A new project by Anne Ostwald's Social Justice class at Alberni District Secondary School is taking a visible stand in favour of truth and reconciliation.
On June 11, students led a ceremony to officially open a new orange crosswalk on Roger Street in front of the Port Alberni high school. Several guests of honour—all residential school survivors—were the first to symbolically open the crosswalk, which had been painted earlier.
The orange sidewalk idea started with students in one of Anne Ostwald's Social Justice classes last year. They worked with AIRS survivors, City of Port Alberni staff, School District 70 representatives and ADSS art classes. They weren't able to complete the project so the current class took it on. Student speakers Blake Sayers, Raelene Brown, Aaliyah Dube, Zahara Oosthuyzen and Sophie Burrows-Weber led the event, which was opened by Ahousaht elder Tim Sutherland Sr. and closed with drumming from ADSS students.
Wahmeesh Ken Watts, elected chief councillor for Tseshaht First Nation, was one of several people invited to speak at the event. He praised the students, saying the crosswalk goes much deeper than just paint.
"It's here to teach," he said, "not only of the past but for the future as well." Truth and reconciliation is about standing up to racism, he added, presenting a drum as thanks to the students for stepping up with their project.
Residential school survivors were invited to walk across the crosswalk after a ceremonial brushing with cedar. A plaque was unveiled on the side opposite the school, a survivors' flag was flying and Indigenous-designed banners were flying too.
Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns walked quietly across the crosswalk following the AIRS survivors and watched as some of them painted the final piece of orange on one of the crosswalk posts.
"This is a reminder every time we walk across the crosswalk that there is still work that needs to be done," he said.
Ann George Barker and Alice George from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation near Tofino, both in their 70s, walked the crosswalk and took their turns painting the post. Barker attended AIRS while George spent some time at the Opitsaht Day School on Meares Island.
"It's amazing," Barker said of the ceremony. She was especially touched at the Nuu-chah-nulth language spoken during the event.
"Trying to learn the language at the older age is harder. We were taught really young," she said. "Hearing them even saying some was really amazing."
George said the crosswalk and the students' efforts "means the world to me. A lot of the time I speak out; I'm trying to heal myself and be a better grandma. This fills my heart."
