Orange Shirt Day is being recognize nationally on September 30, 2021. Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) Residential School (1891-1981) Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in May 2013. The events were designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of this project. As spokesperson for the Reunion group leading up to the events, former student Phyllis (Jack) Webstad told her story of her first day at residential school when her shiny new orange shirt, bought by her grandmother, was taken from her as a six-year old girl. The annual Orange Shirt Day on September 30th opens the door to global conversation on all aspects of Residential Schools.
Here are Imprints & More, we are proudly Indigenous owned. This means that the conversations around Orange Shirt Day impact us on a profound level. We are committed to giving back to our community, which is part of proceeds from every orange shirt sold will be donated to the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.