September 30th was Orange Shirt Day, a day of reflection on Canada’s history of residential schools “in recognition of the harm the residential school system did to children’s sense of self-esteem and well-being, and as an affirmation of our commitment to ensure that everyone around us matters.” The inspiration for the annual event stems from the experiences of Phyllis Webstad, who, as a 6-year-old girl from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band), was stripped naked of all her clothes, including her orange t-shirt, by the authorities at Mission school on her very first day of school.  

Small Steps: This week, the Student Affairs Management Team kicked-off the first in a series of meetings and workshops scheduled across this fall to develop an Indigenization plan for Student Affairs. Dr. Michelle Pidgeon, from SFU, will facilitate the sessions, and KPU is working toward a draft plan for the end of this term or early next. 

Autumn Light: Fall Convocation will occur on October 20, 11 AM (a link to the event will be sent out closer to the date, but if you wish to see the video tribute to graduates from Spring 2020, click here). This Convocation is especially notable: It will be the first such ceremony overseen by incoming Chancellor Kim Baird, a KPU Distinguished Alumna and former Elected Chief of the Tsawwassen First Nation – a proud moment for the KPU community. We encourage all programs to begin planning virtual events to celebrate this milestone moment in the lives of our graduates! 

Toward a Thriving Community: October is “THRIVE” month at KPU. This year’s theme is connection – connecting with others, connecting with your KPU community, and connecting to our health and wellbeing. Virtual events and activities will be hosted throughout October for university-wide participation. To view the full schedule of events, please click on this link.

Last year the campus was awash with orange shirts. This year, Teams was a flood with orange shirts and orange backgrounds. In signing off for this week, we would like to draw attention to, and invite reflection upon, Kent Monkman’s ongoing exhibit Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology. This powerful exhibit “reclaims and reinserts Indigenous voices into the collective memory of our country, challenging and shattering colonial ideas of our history.” The exhibit runs until January 3, 2021 and you may reserve your timed-entry ticket via the MOA website. 

So gently I offer my hand and ask,

Let me find my talk

So I can teach you about me.

Rita Joe, “I Lost My Talk,” from Song of Eskasoni. Copyright © 2007 -Estate of Rita Joe.

Source: The Blind Man’s Eyes (Breton Books, 2015)

We wish you a wonderfully rejuvenating and restorative weekend!

Diane, Shelley, Greg and Wade.