Improving the campus experience at the University of Toronto through student-led design
Every year on September 30, we recognize National Truth and Reconciliation Day, commonly known as Orange Shirt Day. On this day, we take the time to spread awareness and reflect upon the intergenerational impacts of Canada’s Residential School System on Indigenous communities.
Written by Lois Lee, Master of Information, Blog Editor and Digital Content Writer
June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day, and June is National Indigenous History Month. For many Canadians, these events might sound unfamiliar—so let’s unpack together what they are and why we celebrate them.
June is Pride month! From flag raisings to arts and crafts, here’s what we’re doing at the Innovation Hub this year to commemorate the occasion and honor our commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion—even after the festivities come to an end.
For Black History Month, the Innovation Hub took February to reflect and attend events in the community. Eli and Paul reflect on the stories they heard after attending events on campus and acknowledge applying their learnings for the future.
Written by Katherine Zheng, Digital Content Writer
On June 15th, 2022, U of T celebrates Pride Month with the annual #DisplayYourPride event. For many people who are part of the LGBTQ community—including myself—Pride is a time of celebration and validity to show our authentic selves and embrace that the hardships we have been through do not erase our identity. Pride is about the continual fight for equality and acceptance for the queer community, but the differences in what pride means to us.
At the Innovation Hub, our mission is to design an equitable campus experience for students to flourish in and recognize at the core of our work are the diverse voices of students and communities across U of T.
Please note that this post speaks about residential schools and the meaning behind Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We acknowledge that the land in which we work from at the The University of Toronto has been, for thousands of years, the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work on this land. Learn more about which lands you may reside on, and the treaties and histories connected with it, at: https://native-land.ca/ or https://www.whose.land/en/
On September 30th we commemorate Orange Shirt Day, a day intended to raise awareness on the centuries long impact Canada’s Residential School System has had on Indigenous communities, knowledge, traditions, and beyond. Orange Shirt day comes from the experience of Phyllis Webstad (Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation), who was six-years-old when she first arrived to a residential school. On her first day of arriving at the school she was stripped of her new orange shirt. This is what she has shared on what it felt like – and you can learn more about Phyllis’s story in the link provided:
When it comes to social justice everyone has a role in ensuring our society is equitable and fair for all its members – no matter their race, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or educational background.
For generations, Black lives continue to be undermined within our society as a result of long-standing institutional racism embedded in daily practices. To dismantle these systems in place, and to truly be anti-racist, we must understand the experiences of Black lives in various communities and examine our view of ourselves and one another.