Brandon University Participates in Orange Shirt Day This Week
By Ronnie Kayla Neiman
On the 30th of September, Brandon University will be participating in Orange Shirt day. They are asking everyone to show support by wearing and orange shirt, and in other ways such as using and orange background on Zoom. There are also other ways to show your support by using various resources supplied by the university that have been gathered to to teach the legacy of residential schools.
The use of orange shirts to commemorate this part of history comes from the story of six-year-old Phyllis (Jack) Webstad who had her new and shiny orange shirt taken from her at residential school. Her story can be found on the Orange Shirt Day website.
Wearing Orange shirts, or using orange in some way on Wednesday, even for those working from home, doing online classes, and seeing fewer people than usual, can still send an amazing and powerful message of reclaiming what was forcefully taken from a people and a culture. Orange shirts are available from the BU bookstore and can be ordered online.
Though, wearing orange is only one way for people to participate. According to university’s website, Brandon University has also put together a number of other activities and resources so that everyone can learn more about the legacy of residential schools, including one that was right here in Brandon.
Here is what you can do on Wednesday:
• Wear your orange shirt!
• Change your Zoom background. BU has created a custom Every Child Matters background for your online meetings. The image can be downloaded on the BU website.
• Take part in new learning. The BU Library has created a number of “libguides” which are curated links to current and accurate resources to help guide your learning:
◦ Orange Shirt Day LibGuide
◦ Brandon Indian Residential School/Brandon Industrial Institute
◦ Indigenous Resources
• Post your own reflections. BU has created an online ‘bulletin board’ space for you to share your own thoughts on Orange Shirt Day, and where you can take a photo of how you are acknowledging Orange Shirt Day. Post your reflections using Lino. We have multiple copies of a book, “Speaking My Truth” as a gift for some of those who participate.