SIOUX LOOKOUT – Two weeks out from the annual Orange Shirt Day acknowledging the harms of residential schools, Tikinagan Child and Family Services is urging residents to celebrate Indigenous resilience by marking the occasion.
The First Nations child welfare agency is launching the “Honour the Journey: Commit to Reconciliation” campaign to engage First Nations and residents in this year’s Orange Shirt Day, which is marked on Sept. 30.
“By wearing orange, people can stand together with Indigenous peoples and honour the journey of resilience our peoples have made,” said Thelma Morris, executive director of Tikinagan.
“Without the strength, courage, and hope of our peoples, agencies like ours would not exist.”
Tikinagan is overseen by a board of directors consisting of representatives from First Nations in its service area.
The agency invites the community to show support and spread the message behind the day by wearing orange on Sept. 30 and posting pictures using the hashtag #ICommitOSD.
The day is an opportunity for learning and healing, the agency said.
It will also set the stage for new anti-racism and anti-bullying campaigns Tikinagan is launching in partnership with Nishnawbe Aski Nation, the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority, and police. Contests to create a slogan and logo for the campaigns will take place in First Nation communities.
Tikinagan encourages residents to learn more about Orange Shirt Day by visiting orangeshirtday.org.
