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Honoring the Children. Protecting the Sacred. Standing Against Genocide.We are honored to host our second annual Orange Shirt Day at our new space in Iowa City. This gathering is a commitment to remembering the First Nations children who were stolen, abused, and murdered through imperialist violence and the residential school system. Their lives were valuable. Their spirits remain with us. Our children are sacred.
As we remember the children who were never allowed to be children, we also stand in active solidarity with our Sudanese, Palestinian, and southern Indigenous relatives, whose communities are enduring violence against their children today. Our struggles are intertwined, and our liberation is collective.
Program:
We will begin with a short educational panel, grounding ourselves in truth, history, and the ongoing fight for justice. Following the panel, we will move into a celebration of the children — those taken from us and those still here — surrounded by love, joy, and community care.
We are resilient. We are still here. We aren’t going anywhere.
Speakers:
Janna Pratt — George Gordon First Nation (Canada)
Janna is a fierce warrior for justice and sovereignty, joining us all the way from the George Gordon First Nation, working on Treaty 4 in Regina. Whether breaking down stigmas around her North Central community, getting active in the labor movement, or advocating for better and more accessible healthcare, she raises her voice to ignite equity for a better society. As a sensei of Shinmura Judo Piapot, Janna teaches Judo and First Nations values. She is the chair of the George Gordon First Nation Justice Committee and is part of the GGFN Bill C92 Lawmakers working group, creating a GGFN child welfare law. She advises the city of Regina on accessibility as part of the city of Regina Disability Reference Group. When Janna learned there was a discriminatory system in place that did not allow First Nations individuals job protection while running for politics on their reserve, she engaged in a 7-year battle to win the right to take protected employment leave to fulfill duties on her First Nation. The Government of Saskatchewan passed Bill 200 in 2020. The Saskatchewan Employment Act was amended by a bill called "Janna's Law". Janna and her late daughter Jream raised over $700,000 for the Jim Pattison Children's Hospital. We will honor Janna's movement of celebrating the birthdays of the children who never got to celebrate, lifting them up with love and joy.
Abigail Escatel — PhD Candidate UIowa
Abigail is writing about migration through the eyes of children and is one of the first to stand on business at the frontlines for the dignity and rights of oppressed peoples. "I identify as a scholar-activist, meaning that my scholarship centers upon rhetorical histories of oppression and marginalization AND I meaningfully engage in local community-based advocacy work." She "is a powerful writer, a bold intellectual, and tenacious advocate of truth and justice." Be on the lookout for her book "Orphaned Upon Entry: A Rhetorical History of Detaining the Migrant Child", coming soon.
Baraa Mohammad — Advocate and Ally
A strong advocate for the Palestinian people and a powerful voice of solidarity. Baraa is the President of the Muslim Student Association at Coe college while working towards her nursing degree. She brings to the table the most valuable credential of lived experience.
Community Partners:
We are grateful to be joined by our friends at:
Hope Foundation
Native American Student Association
La Dona will be catering our meal, offering nourishment as part of our collective care.
Activities
We will have several community activities for all ages, including:
Weaving
Dancing
Art
Security will be present to help keep our vulnerable community members as safe as possible.
You are welcome to bring items to place at the vigil for the children.
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Event venue
810 Maiden Lane, Iowa City, IA, United States, Iowa 52240
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.