The Indigenous Law Students’ Alliance invites you to attend a Blanket Exercise on September 30 from 1 pm- 3 pm at the quadrangle field to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The purpose of this interactive event is to demonstrate Indigenous resiliency through an experiential learning exercise that walks participants through 400+ years of Indigenous history in Canada, including the impacts of colonization. 

If you are interested in attending the event, you must RSVP to this email by September 27 as the exercise is capped at the first 100 RSVPs. 
 
Participants will play the role of Indigenous people at various points in history, with an ILSA volunteer playing the role of European settlers, and a couple of Law professors playing the narrator role. Participants will walk around blankets placed on the field that will represent “Canada”. Participants will confront tragedies such as the smallpox epidemic and residential schools, and they will learn about and celebrate the positive impacts of Indigenous advocates and resistance. 

Because of the potential for emotions to arise during this exercise, we will have a support person available during the event. Our priority is to create a safe space to engage in this important learning exercise. The one-hour exercise will be followed by debrief circles with a maximum of 25 people per circle, facilitated by faculty members. Spectators are welcome to watch from the sides of the field.

Date: September 30, 2022
Time: 1pm- 3 pm
Location: The quadrangle field accessed down the outdoor stairs immediately east of the Law Building on Union St.

We look forward to learning with you on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation!

Sincerely, 

Noah Favel and Carolyn Alexander, Co-chairs of ILSA