One very tiny way that we can react and respond to discoveries of Indigenous Children buried on the grounds Indian Residential Schools around Canada is to provide information for you to learn, understand, ingest and act on.
Below are numerous links and resources that can help you make sense of what has happened in our country beyond any shadow of doubt.
MANY LINKS ON THIS PAGE include reference and depiction of situations and experiences that include violence, abuse and other difficult content. It is possible to access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national Indian Residential School crisis line at 1-866-925-4419
If you have a resource to contribute, please email events@comoxvalleyarts.com
The “Every Child Matters” emblem is designed by Andy Everson. See his statement of use below.
Indian Horse #next150 challenge – Survivor Stories
Legacy of Hope – Where are the Children
National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation – Dialogues
Second Stories – “It Had To Be Done” (Short Documentary by Tessa Desnomie at National Film Board)
Victoria News Residential School Stories Series
There are SO MANY MORE. Google “Residential school survivors” and you will find thousands.
(Quick link to Amazon.ca but please support your local booksellers and ask them to order the books in for you)
This page is compiled from resources provided by Heritage BC, BC Arts Alliance, Indigenous BC and deliberate searches.
Compelled to help raise awareness for Every Child Matters, I created this image on Orange Shirt Day in 2015 and immediately posted it online. As happens these days, the image was rapidly shared and spread on social media.
In 2016, I allowed the Orange Shirt Society to use the design as part of their ongoing campaign of awareness. To this day, the Orange Shirt Society continues to have my full support and can continue to use this design as they fit.
In recent weeks, I have received an overwhelming numbers of requests to use this image—along with the ‘215’ variant—which has necessitated making this statement as I am not able to respond to each request individually.
The following is my statement for the free use of this design:
Artist credit should be given for the design.
The image can be shared openly on social media, including using it as one’s profile pic.
I am amenable to groups and individuals using the design in a not-for-profit manner that helps increase awareness on the issue. This can include making t-shirts, patches and pins for school groups and work teams or using the design on signage to show support for Every Child Matters. What I do ask, however, is that when the design is used, a donation should be given to a non-profit Indigenous society such as: the Orange Shirt Society, The Indian Residential School Survivors Society or Copper Legacy Indigenous Empowerment Society. When businesses are having shirts printed for staff, I think it is reasonable to request that $25-30 PER shirt be given to such charities. Use of the design must go beyond simply raising awareness and should include a component of “giving back”, as well.
ANY and ALL for-profit use of this design is NOT authorized.
I do not wish for this Every Child Matters design to be used and applied to items outside of the above approved items.
G̱ilakas’la! Andy Everson