As Founding Member of Orange Shirt Day and Founding Member & CEO for Orange Shirt Society, Phyllis Webstad facilitates dialogue around the Indian Residential School system and creates space for education, awareness and healing. Orange Shirt Day – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, recognized annually on September 30, is a day to honour residential school survivors and their families and to remember those that never made it home. It is a day for people to reflect, educate themselves and commit to Truth and Reconciliation.
The Orange Shirt Society was created as a legacy to Phyllis’ Orange Shirt Day. The non-profit organization is located in Williams Lake, British Columbia, and the board of directors consists of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members. Phyllis works full-time with the society.
A published author, Phyllis has six books that share her story in her own words – The Orange Shirt Story; Phyllis’s Orange Shirt; Beyond the Orange Shirt Story; With Our Orange Hearts; Every Child Matters and Today is Orange Shirt Day.Due to Phyllis' work, a simple orange shirt has become a conversation starter for all aspects of Indian Residential Schools across the country and beyond.
Phyllis is Northern Secwépemc (Shuswap) from the Stswecem’c Xget’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek Indian Band), and she currently resides in Williams Lake, British Columbia with her husband.
Finding comfort in the outdoors, Phyllis can often be found in nature or going for walks outside as it allows her to feel grounded and connected to the land.