this is an answer for an orange shirt day activity regarding residential school. as you can read here, this individual believes reconciliation starts by silencing important issues, stop talking about natives, homosexuality, and residential schools because “all lives matter” (1/X)

now, before i get into it, i believe this child is capable of change. it is the parents brainwashing their child into believe that indigenous people, and ‘homosexuals’ are not as important as the herero white folks... (2/X)

the day after the post of the orange shirt went locally viral, this child’s indigenous peers protested their school to stand up for themselves. i can guarantee you these kids/future leader’s grandparents suffered the tragedies of residential school (3/X)

these indigenous kids and their allies skipped school, made signs and marched around cardston!! they were demanding respect for not only themselves and their culture, but respect for their family members who still suffer from the trauma of RS

photos: tegan wolfchild-tailfeathers

see, THIS is why we need to talk about it. THIS is why it should NOT be removed from the alberta curriculum. this is not old history, the last school closed in 1996. all children need to be educated and informed so ignorance can be stopped and children can be aware of our history

i am SO proud of these blackfoot students for standing up for themselves and for all of us. cardston neighbours one of the largest reserves (land wise) in canada. this is only the beginning, but i see a bright future for our people. ignorance is taught at home, but so is courage!

“all lives” will matter once indigenous, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ lives matter. but until then, keep educating and keep fighting.

i genuinely hope this student uses this as a learning lesson, her life is still beginning and i hope she learns a valuable lesson about respect.

* i want to add a disclaimer that i do not think white people, mormons, or the town of cardston are bad. i think there are bad apples everywhere, but there are genuine allies too.

we have to do our part in recognizing this, even with all the bad experiences we may endure.