A design crafted by a 13-year-old from the səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) will be featured across Canada as a powerful symbol of kindness and respect.
Kadence Lánahmats George’s butterfly design was selected as the official artwork for this year’s national anti-bullying campaign, Pink Shirt Day Canada. The pink and purple kilila, butterfly in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, ties back into Indigenous values of respect, kindness, inclusivity and community, fitting into the campaign’s message.
“I really like butterflies. In my mindset, butterflies are so pure of kindness, something about them touches me,” George said.
Killia embody the spirit of Nəc̄əmat, where togetherness and collective strength are celebrated, she said.
George first heard about the Pink Shirt Day design contest through the Tsleil-Waututh siʔáḿθət School’s art therapist. George then went to work with Sharpies and pens, crafting a design with colours to fit the anti-bullying theme.
Pink Shirt Day started in 2007 after a new student in Berwick, N.S. was bullied for wearing the coloured shirt. After this, two Grade 12 students bought 75 similar shirts, encouraging their classmates to wear pink. The following day at school, they gave out the shirts, but to their surprise, the majority of students were already wearing pink. The campaign is now an annual movement to encourage kindness and raise awareness about bullying prevention.
George found out she was the contest winner following a suspenseful few minutes in class. She said her teacher was on a call with Sean Wilman, director at Indigenous Marketing Solutions, the organization behind the contest. By the end of the call, George asked with anticipation if she won, and was surprised when her teacher said yes.
“I was so happy because it was all throughout B.C., that’s pretty big,” George said.
Wilson said the design really stood out to the company, fitting into the anti-bullying message, but also uplifting Indigenous language.
“We’re always looking to enhance and help support the revitalization of Indigenous language,” Wilman said. “We thought that would be a great opportunity to introduce a little bit of Cost Salish language to the rest of the greater population of Canada.”
George also gets to claim another title in this year’s contest – she is the youngest person to have won in the contest’s history.
“This is a great opportunity to take this young artist, have her work with our team … bring it to life and really celebrate and share it with the rest of the country,” Wilman said.
Indigenous Marketing Solutions is a company that works with brands and organizations to uplift Indigenous voices while also supporting community-driven initiatives, according to a press release.
The contest is open to those who self-identify as Indigenous. This is the fourth year the creative contest has been held. Wilman said the company sends a call out on social media and their website looking for artists to submit designs for the pink shirts.
Once submissions close, Indigenous Marketing Solutions goes through all the pieces, narrowing down a shortlist to review with the board of the Naut’samawt Tribal Council for final selection.
George’s achievements were honoured at a blanketing ceremony Thursday afternoon in the Tsleil-Waututh’s administration building. She will also be featured in the Pink Shirt Day Canada Live broadcast that will be held at various times on Feb. 26, the official 2025 Pink Shirt Day in Canada.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
https://bsky.app/profile/abbyluciano.bsky.social
Want to stay updated on North Vancouver and West Vancouver news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
