As an Indigenous writer and teacher, I can say for the past month it’s been very hard to get words out, about anything. A lot of us have family members who survived residential schools, whether it was in what’s today known as Canada, USA, or even as far south as Chile. We grew up with the stories of what happened inside, what the governments did to our grandparents and parents, and learned about the “lost ones.” I think it’s great that you’re bringing this up and that you’re teaching your child about it as well. I have white friends who won’t even bother to give me a response when I bring this up, one even told me she was “uncomfortable,” and I was the one helping her raise her kid for three years when no one else was around. None of my white friends have asked a single question, not even a “hey, how are you?” I wish more white people would be outraged and speak up about this, in any way that they can because I’m tired and I know a lot of my Native friends and family are tired too of no one listening. Even today, our children are not safe to be Indigenous in this world. For such a long time we have been invisible, not even counted as people, and unfortunately, in many ways, it’s still going on. We need more people, White people especially, who will publicly acknowledge how messed up all of this is and support us. Talk to your friends, your children’s schools, anything but silence.