Every Child Matters. September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
As an organization that advocates for social justice, we feel it is important for RNU to be committed to reconciliation and ensuring that the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools is never forgotten.
RNU Provincial Office will be closed on Thursday to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. We encourage our employees and members to take the time to reflect, learn more and commemorate Canada’s tragic and painful history and experiences of Indigenous Peoples.
What can you do? Five simple actions you can take, shared by First Light:
- Wear Orange
- Raise awareness and start a conversation about the history of residential schools
- Educate Yourself & Others
- Read books, watch videos, or sign up for an Indigenous Cultural Diversity Training session with First Light (Resources can be found here.)
- Read the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action
- See which ones you are currently acting on, those you can work towards, and ones you can call on others to do (Read it here.)
- Make a Donation
- Donations received by First Light will go towards the development of a Residential School memorial garden at 40 Quidi Vidi Road (Donate here.)
- Use Your Platform
- Whether it’s at work, at home, or on social media, educate others about the residential school system and Orange Shirt Day. Take part of your day to respect the land, and head out for a walk with family and friends. Use this time to start a conversation about September 30th and what it means. Share your stories, photos, and what you’re learning by using #OrangeShirtDayNL
We respectfully acknowledge the land on which we live and work as the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk, whose culture has now been erased forever. We also acknowledge the island of Ktawmkuk (Newfoundland) as the unceded, traditional territory of the Beotuk and the Mi’kmaw, and Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu of Nitassinan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut. We recognize all First Peoples who were here before us, those who live with us now, and the seven generations to come. As we open our hearts and minds to the past, we commit ourselves to working in a spirit of truth and reconciliation to make a better future for all.