09/30/2026
The orange shirt has a story.
It comes from Survivor Phyllis Webstad. When she arrived at a residential school in 1973, the new orange shirt her grandmother had given her was taken away. It became a symbol of what was taken from so many Indigenous children.
In Canada, September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which coincides with Orange Shirt Day. The day is also observed in the United States as a time to remember the legacy of Indigenous boarding schools. During this time, Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their homes, families, and communities and placed in residential schools. These government- and church-run schools were created to separate children from their cultures and assimilate them. Children were often forbidden from speaking their languages, practicing their traditions, or staying connected to their families. Many experienced abuse and neglect. Many never returned home.
Today, we remember and honor the survivors, their families, and the generations who continue to carry this history.
Honoring those we serve means listening to the stories people choose to share, respecting the trauma and historical harm that may shape their experiences, and building trust through consistent, culturally responsive care.
For many Indigenous individuals and families, there are real reasons to be cautious of systems that have caused harm before. We do not expect trust—we work to earn it through humility, respect, and relationship.
