When We Were Alone

September - October 2024

Across September and October, we invite you to walk "When We Were Alone." Written by David A. Robertson (Swampy Cree) and illustrated by Julie Flett (Cree-Métis). This story is one of many opportunities to learn about the residential school system in Canada. Over 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children attended Indian Residential Schools between 1831 and 1996. September 30th - known both as 'Orange Shirt Day' and the 'National Day for Truth and Reconciliation' -- honours the Survivors and Intergenerational Survivors of these schools and remembers the children who did not make it home.

When We Were Alone may be your first time encountering residential school truths or layers with previous knowledge and understanding. Robertson’s gentle story, and the Swampy Cree words he shares, are a powerful invitation to sit with and learn from some of his family’s experiences. While this story is about “a difficult time in history,” it is also “ultimately, one of empowerment and strength.”