Meaningful Movie Night: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

On September 30th, we will be adapting our regular after-school programming to host a Meaningful Movie Night featuring the short film The Secret Path in honour of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day.

The Meaningful Movie Night will include a guided workshop and facilitated discussion about The Secret Path and Canada's true Indigenous history. Conversations will explore topics such as the Indian Residential School System, the Sixties Scoop, and the ongoing impacts of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people. The goal is to support learning, reflection, and empathy while honouring the legacy of Chanie Wenjack and all Indigenous children who never made it home.

For our younger programs, including Art Vibes and Cooking Craze, we will begin with a gentle, age-appropriate discussion about the film and Indigenous history in Canada. Following this, participants will take part in Indigenous-inspired arts and cooking workshops. Through food, art, storytelling, and meaningful conversations, children will learn empathy, compassion, and respect for Indigenous communities - drawing inspiration from Chanie Wenjack's story and the importance of taking action toward reconciliation.

The Secret Path is an animated short film that shares the story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who died while trying to walk home after fleeing Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School in the winter of 1966. This short film, along with accompanying discussion questions, was provided by our partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF). DWF is an organization dedicated to building cultural understanding and creating a path toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

As the Jean Augustine Centre is an organization committed to empowering ALL girls and gender diverse folks, we recognize our responsibility to lead these sensitive and meaningful conversations. Meaningful Movie Night was created intentionally - to pause, learn, reflect, and engage in thoughtful conversation about Canada's true Indigenous herstory/history. It is an opportunity for our community to stand in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples, honour Chanie Wenjack's legacy, and deepen our collective commitment to reconciliation.

This event is not open to the public. Only those who have already registered for Wednesday after-school programming are invited at this time.