Dear UBC School of Social Work Community,
It is with a heavy heart that I draw you close to mourn the deaths and abandonment of the 215 Indigenous children to a mass grave at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. In the words of one of our Indigenous Advisory Circle members, “Even though I have been aware of suspected unmarked graves for a long time the current reality is rather numbing.” As you may be aware, it is suspected that many more such graves will be found at Residential Schools across Canada and so we brace ourselves for more pain.
The flags at UBC are at half-mast to recognize this crime against humanity and the enduring grief we experience in the face of this crime against what it means to be human. Our deepest sympathies go out to the Residential School survivors, their families and communities, as well as to all those beloved children who never made it home.
Our Elder Scholar, Dr. Richard Vedan adds the following thoughts, “The work necessary to restore the humanity of everyone regardless of where we have been on the issues historically and in the present will be even more challenging.” In the days and weeks to come, I encourage you to support each other and to redouble our efforts to in the ongoing struggle to decolonize, and to stand against racism, and the assimilation and genocide of any peoples. To quote another great community organizer, today we mourn; tomorrow we organize (Joe Hill).
For those seeking support, 24 Hour Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 or https://students.ubc.ca/health/counselling-services.
Kind regards,
Donna in consultation with members of the Indigenous Advisory Committee
Donna Baines, PhD
Director and Professor
Jack Bell Building For The School of Social Work | The University of British Columbia
102-2080 West Mall, Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z2
xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Traditional Territory
Pronouns: she/her
I would like to acknowledge that the School of Social Work is on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. xʷməθkʷəy̓əm
