Residential Schools.”

The youngest of 11, Wastasecoot recalled seeing each of her siblings be taken away to residential schools. But she said she was spared because residential schools were no longer compulsory in Manitoba when she became school-aged – the result of the federal government handing over control to the provinces.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Her daughter, Dayle Wastasecoot, sat in the audience. She said she originally planned to stay home but decided to come to be with the Indigenous community instead.

“I grew up learning these stories and I feel like it’s important to share with the community,” said Dayle, who is in the transitional year program at U of T.

“It’s such an important day, but it’s also a lot of grief. It’s the day of grieving and mourning,” she said. “I want people to know that Indigenous people are still affected today.”

The event also included remarks from Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of people strategy, equity and culture, and Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work on this land, in Toronto, Scarborough and Mississauga, which stems from relationships formed in Treaties 13 and 13A,” Gillespie said during a land acknowledgement. “I know that that opportunity carries responsibilities embedded in the living history of this place.”

From left: Jaime Kearns, president of the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students, Brenda Wastasecoot, assistant professor, Centre for Indigenous Studies and Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga (photo by Polina Teif)

Hannah-Moffat acknowledged the presence of the Eagle Feather on stage, which was gifted to the Office of the President by Elders at the 2017 entrustment ceremony for the U of T Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee’s Report, “Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin.”

“The Eagle Feather symbolizes such qualities as respect, strength, courage and wisdom,” she said. “All of that was absent in the decision to establish residential schools across Canada and to sustain this horrific system until the late 1990s.

“Yet those qualities are top of mind today as we reflect upon and honour the generations of children who attended residential schools, the many who were lost and those who survived.”

The commemoration at Hart House was just one of many ways U of T sought to honour Indigenous Peoples.

Across all three U of T campuses, flags were flown at half-mast to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and to honour residential school survivors, their families and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. Earlier this month, the Every Child Matters Flag was raised over Varsity Stadium.

U of T Scarborough commemorated Orange Shirt Day and the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation with events throughout the week, while the Indigenous Centre at U of T Mississauga made tickets available for virtual tour of the Mohawk Institute Residential School in Brantford, Ont.

The Office of Indigenous Initiatives worked with the U of T Bookstore to bring orange Every Child Matters T-shirts to the bookstores on all three campuses for the first time. All were sold out.

Evelyn Bolton, a second-year student in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science who attended the Hart House event, said generations of her family were forced to go to residential schools.

“It’s a history that’s impacted my family for decades and it still impacts my family today,” she said. “My grandma never talks about it but being here today makes me realize that it is something we need to talk about.”

Bolton recalls high school classmates and teachers not being familiar with the history of Indigenous Peoples. Originally from Beausoleil First Nation, she said she is on a journey to reconnect with her roots and her community.

“I’m planning to speak to different Elders and be more involved in different ceremonies.”

Giselle Del Valle, a second-year psychological health sciences student at U of T Scarborough, is on a similar journey to reconnect to her community.

“It’s been extremely hard. There’s a lot of trauma when it comes to that side of my identity,” said Del Valle, who is originally from Upper Mohawk First Nation at the Grand River Six Nations Reserve.

“I’m doing it on my own, but having First Nations House and being able to speak with Elders through the university has been a major help.”

Del Valle said she was grateful for the opportunity to introduce Wastasecoot at the event.

“It was another opportunity to get to know the Indigenous community and hear another knowledgeable and experienced voice.”

Giselle Del Valle, a second-year psychological health sciences student at U of T Scarborough, introduced keynote speaker Brenda Wastasecoot (photo by Polina Teif)

After the Hart House event, Indigenous students, staff and faculty and librarians were invited to a fire at Kahontake Kitigan Garden, the Indigenous Students’ Association medicine garden, outside Hart House.

They are also invited to a U of T Indigenous Community Gathering on Oct. 3 at Hart House Farm, which is being organized and supported by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Hart House, the Faculty of Arts & Science, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Woodsworth College, U of T Mississauga Indigenous Centre and First Nations House.

Del Valle said she wants people to remember that “this is not just a one-day thing.”

“Indigenous folks have to live with this reality every second of their lives. It’s stuck with you and it’s impossible to get away from,” she said.

“So, it’s not just September 30. In order to make progress and make a better future for everyone – not just Indigenous folks – we need to keep pushing forward.”

Members of the Indigenous U of T community in need of support can reach out to:

The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419)

Students:

U of T My Student Support Program (My SSP) can be accessed 24/7 by phone or via the My SSP app.

Other mental health resources, programs and supports are available through the student mental health resource page.

Staff and faculty:

Employee and Family Assistance Program (1-800-663-1142)

Four reflections from Elder Cindy White on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 13:19:44 +0000

Four reflections from Elder Cindy White on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/30/2022 - 09:19

Topic

Women's College Hospital

Kawennanoron Cynthia (Cindy) White carries out the work of truth and reconciliation with a light heart and a trust in something beyond herself.

White has been a ceremonial leader and traditional healer for over two decades, becoming Elder-in-Residence at Women’s College Hospital in May 2022. She also works one day a week at the ��Ƶ’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

White recently shared ideas that resonate with her leading up to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada:

On what first comes to mind when thinking about National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

When you think about what is at the heart of the day, it’s the history, and certainly those little ones – the lives lost. When the discovery came years ago, for those number of graves in Kamloops and across Canada, I believe the greater purpose of those children was that their story was going to be told all this time later, when the people were really ready to hear it. In the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, people heard all those stories from the Elders and said it was horrible, but it wasn't enough because people didn't change their actions. So, then those children said, “We have a story to tell.” That's when people listened.

Rethinking how we build community

The more that we can come together to recreate that original council of humanity, where everyone has an equal seat in the circle, we can address this. And it was a circle! It wasn't a square, it wasn’t a pyramid. In fact, the pyramid is inverted because we as individuals are supposed to be at the bottom and we hold up our families, our communities, our Nations, our brothers and sisters of humanity. It seems like the opposite of what I see in the health field, where doctors and degree holders are assumed to be at the top. But for our people, the great leaders and the medicine people are underneath to raise up the people – to live your life for the for the wellness of the community.

What it means to relearn culture, and move past loss and anger

We can do everything that we can to relearn our culture – the ceremonies, the song, the language, everything – to fill ourselves up with that medicine. But what I also mean by medicine is when you release all the dysfunctional things so that they no longer live inside you. You know, the anger, the fear, the hatred and jealousy, the racism – all of those “isms.” The more you release, the more that the Creator’s medicines live inside you and the Creator* lives inside you.

Consider acknowledging that there is Spirit alive in elements of Creation, and that there can be open communication and dialogue to get the answers that you're seeking for life's problems ...You know, being vulnerable is really hard for me to do because our defense mechanisms have served us well for so long. I didn't know dissociating could be a symptom! It wasn't until I worked in mental health and addiction that I saw it as a coping mechanism.

Sharing wisdom as an Elder-in-Residence

There is a vision for the Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health, and I see myself as part of building something from the ground up. I really love and enjoy teaching, I like working with the young people, with learners, one on one. And I enjoy being able to share Indigenous original teachings with my hospital colleagues. To challenge them and to say, “These are our general original teachings and core of who we are as a people. How are you working your way back to the most original truth?” If there are elements that can be helpful to you from our practice, you're welcome to them, while acknowledging they’re not yours. They are just a vehicle for now until you find the original teachings between you and your lineages.

In a recent gathering for reconciliation, an Elder shared this with me: “In order for reconciliation to happen, there has to be justice and equality, a sharing of power, and there has to be love in order to forgive.” I believe we all have to find that place where we can feel the original love that comes from the source – the one who made us. Only then can we truly heal to forgive ourselves for our poor life choices and then to forgive others. The question becomes: Where do we all stand with that?

*Indigenous concepts of Creation, Creator and Spirit are grounded in the belief that a benevolent power or being created the world and all those living/inhabiting it and that all living things have a spirit within.

Every Child Matters Flag raised at U of T's Varsity Stadium in advance of Sept. 30

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 18:38:55 +0000

Every Child Matters Flag raised at U of T's Varsity Stadium in advance of Sept. 30

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 09/20/2022 - 14:38

Cutline

The Every Child Matters Flag flies at Varsity Stadium in advance of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, which will be marked by events across the university (photo by Makeda Marc-Ali)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Centre for Indigenous Studies

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

First Nations House

The Every Child Matters flag was raised at the ��Ƶ’s Varsity Stadium this week in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

The orange flag will be flown alongside the university’s and Varsity Blues’ flags until Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, when all flags across the three campuses will be lowered to half-mast in memory of all the Indigenous children who perished in residential schools and those who survived.

Professor Gretchen Kerr, dean of the U of T Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), said the raising of the Every Child Matters flag was an important sign of support for Indigenous communities.

“Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of the Indian residential school system is a vital component of the reconciliation process,” said Kerr. “It’s both an opportunity to honour the intergenerational survivors and to commemorate those who didn’t return home.

“It’s also a time for settlers to reflect on taking action to strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples and build a better future together. I encourage all students, staff and faculty members of KPE to attend Truth and Reconciliation events where their schedule permits and to spend some time reflecting on their own efforts towards reconciliation.”

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day will be commemorated on Sept. 30 across U of T’s three campuses.

Hart House will host a university-wide event open to all students, librarians, faculty librarians and staff across the three campuses. The keynote speaker will be Brenda Wastasecoot, an assistant professor at the Centre for Indigenous Studies.

The tri-campus event, which can be attended in-person in Hart House’s Great Hall or viewed via livestream, will also include remarks from Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of people strategy, equity and culture, and Alexandra Gillespie, U of T vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga. Varsity Stadium also plans to livestream the event under the concourse. Members of the U of T community will be asked to present their T-card at the doors.

At U of T Scarborough, there are several events planned for the lead-up to Sept. 30. They include a Sept. 26 workshop called “Walking the Talk” that will use an Indigenous framework to unpack short examples around answering the Calls to Action on campus and a Sept. 29 screening of Rumble: the Indians Who Rocked the World, which is co-presented by the department of arts, culture and media and the Indigenous Outreach Program.

The Indigenous Centre at U of T Mississauga, meanwhile, has a limited number of tickets for a public virtual tour of the Mohawk Institute Residential School in Brantford, Ont. The centre has also compiled a list of resources to help the U of T Mississauga community prepare for Orange Shirt Day.

All members of the U of T community – and Canadians nationwide – are encouraged to wear an orange shirt on Sept. 30 to affirm that “Every Child Matters.” The U of T Bookstore, in partnership with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, will have a limited supply of Orange Shirt Day shirts available for purchase. All proceeds from the sales of the shirts are being directed to Indigenous community organizations.

U of T community members are also invited to use the Orange Shirt Day icon as their profile photo and use the virtual backdrop on Teams or Zoom calls the week of Sept. 26.

On Oct. 3, Hart House farm will host the U of T Indigenous Community Gathering for Indigenous students, staff, faculty and librarians. The event is organized and supported by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, Hart House, the Faculty of Arts & Science, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, Woodsworth College, U of T Mississauga Indigenous Centre and First Nations House.

Learn more about upcoming events at Indigenous U of T

‘The wheels are slowly turning’: U of T marks Orange Shirt Day, first National Truth and Reconciliation Day

rahul.kalvapalle — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 14:16:11 +0000

‘The wheels are slowly turning’: U of T marks Orange Shirt Day, first National Truth and Reconciliation Day

rahul.kalvapalle Fri, 10/01/2021 - 10:16

Cutline

All flags on the university's three campuses were lowered to half-mast on September 30 to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

City & Culture

Indigenous Initiatives

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

How can non-Indigenous people channel awareness of the historical mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples into concrete actions and allyship? What is the best way to teach children about Canada’s history and the legacy of residential schools? How can the ��Ƶ strengthen the spirit of healing and reconciliation?

These were some of the key questions addressed by Michael White, director of First Nations House, and Shannon Simpson, U of T’s director of Indigenous initiatives, during a packed online discussion to mark Orange Shirt Day and the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

For White, a member of the M'Chigeeng First Nation, the virtual event was an opportunity to reflect on the progress U of T has made in providing supports to Indigenous community members since he first arrived as an undergraduate student 20 years ago.

“My experience coming to U of T in 2001 was very different to that of a student coming in 2021,” White said. “There’s more staff, there’s more services. First Nations House was it back then – but now we’ve got services happening, we have staff at UTM and UTSC and there’s a growing Indigenous presence.”

Shannon Simpson and Michael White (Photos by Nick Iwanyshyn (L) and Hannah James)

White added that he’s also heartened to see the growing presence of Indigenous scholars in leadership positions.

“We have [departmental] chairs within the full fabric of how this university operates. To see Indigenous representation from the leadership side right down to the student services side – I think that’s starting to happen. The wheels are slowly turning but I’m excited to be a part of it.”

The event – organized by the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and hosted by Hart House – was one of several across U of T that sought to honour survivors of residential schools, acknowledge Indigenous Peoples and traditions, and work towards reconciliation at the university and beyond.

(Photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

They included: an Orange Shirt distribution and campus walk organized by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health; trees lit with orange lights at St. Michael’s College; and an exploration of the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada organized at U of T Scarborough. Upcoming events include the 2021 Snider Lecture at U of T Mississauga, which will feature author Robin Wall Kimmerer and explore how Indigenous and scientific wisdom can be harnessed to improve relationships between people and the natural world.

Elmsley Place (Photo by Michael Chow)

Across U of T’s three campuses, all flags were flown at half-mast to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and to honour residential school survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

“This year, still reeling from the staggering revelations of unmarked graves near residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan, we mark the occasion with added solemnity,” said U of T President Meric Gertler in a statement. “We realize with profound sorrow that other such graves remain to be found and that these horrors come as no surprise to members of Indigenous communities.”

He added that U of T’s own Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee has provided much-needed direction to the university.

“We have made progress in many areas – expanding the presence of Indigenous students, staff, faculty and librarians; incorporating Indigenous content into curricula; supporting Indigenous research programs; and creating physical spaces to honour and acknowledge Indigenous peoples, traditions, and histories on our three campuses.

“Reconciliation must be led by dialogue, a process of mutual engagement in which all parties learn from one another.”

At the Hart House-hosted event, Simpson, a member of the Mississaugas of Alderville First Nation, said she has been encouraged with the pace of progress in recent years.

“What has happened over the last five years is happening at a pace that we’re not used to – and it’s amazing,” she said. “The growth is amazing and the amount of faculty and staff who have come on board really has shown me that the institution does care and that they are committed.

“We just want to keep that momentum going and [keep] creating these spaces.”

Simpson and White also discussed some of the areas in which they’d like to see more progress at U of T. They included positioning the university as a place that’s accessible and welcoming to Indigenous youth, attracting and retaining Indigenous students, and supporting the evolving needs of Indigenous students.

Attendees at the virtual event watched a video featuring Phyllis (Jack) Webstad from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, whose experience on her first day at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in 1973 became the inspiration for Orange Shirt Day. Aged six at the time, Webstad was stripped of the orange shirt she was wearing on the first day of school and forced to wear the school’s uniform. Today, the wearing of orange shirts has become a symbol of reconciliation, healing and allyship with Indigenous Peoples.

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, U of T’s vice-president, people strategy, equity and culture, said Webstad’s story “speaks to the enormity of the crimes committed against generations of Indigenous children.”

“Her story is a very powerful call to action for our university,” Hannah-Moffat said.

“It is crucial to acknowledge its truths as we work together to build a better institution – one that fully affirms and respects Indigenous Peoples and Knowledges, and works to remove systemic barriers for Indigenous members of our community.”

At U of T Scarborough, members of the community were invited to take part in quiet contemplation of and reflection on the impact of residential schools by tuning into a livestream of the Indigenous Garden at the UTSC Campus Farm between 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday.

U of T Scarborough’s Indigenous Outreach Program in the Office of Student Experience and Well-Being is also hosting a virtual exploration of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

On Oct. 1, the campus’s week-long slate of programs around Truth and Reconciliation will culminate in a Unity Celebration, with Indigenous Engagement Coordinator Juanita Muise acknowledging efforts across U of T Scarborough to foster reconciliation and celebrate in allyship.

At U of T Mississauga, the Oct. 4 Snider Lecture with Kimmerer – a professor and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York, a prolific author and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation – will tap into Indigenous and scientific Knowledges and insights on healing these crucial relationships. As well, U of T Mississauga’s Indigenous Centre has compiled a collection of online resources, books, films and podcasts that provide insights into the legacy of residential schools, intergenerational trauma and the responsibilities of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples today.

The online portal also suggests ways that all members of the U of T community can take meaningful actions to support Indigenous Peoples, amplify Indigenous voices, support Indigenous organizations, foundations and communities; and support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

U of T’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives, meanwhile, offers Indigenous cultural competency training for all students, staff, faculty and librarians that can be accessed through the Centre for Learning, Leadership & Culture (for staff, faculty and librarians) and the Career & Co-Curricular Learning Network (for students). The series includes the following sessions: Speaking Our Truths: The Journey Towards Reconciliation (Part 1 and Part 2); Reconciliation: Walking the Path of Indigenous Allyship; and Reflecting on Land Acknowledgements.

President Gertler acknowledged there is much work to be done.

“Highlighting our accomplishments does not diminish our responsibility or our resolve,” he said.

“Indeed, Orange Shirt Day speaks to the enduring trauma experienced by Indigenous peoples. We pause today to recognize our past, acknowledge our present – and recommit to a better future.

U of T’s Jennifer Brant on how Canadians can mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 23:13:35 +0000

U of T’s Jennifer Brant on how Canadians can mark the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 09/29/2021 - 19:13

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(Photo by Marianne Lau)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Education

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education