DABC will be closed on Monday, October 2^nd, to acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. While September 30^th has held this designation for years, this is the first year it is being recognized as a statutory holiday in BC.  

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours the children who never made it home from residential schools as well as the Survivors of those “schools,” and acknowledges both this terrible history as well as the ongoing impacts of residential schools and the challenges and injustices that Indigenous communities continue to face. It also encourages the celebration of Indigenous cultures.  

It is based on Orange Shirt Day, which was founded by Phyllis Webstad, a Survivor of residential school. You can learn more about Phyllis and this movement here: https://orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story/. 

We encourage you to take this day to reflect, learn, and have conversations with people in your orbit. There are many commemorative events across Canada. This article has more information about the day and events across BC: 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/truth-and-reconciliation-day-1.6981764.  

Disability Alliance BC is saddened to hear about the devastation wrought by the current wildfires happening across BC. We would like to draw attention to the organizations that are supporting wildfire relief, such as the Canadian Red Cross and the United Way’s BC Wildfire Recovery Fund.

DABC will match all staff donations up to a grand total of $1,000 towards the Canadian Red Cross’ BC Wildfires Appeal or another registered charity that is directly supporting people affected by the wildfires happening across our Province. We are mindful that people with disabilities are more adversely affected during emergency situations, and that bringing together a staff-wide donation effort aligns with our values as an organization.

We would also like to highlight the relief efforts for evacuees in Yellowknife, NWT. CanadaHelps has compiled a list of charities providing relief efforts: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/support-the-northwest-territories-wildfire-relief-efforts/.

Our organization has produced many publications over the years that share important information on disability inclusion during emergency response. Find them here: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/category/publications/emergency-prep/.

Please share these publications in your communities; we want to ensure that the unique needs of people with disabilities are not forgotten during this time.

June 21^st marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, which recognizes and celebrates the rich and diverse history, heritage and culture of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across the country.  

In BC and looking to celebrate? Check out this list of events: 
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/national-indigenous-peoples-day-bc-1.6881920 

We encourage settlers to visit https://native-land.ca/ to learn more about the traditional territories on which you live.  

DABC would also like to highlight our community and Access RDSP program partner Indigenous Disability Canada (IDC)/the British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS). Indigenous people have higher rates of disability and poverty and the work they do to support Indigenous people with disabilities is so important. Visit their website to learn more: http://www.bcands.bc.ca/.