Message to Community - National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21
Today is National Indigenous Peoples Day, designated to recognize the unique heritage, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples in this country.
At St. °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Íø, we acknowledge and celebrate the Wabanaki people, who are Indigenous to this region of Turtle Island – today and every day.
We are grateful to the Indigenous students who have chosen to study at °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Íø, and we strive to make the campus a culturally safe place that respects its diverse student body and acknowledges the Indigenous peoples' territory on which St. Thomas is located.
Throughout the year, our Senate Committee on Reconciliation, our Office of Indigenous Initiatives staff, and other members of the campus community organize events and activities to raise awareness about Indigenous history, culture, and current realities. These learning opportunities are led by Indigenous students, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and staff of Indigenous Initiatives.
We are committed to reconciliation and will continue to acknowledge the past while finding ways to make amends. To do this, we must work alongside Indigenous peoples in true partnership. At °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Íø, reconciliation is ongoing, and we take this obligation very seriously.
We will continue to work together to create positive change on campus and in the region by supporting the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People Calls to Justice.
Woliwon, Wela'lin.
Sonja Perley, Director of Indigenous Initiatives
Chelsea Harris-Carr, Lentukwisk, Future Wabanaki Coordinator
Bailey Sappier, Indigenous Student Services Coordinator