Supporting Indigenous community members: A message from OAC leadership
OAC leadership acknowledges the pain and trauma of Indigenous peoples following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. We stand in solidarity with Indigenous communities and we mourn this devastating loss.
We must continue to educate and reflect, while we challenge the systems that have oppressed and excluded Indigenous people, practices, and ways of knowing.
June is National Indigenous History Month, which is a “starting point” for this learning, said Cara Wehkamp, U of G’s special adviser to the president on Indigenous initiatives.
“National Indigenous History Month is an opportunity for people across Canada to deepen their understanding of the rich and diverse cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, to reflect on the past, to celebrate the ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples, and to help envision and work toward a collective path forward for the generations yet to come,” said Wehkamp.