July 1st arrives amid turbulent times in Canada this year. In the wake of the tragic news that 751 unmarked graves were discovered on the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan, mere weeks after the remains of 215 children were found at a residential school in British Columbia, many are calling to #CancelCanadaDay in solidarity with Indigenous communities. If you would like to show your support for Canada’s Indigenous communities, this week and beyond, there are plenty of ways to do so.
Here are 10 great ways to support Canada’s Indigenous communities this July 1st.
WEAR AN ORANGE SHIRT
A symbolic way to stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities this year is to wear an orange shirt on July 1st. Orange Shirt Day is an annual event that takes place in September to commemorate Survivors of the residential school experience. Since the event’s beginnings several years ago, the orange shirt has come to represent a symbol for support for Indigenous communities, residential school Survivors, and their families. You can learn more (and donate to the cause) at OrangeShirtDay.org.
SHOP INDIGENOUS-OWNED BUSINESSES
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A great way to support Indigenous communities is to shop from them. There are plenty of great local Indigenous-owned businesses across the country for you to explore. This online database provides a categorized list of businesses, divided by industry and location.
FIND A MARCH NEAR YOU
For a more active approach to solidarity, you can attend one of the many marches happening across Canada this July 1st. IdleNoMore.ca provides a comprehensive list of marches and events categorized by region. If Indigenous people in your community are already planning something not listed on the platform, be sure to support their existing efforts.
FIND OUT WHO’S LAND YOU LIVE ON
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Native-Land.ca is part of the non-profit organization Native Land Digital, dedicated to mapping Indigenous lands across the globe. You can log onto the platform and explore the interactive map to find out who’s land you are currently living in. The website also provides a ton of great educational and community resources.
DONATE TO THE INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVAL SOCIETY
If you’re able to give a donation, the Indian Residential School Survival Society is a great organization to support. The British Columbia-based non-profit’s Mission Statement is “to provide physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual growth, development, and healing through culturally-based values and guiding principles for Survivors, Families, and Communities.”
DONATE TO THE LEGACY OF HOPE FOUNDATION
Another great organization to support is the Legacy of Hope Foundation. This Indigenous-led charitable organization has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for more than two decades. They are a great resource for curriculum materials for schools, exhibitions, workshops, training, research, and more.
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FOLLOW INDIGENOUS ACTIVISTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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If you’re looking for great ways to support, following Indigenous activists on social media is a great place to start. DoSomething.org recently put out a list of young, Indigenous activists making waves in their communities. We also recommend following Instagram users @lilnativeboy and @nadiageorgeofficial. If you know of other great activists to check out, be sure to share their profiles online.
READ A BOOK BY AN INDIGENOUS AUTHOR
Celebrate Indigenous culture by reading books written by Indigenous writers. There are tons of great titles out there that share uplifting stories from and about Indigenous communities. There’s also a ton of great educational resources to check out in print as well.
WATCH AN INDIGENOUS-MADE FILM
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You can also celebrate Indigenous communities by watching movies created by Indigenous filmmakers. ReelCanada.ca has a great list of Indigenous-made must-watch films. They’re conveniently sorted by genre, with links to more information about the creative team behind them.
READ THE TRC REPORT
For direct source information on the residential school system in Canada, you can read the disturbing but informative Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Report. The report details the horrific truth of the ways that Indigenous populations have been treated in the country. It also provides 94 calls to action that folks can engage in at a federal, provincial, territorial, and individual level.
There you have it, folks. If you have any other suggestions for how to support Indigenous communities across Canada this July 1st, be sure to share them online.
