Insights from Organizing an Indigenous-Led Event: UBC’s Intergenerational March to Commemorate Orange Shirt Day

The annual Intergenerational March to Commemorate Orange Shirt Day at UBC is a profound and powerful event, bringing thousands of people together from across the Lower Mainland to honor and listen to the voices of Indian Residential School survivors. It’s more than just one of the largest gatherings on UBC’s calendar—it represents a critical opportunity for reflection, education, and, most importantly, for amplifying Indigenous voices. 

In this Community Engagement Network session, we take you behind the scenes of this year’s Intergenerational March to explore the careful thought process behind its programming. We’ll also dive into the challenges and successes of organizing an event of this magnitude, rooted in principles of reciprocity, respect, and Indigenous leadership. 

Join us as we hear from the event’s co-founders, Dana-Lyn Mackenzie, Senior Manager of EDI and Indigeneity for UBC’s Faculties of Applied Science, Forestry, and Land and Food Systems, and Danilo Caron, PhD student in Civil Engineering and Indigenous Student Engagement Coordinator at UBC Engineering. We’re also joined by two of the event’s student organizers, Jenneil Lai, studying Psychology & Interpersonal Development, and Emma He, studying Sociology and Political Science, both Co-op students working with Dana-Lyn. 

This conversation will offer valuable insights for anyone working in community engagement, event planning, or within higher education—and will be of particular value to those interested in organizing Indigenous-led events on this scale. 

Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024