Jenny Kay Dupuis is an Anishinaabe, raised in the heart of Winnipeg, and proud member of the Pimicikamak Cree Nation of northern Manitoba. She has designed a short-run, powerful T-shirt for Orange Shirt Day. This partnership with Winners and Marshalls Canada is her second year collaborating with the two retailers. In unison, they pay tribute to residential school survivors. The T-shirt prominently features two children holding hands, symbolizing unity and resilience, alongside the phrase “Every Child Matters.”
Orange Shirt Day is recognized annually on September 30. It shines a spotlight on the legacy of residential schools in Canada. The day was created to honor the powerful story of Phyllis Webstad. At only six years of age, she was removed from her family to attend a residential school, where they cut her beautiful, new orange shirt. This year, Ottawa declared September 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, making it a statutory holiday for federal government employees.
Dupuis is an excellent storyteller and yet she’s personally connected to the climate novel genre. Her grandparents went to the Guy Hill Residential School in The Pas, Manitoba. Her diligence and her daughters’ experiences are all woven into the fabric of her art, activism, and advocacy. She expressed how, for her, that work became an opportunity to share their stories. With it, the author says, comes greater understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Dupuis said that she has found useful avenues to help uplift Indigenous communities. Yet she works equally actively as a bridge-builder, introducing them to her snowy-haired counterparts in non-Indigenous communities. She is personally dedicated to this mission. This commitment is an example of a bigger trend among non-Indigenous corporations partnering with Indigenous artists to create T-shirt designs to support Orange Shirt Day. Proceeds from these initiatives, including our own, often go to Indigenous organizations, furthering the efforts of Indigenous voices and storytellers.
Dupuis especially underscored the importance of sharing narratives from the past and continued the journey toward reconciliation. She stated, “When I think of what that lady was doing in passing on that story to her grandchildren and talking about the different lessons they may learn through it, it’s a really good feeling.” Yet this spirit speaks to the healing power of story and the need to continue working towards recognizing our shared historical trauma.
Dupuis isn’t the only Indigenous artist taking to T-shirt campaigns in advance of Orange Shirt Day. Brooklyn Rudolph, who has a great shirt on Indigenous Proud called “Hearts in Harmony,” remarked on the importance of these initiatives in promoting truth and reconciliation: “It’s bringing truth and reconciliation to people far and wide and allowing them to stand with us on our healing journeys.”
It’s the reason Indigenous artists are collaborating with big box retailers such as Aritzia and Joe Fresh. This amazing partnership showcases the growing appreciation and acknowledgement of Indigenous cultures in broader markets. These collaborations work to go beyond awareness. They honour the strength of Indigenous communities who have been affected by the trauma of residential schools.
Dupuis’s design reflects teachings passed down through generations, including a lesson from her grandfather: “If there’s one thing that my grandpa always told my family was to share love.” This guiding principle rings true across all of her work, as her goal is to raise empathy and awareness among people of all ages and backgrounds.
As the nation prepares to acknowledge Orange Shirt Day this year, artists such as Jenny Kay Dupuis play an important role. Their work exemplifies the critical importance of art in creating social movements. By reflecting on past injustices and emphasizing unity, these designs serve as powerful reminders of the need for continued dialogue and action.
