215-751-182 Indigenous Children in Unmarked Graves on the grounds of former Residential Schools

I’m going to start this blog post by telling you what we are going to do, I hope you’ll Join us.

Instead of having our annual summer sale, we’re going to donate 20% of our July and August sales to an indigenous run charitable organization that supports the ongoing healing process of Residential School Survivors, and their families and seeks their input on projects that honour them. The Legacy of Hope Foundaton.

The only exclusion for the 20% is gift cards. We’ve also created a donation page where 100% of the donations will be added to our 20% monthly totals for July and August.

We are a store that sells maternity clothing, breastfeeding apparel and baby items, so, in a way, this blog is off topic; but this is a topic that concerns families, and children, and we believe it’s on brand.

 

A bit of history

 

The last residential school closed in 1996. Yes, the decision to open them was made historically, but current politics never questioned their existence and kept the terrible system in place. Current politics also kept it very quiet.

 

Try on a New Pair Of Shoes

 

First, I want you to think about it. Put yourself in these parent’s shoes. It’s irrelevant for empathy’s sake that this was done to indigenous people, so put any prejudice you may have aside. These were parents with children.

Parents had their children forcefully removed from their homes and communities. Children as young as 2, 3, 4, 5 years old, were forcefully relocated by the government, legally. These parents were never informed of their child’s health, or whereabouts, and many never saw their children again.  

Parents were powerless in this situation.

Parents didn’t have a voice in a Christian white man’s world.

What would you do?

How would you feel?

 

The world was outraged when Trump did the same thing to immigrant refugee families. We learned about this happening to Jewish families during the holocaust. Yes I’m comparing this to the holocaust, residential schools are on that level. It’s a crime against humanity. It’s immoral, monstrous, and unfair, unjust and created a generation of powerlessness which has had tremendous emotional, mental, and physical health impacts on generations of indigenous people.

Stealing a child from a parent causes enormous trauma for the parent, the child, and the community. Children never returned home. More trauma. There have never been systems in place to help parents & communities heal and mourn. 

Responsibility

Just because something happened before you were born doesn’t mean you aren’t connected to it now. We don’t exist in a vacuum, we benefit and suffer from the deeds that came before us. The past has shaped our present. Our current society is shaped and driven by its past. That makes us all responsible. Not guilty. Responsible.

 

If you inherit something you don't like, change it. 

It’s time to define some words for you because I know the second you read the word “responsibility” you got defensive.

Responsibility is NOT

• Guilt
• Negative
• A Threat
• Blame
• A consequence
• About control
• Action

Responsibility is not meant to be energy draining.  Responsibility is universal. We are all responsible for everything and everyone.

 

Responsibility is 

• Community
• Care
• Universal
• Humanity
• Soul
• Duty
• Empathy
• Sympathy
• Heart
• Thinking about others the way you want them to think about you.

 

You’ve heard of the butterfly effect, or seven degrees of separation. Just because you don’t see the impact of your actions, or inaction, doesn’t mean the impact and consequences aren’t there. Every action/in-action has/causes an equal or greater reaction. Think of the ripples of water when you throw a stone into a body of water. Think of the snowball that starts at the top of the hill and finishes as a giant boulder at the bottom.

 

We are all responsible for everything on this planet. There are no boarders to responsibility.  Responsibility is limitless. Just because you are responsible for everything doesn't mean you have to act on everything. Your capacity and ability to act is limited. Action is where you get to choose. Not Responsibility.

Action

You need to act

to create

the kind of community

you want your child

to live in.

“The way in which a person has an effect or influence.” This is the action part of responsibility. “Achieve an aim” is to show your position about something through your actions. Not acting is an action. It’s a choice too.

 

Just because you’re responsible for everything, doesn’t mean you have to act on everything. You choose what you can act on. We are all different. We will weight things differently, and we are all leading different lives.

We have chosen to act.

I can’t imagine not trying to do something to give back to this community of people that have been terrorized. I won’t be able to find peace in my life if I don’t try to do something in the name of those innocent children that were hidden in the ground.

 

ACTION

CHANGES

THE WORLD.

 

Actions speak louder than words.

 

Show don’t tell.

 

Perhaps I watch too many movies, but I believe some of these children told their captors and abusers that they were going to stop them. That they would change things. But these children died from their abuse and mistreatment. Now their bones have kept that promise made in life, and these children are going to change the world. We need to help them now.

 

I, and HEA want to be a part of that change.