All NLL teams participating in three-week awareness campaign starting this week
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is expanding their “Every Child Matters” initiative shedding light on the plight Indigenous children across North America underwent by the United States and Canadian governments from the 19th century to at least 1996, if not present day, with pending Congress legislation to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indian Boarding School policies (H.R. 7227). The third year of the @NLL campaign begins this weekend and ends on March 10. Imagine you are a Native American or First Nations parent trusting the governments in the U.S. and Canada with your son or daughter only to be horrified when finding out the conditions, abuse, rape, kidnapping, and even death, of loved ones at the hands of the boarding schools, as well as other educational-based housing institutions and placements. The Sports Techie community blog is an advocate for the native cultures of North America and around the world. For centuries, decades and years, Indigenous women and children across Canada and the U.S. have gone missing, and justice is most often underserved because of a variety of reasons such as the lack of enough tribal land and reservation law enforcement officers that often cover wide ranges of territories with small staffs. Provincial, state, county and local law enforcement agencies have also too often turned a blind eye when asked to investigate alleged rapes, human trafficking, and murders, of Indigenous women and children, as happened in many boarding schools for kids.
“Our continued work with Indigenous athletes and communities is a major priority for the National Lacrosse League, and the ‘Every Child Matters’ education process and activations are key components of that platform,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “This program presents an opportunity to facilitate meaningful conversations about the atrocities perpetrated by the residential and boarding school systems, continue the journey toward reconciliation, and honor survivors and their families.”
Every Child Matters
The heartfelt and award-winning campaign enters the third year of existence with all 15 NLL teams supporting and participating in the key messaging, featuring specially designed helmet decals highlighting the “Every Child Matters” initiative all players will display throughout the 2024 season.
“Our continued work with Indigenous athletes and communities is a major priority for the National Lacrosse League, and the ‘Every Child Matters’ education process and activations are key components of that platform,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “This program presents an opportunity to facilitate meaningful conversations about the atrocities perpetrated by the residential and boarding school systems, continue the journey toward reconciliation, and honor survivors and their families.”
The proactive “Every Child Matters” initiative is central to the NLL’s ever-growing participation and awareness programs tied to Indigenous culture, which is at the core of the League’s values and the history of the sport of lacrosse. A variety of programs includes educational occasions for athletes, coaches, staff, and fans, land acknowledgment ceremonies, and charitable and social responsibility programs to strengthen and enhance the ties between League stakeholders and the Indigenous community.
Look for NLL produced audio and video messaging on TSN and ESPN broadcasts, with additional, original content incorporated into NLL.com, the League’s social channels, and in-venue game presentations.
Fans can purchase cotton shirts at the league’s online stores, NLLShop.com and NLLStore.ca. For every shirt sold, the NLL will honorably donate to the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF) in Canada and The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) in the United States.
Ingenious Children Voices
DWF is inspired by the tragic story and true history of an Indigenous boy, Chanie Wenjack, and the commitment of a modern-day folk singer, Gord Downie, to build a better Canada. The organization seeks to enhance the well-being of Indigenous peoples through heightened awareness, education, and a reconciliation among all Canadians.
The non-profit NABS was founded in 2012 and is leading the movement for truth, justice, and healing in the U.S. through their mission to lead in the pursuit of understanding and addressing the ongoing trauma created by the United States Indian boarding school policy. Its work is focused on research, education, and healing for survivors and descendants of Indian boarding schools. They are currently advocating for legislation for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indian Boarding School policies (H.R. 7227) to the US Congress.
At one time, there were 523 Indigenous boarding schools operating in the U.S. and 130 Indigenous residential schools in Canada. Thirteen of the present NLL teams play within a couple hours of one or more of these sites. You can learn more about these schools and their locations at https://boardingschoolhealing.org/digitalmap/.
The League continues to proudly wear the “Every Child Matters” logo designed by Justin Gilbert of Kuvua Designs. Gilbert was selected due to his work in support of Indigenous organizations and his connection to the cause, being born and raised on the Southern Ute Reservation. The logo contains the silhouette of an Indigenous child wearing a ribbon shirt and holding a traditional wooden lacrosse stick. The text “Every Child Matters” appears next to the image with a heart and feather.
Please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL across social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok.
Sports Techie, True Detective: Night Country Podcast episode 6 on Max explains some of the harsh reality indigenous communities are facing in Alaska, especially Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The show attempts to represent the system failing to pursue justice in the face of colonialism and racism, as happened and continues on at boarding schools. Not listening and not acting are the heart of these tragedies.
The NLL’s “Every Child Matters” multi-faceted platform does act and continues to raise awareness to atrocities of the too often, voiceless Indigenous children at boarding school.
Remember, unless you are of Indigenous descent, you are an immigrant to the U.S. and Canada, as my family is coming to America from Ecuador and Poland, respectively. My Mother comes from Ecuadorian Indian descent.
Every child matters, worldwide.
Thank you, NLL.
See you later sportstechie in Seattle, Atlanta and around the world!
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