Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters

Friday, September 30, is Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters – “Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation” – to let the world know that #everychildmatters.

Together, we at Running Strong for American Indian Youth® will honor and remember our Indigenous children who survived, those who never made it home from federal Indian boarding schools – and those who will lead us into the future!

You can show your support though our call to action request to say a prayer for our children, posting a picture wearing your Orange Shirt and tag us in your photo(s) so we may share it.

The U.S. government implemented federal policies to establish and support Indian boarding schools between 1819 and the 1970s with the intention to culturally assimilate American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian children.

When remains of 215 children were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Canada in 2021, stories of abuse, violence and suffering resurfaced across Indian Country.

In June of 2021 Indigenous leader, Deb Haaland (Secretary of the Interior) announced the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to bring light to the intergenerational impact and years of trauma among victims and survivors of these “schools.”

Secretary Haaland’s investigation led to the discovery of 408 federal schools across 37 states with marked or unmarked burial sites.

Today, the search for our Indigenous children still continues.

Spread the word by using #everychild matters #running strong