The Daniels Faculty will mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation (September 30) with a commemoration on Friday, September 27, between 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., in the Main Hall of the Daniels Building at 1 Spadina Crescent. 

Please register in advance.

Daniels students, faculty and staff are invited to a community lunch at noon, catered by chef Charles Catchpole, owner of Charger Foods and a member of Couchiching First Nation. An opening address and smudging will be provided by two members of the Faculty’s First Peoples Leadership Advisory Group: Elder Dorothy Peters (a member of Jiima’aaganing [Seine River] First Nation, Traditional Teacher and Community Nookmis) and Amos Key Jr. (Mohawk Nation member and Traditional Faith Keeper of the Longhouse at Six Nations of the Grand River Territory). 

Their address will be followed by remarks and stories from fellow Advisor Trina Moyan (nehiyaw iskwew [Plains Cree] from Frog Lake First Nation in Alberta) and James Bird (a PhD student at the Faculty and member of the Nehiyawak and Dene Nations). A Faculty-produced video highlighting student participants in the exhibition Reconciliation Reflections, currently on view in the Stairwell Gallery at 1 Spadina, will also be shown.  

In the spirit of reconciliation and healing, the Faculty encourages all attendees to wear orange shirts, now-iconic symbols inspired by the story of residential school survivor Phyllis (Jack) Webstad of Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation.  

In addition to our September 27 commemoration, the Faculty and U of T will also be hosting a number of related events this month and beyond. 

The University of Toronto’s commemoration, including remarks by Chancellor Wesley J. Hall, President Meric Gertler, Canadian Cree filmmaker and artist Shirley Cheechoo, students and others, will take place in the Great Hall at Hart House from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, September 30. Light refreshments will be served. Click here for more details and to register to attend in-person or online. 

From 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2, the Faculty will host a screening of the 2024 film Sugarcane, directed by Julian Brave Noisecat and Emily Kassie, who will join us for a question-and-answer session via Zoom right after the showing (1 Spadina, Main Hall C, register to attend here).  

And at 12:30 p.m. on November 20 in Room DA240 at 1 Spadina, we will host a book launch for ᐊᖏᕐᕋᒧᑦ/Ruovttu Guvlui/Towards Home: Inuit and Sámi Placemaking. This is the companion publication to the exhibition hosted last fall by the Daniels Faculty.  More details will be provided in the weeks ahead.