Truth and Reconciliation: Be a part of it.

I signed up to volunteer for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's National Event from June 16 - 19. I will be taking written statements from residential school survivors about their experiences in the residential school system.

For me this is something that I am compelled to do because of my heritage, and perhaps even more importantly, because of my grandmother; she was a residential school survivor who suffered a great deal at the hands of this system. In turn, her children suffered...

My grandmother died when I was just a baby, so I have no memory of who she was. However, I have my ideals and my father's childhood stories to remind me, and although I know that she lived in a very dark place for much of her life, I like to imagine how things could have been for her...

There is a call for people to come forward and volunteer for this event. The commission is still looking to fill a number of positions; including statement takers, registration takers and set up people. Anyone can apply (they are not just looking for people of aboriginal descent) and the rewards of being a part of this historic event will be great.

For those of you who are looking to do something meaningful, this project fits the bill, as this issue is extremely sensitive and life-changing for so many people. Or, if you need something to spruce up your resume, volunteering for the TRC is an excellent opportunity not only to showcase your writing skills and abilities, but it will also show that you are diverse and have (or will have) an understanding of something that is embedded so deeply into Canada's history. (CreComm: This would be an excellent resume piece for all of you, especially J and Media students, as they are looking for statement takers in written, video and audio form...)

Click here for the online application.