'On Wednesdays we wear ribbons'
Indigenous students Désirée Heneberry, Judy Brown, and Elizabeth Steel (not pictured) have started a new trend, with an Indigenous spin on the Mean Girls movie mantra, “on Wednesdays we wear pink.”
The students are inviting Indigenous students and staff who feel inspired to join, “on Wednesdays we wear ribbons.”
This week, two students (Désirée and Judy) and two Mohawk College employees (Beth Gray, Indigenous Counsellor and Grace Francisci, Manager, Indigenous Student Services) were happy to show off their ribbon skirts at the Fennell Campus.
“We walk proudly in our ribbon skirts, each one a symbol of our strength, our stories, and our sacred connection to the land.
Our skirts carry the resilience of our ancestors, whose spirits walk beside us, woven into every ribbon and every colour we wear.
What was once taken from us; our ceremonies, our culture, our pride, we now reclaim with every step.
What was once silenced now speaks through us. In our ribbon skirts, we celebrate who we are: strong, resilient, and Indigenous.”
- Judy Brown, General Arts & Science (Indigenous Studies 2+2 program)
"By wearing our ribbon skirts and regalia, not only are we showcasing our community's resilience, but we are also showing off our culture and how important it is for our community to take small steps towards decolonization. It is important to remember that a lot of Indigenous students lose access to their home community to access post-secondary education, and by wearing their regalia or ribbons, they are regaining a sense of community, they are finding a spot where they and their culture fit. Decolonizing a historically colonial institution cannot be done overnight, but one week at a time where we take up space for ourselves over time will help. We [Judy, Elizabeth, and I] hope that by starting this tradition, we can create a place where Indigenous students at Mohawk College can feel at home and supported through their studies."
- Désirée (Skyla) Heneberry, General Arts & Science (Indigenous Studies 2+2 program)