The emblem for campaign was created by Ucluelet Secondary School Indigenous artist Koyah Morgan.
Initially, Morgan had entered a local design competition with Naut鈥檚a mawt Tribal Council, but WITS (Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out, and Seek help) Programs Foundation contacted her soon after she had to express their love of her design.
Morgan鈥檚 creation features two hands holding a heart and the words 鈥楤e Kind鈥�. The 17-year-old artist from says she took inspiration from praying hands in Indigenous culture.
鈥淚 wanted that to be the centre of my piece. These hands are holding something sacred. Our hearts are very sacred. They are very fragile. We need to take care of that. It鈥檚 super important for us just to remember that we are literally carrying the hearts of other people in our hands all of the time and it鈥檚 up to use to decide what to do with that. We have to be careful with everyone鈥檚 heart,鈥� Morgan said.
As part of her prize for winning the national design contest, Morgan was invited to speak in Victoria at a live Pink Shirt Day Canada broadcast on Feb. 22, Canada鈥檚 official day to take a stand against bullying.
鈥淚 get to talk a little about my school, my nation Toquaht Nation, and I get to do their formal Indigenous introduction this year,鈥� she said.
Morgan is the granddaughter of Toquaht chief Anne Mack. Toquaht鈥檚 main community is Macoah, located in western Barkley Sound. About 40 members live out in Macoah, which is accessible off Highway 4 along Kennedy Lake. The rest of the 135 or so citizens live in Ucluelet or other cities.
鈥淚t definitely makes me feel like I鈥檓 a part of something. She鈥檚 been able to give me so many opportunities to be around my culture and my language even though I don鈥檛 really live out in Macoah. For me, it feels really good to be an Indigenous artist that won this competition because our nation is so, so small. It鈥檚 often underrepresented. It鈥檚 almost hidden away. There are not very many of us,鈥� said Morgan, who is also the president of the high school Surfrider Club and a youth art instructor. Her older sister Bayja won the 2022 Indigenous Marketing Solutions Pink Shirt Day design contest.
Ucluelet Secondary teacher Mike Chapman said a big part of Pink Shirt Day and the anti-bullying movement is making sure everyone is in a good mental space.
鈥淚t鈥檚 checking in with the kid that might be sitting there having lunch solo,鈥� said Chapman.
Teacher Monique Copeland says the school breakfast program offers a 15-minute window every morning for students to network and share a meal together.
鈥淭hey are breaking down barriers between groups of students. It鈥檚 a great way to include everyone in your friend group,鈥� she said.
Chapman went on to note that the current student council is making a 鈥済reat impact鈥� on what the school can do by taking leadership roles and planning events.
鈥淲hen you have great leaders, you have a great school,鈥� said Chapman.
nora.omalley@westerlynews.ca
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