September 30th, also known as Orange Shirt Day, is a day of deep reflection and education about the lasting impact that American Indian boarding schools have had on Native communities. It serves as a powerful reminder of the cultural erasure, trauma, and intergenerational effects these institutions imposed on Indigenous peoples. For many Native children, boarding schools were places of forced assimilation, where their languages, traditions, and identities were systematically stripped away. By recognizing and honoring the survivors and those who never returned, Orange Shirt Day encourages all of us to confront this painful history, understand its ongoing effects, and commit to the healing needed to support Native communities today.

Everyone is welcome to join us on this important day as we hear from special guest speakers and honor our relatives with a moment of silence.