Recorded Webinar – 9/30/2026. Orange Shirt Day was established to honor the survivors of Indian residential boarding schools, their families, and those who never returned home. It serves as a powerful reminder of the lasting impacts of the residential school system. The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was passed by Congress in 1978 to protect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families. Before ICWA, as many as one-third of all AI/AN children were removed from their homes by state child welfare and private adoption agencies, and the vast majority of these children were placed outside of their families and communities. This mass family separation resulted in devastating losses of language, culture, and identity for individuals, families, and entire tribes. ICWA was created to address this history and prevent further generational trauma. ICWA specifically promotes children’s right to be connected to their extended family, elders, community, and culture. For this 2026 Orange Shirt Day, please join us for a discussion about the continuing importance of upholding ICWA to keep AI/AN children in their homes and with their families.