September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The federal holiday commemorates and honours the experiences of those who survived the residential school system, as well as the children who died while at the schools.  

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness of the tragic legacy of residential schools.  

In an effort to highlight Indigenous voices and leadership, we have compiled a list of resources and initiatives from Inspirit grantees and other organizations.   

  • The One Day’s Pay initiative is a call to donate #OneDaysPay directly to an Indigenous-led project, movement, organization, or nation. 
  • Six years after the release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Yellowhead Institute provides a status update on the Calls to Action. 
  • The Circle on Philanthropy invites Circle members, non-members and Indigenous organizations for their Fall Feast, an opportunity to learn about Circle offerings and hear from members and leaders in the sector about decolonizing grantmaking, fundraising, operations and governance. 
  • Janis Monture, Executive Director of Woodland Cultural Centre, wrote an op-ed about the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
  • The Klabona Keepers documents a decades-long matriarch-led resistance against resource extraction companies in the Klabona Sacred Headwaters of Northern BC, and premieres at the Vancouver International Film Festival 
  • The Indigenous150+ podcast has put together a Truth and Reconciliation Podcast Playlist, a special collection of episodes which provide unique insights into the legacy and impacts of residential schools and creates space for the things that are important to today’s young people. 
  • Yellowhead Institute has announced The Yellowhead School, a school institution rooted in ancestral beliefs about the transformative power of knowledge and education with in-person and online curricula and programming developed by, and for First Nation, Métis, and Inuit rural, urban, and virtual communities. 
  • IndigiNews aims to create relevant, valuable, and trustworthy content by listening to the Indigenous communities they serve. Reporters cover stories from the Okanagan Valley and Vancouver Island. 
  • The Indigenous Curatorial Collective will host their 2022 Annual Gathering, “Framing Responsibility: A Gathering on Accountability.” From October 7 to October 30, a series of hybrid events (panels, workshops, and special activities) will be presented around the theme of accountability. 
  • The Indigenous Fashion Arts Festival presents progressive, distinct, and exceptional fashion, textiles, and craft by Indigenous artists at the intersection of art, fashion and culture. 

Follow Inspirit on social media (TwitterFacebookInstagram, and LinkedIn), as we share these resources in the lead up to September 30.