Welcoming & Inclusive Spaces

The slogan and message of “Every Child Matters” recognizes the atrocities committed at Canada’s residential boarding schools. It is an expression of the belief that all children are important, including the ones left behind at residential schools and adults who are still healing from the trauma they endured there. What Does ‘Every Child Matters’ Mean? – Unite for Change

The orange background of the flag symbolizes the impact of the residential school system on Indigenous communities. The eagle feather honours and recognizes all the children forced into the Indian Residential School. The phrase “Every Child Matters” is a tribute to the innocent lives lost and carries a profound message. It signifies the value of every child, acknowledging those who have tragically passed away and the adults who continue to heal from the hardships endured during their time in residential schools. Every Child Matters – Support the Indigenous Community, Canadian Flag

The Emancipation Flag/Pan-Afrikan Flag has two distinct meaning. It represents the end of slavery in Canada on August 1, 1843, and in turn the emancipation of people of Afrikan-descent from enslavement. The above date of emancipation is recognized across Canda each year on August 1^st.

Pan Afrikanism (Pan-Africanism) is an umbrella term for the various movements in Afrika and across the world to unite Afrikans. It also represents their common goal of eliminating colonialism and white supremacy from the continent and the diaspora.

Specifically, Pan-Afrikanism is a global movement that calls for all peoples of Afrikan-descent, regardless of location/nationality to unite in love, kindness, dignity, community, collective work, economics, and in rest. The above noted call for unity is centred on the pursuit of liberation, which for many is the simultaneous elimination of white supremacy and the reclaiming of ancestral ways of knowing and doing.

The Movement is not only a movement centred on unity and self-determination, but also the ability to acknowledge and embrace one’s individual and collective self-worth in spite of all barriers, and in turn to see the humanity in all peoples of African ancestry, and in turn all on the planet–the humxn family! In other words, as with all peoples, people of Afrikan-decent are beautiful in every way and are contributing part of humanity in all their brilliance, ingenuity, wisdom and grace!

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Africa Spelt with a “k” Instead of a “c”

It is largely believed the word “Africa” has Roman origins (or possibly Phoenician or Greek). In other words, it is not indigenous to the continent. It is a colonized name forced upon the continent by European colonizers. In contrast, it is said, the ancient, or the original name of “Africa” was “Alkebulan,” which means “mother of mankind” or “garden of Eden.

Alternatively, the continent of “Africa” was also known as Ethiopia well before it was given the name “Africa.” For instance, the Greek Historian, Herodotus (484 – 425 BC), the so-called father of (world) history, referred to the Continent as “Ethiopia” over 400 years prior to the birth of Christ.

With all said, the term “Africa” is fairly new.  In order to claim the word, a “k” is used instead of the “c.” In other words, it is an attempt to Afrikanize the word, which is similar to other efforts made by some Black people by dropping their last names of the enslaver of their foreparents, and instead replace it with an “X” (e.g. Malcolm X) or with their own selection of an ancestral name from Afrika.

The Franco Ontarian Flag is a symbol created to represent Franco-Ontarians. It reflects the diverse languages, seasons and people of Ontario. The design consists of two bands of green and white. The left portion has a solid light green background with a white fleur-de-lys in the middle, while the right portion has a solid white background with a stylized green trillium in the middle.

The green represents the summer months, while the white represents the winter months. The trillium is the floral symbol of Ontario, while the fleur-de-lys represents the French-Canadian heritage of the Franco-Ontarian community.

In 2018, Daniel Quasar, an American artist and graphic designer, re-designed the original rainbow flag designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978, to incorporate the transgender flag, as well as black and brown stripes to represent LGBTQQIA+ Black and brown people, with the black stripe having an additional meaning for “those living with AIDS, those no longer living, and the stigma surrounding them Daniel Quasar – Wikipedia.

The colours and their meaning are as follow: red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), blue (serenity) and purple (spirit). Other colours depicted on the flag represent distinct identifies/groups of people within the 2SLGBTQQIAA+ Rainbow community:

• Trans people (pink, white and blue);
• Queer people who identify as brown (brown);
• and Black people within the queer community as well as community members who have died from HIV/AIDS (black).

The two feathers are symbolic of two spirited individuals and the purple circle for those who are intersex.

The 2SLGBTQQIAA+ acronym stands for: two-spirted, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, gender non-conforming, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual and ally plus all other existing and future genders, gender expressions and sexual orientations.

The “Accessibility Image” represents Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions unwavering commitment to meet the accessibility needs of people with disabilities, in a timely and proactive manner, through reasonable efforts to provide equitable access to employment opportunities, agency services, programs and facilities in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all.

The Agency’s commitment is also a legal requirement of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Ontario Regulation 191/11 (IASR), which requires public sector organizations to establish accessibility policies, procedures and practices.