Before reconciliation can become a reality, the healing must begin. On Monday, September 27 at the Ksan Village in Hazelton, AFFNO, in partnership with the Francophone Youth Council of B.C. (CJFCB) invited the Hazelton Secondary School students (HSS) to participate and listen to stories from residential school survivors.

Gary Patsey, a survivor, was the main speaker at the event. Shanna McCarthy, a French Immersion Grade 11 student at HSS who is also Gitxsan, is one of 12 participants who were chosen by the CJFCB for the Connecte Project, and she worked hard throughout September to organise A Day of Healing for her school. Due to COVID-19 restrictions and concerns, only 100 people participated. AFFNO produced T-shirts in three official languages (English, French, and Gitxsanimaax) with the message “Every Child Matters” and Michelle Stoney, a Gitxsan artist but also a French Immersion grad, created the artwork for the event.