Origin Story
Take64 took shape on September 30th, 2025, during a conference in Halifax. While wearing my orange shirt, a conversation was sparked with someone else who was also wearing one. They told me that they usually only wear theirs twice a year, on September 30th and Halloween.
I shared that mine has a couple of stains and is a bit worn from use. It’s a shirt I often wear while working around my home - but each time I put it on, I take a moment to reflect on my own journey toward meaningful, equitable, and ethical Indigenous understanding and reconciliation, and my desire to be an ally in this effort.
What if that kind of reflection happened more often by more people, intentionally, and out in the open? So I put it to a small group that had gathered: make a personal commitment to wear your orange shirts more often, and encourage others to do the same. They didn’t hesitate, they accepted. And in that simple act of shared commitment, Take64 was born.
The Commitment
Make a Commitment
Wear your orange shirt once a month, if only for part of the day, for the next year, and use those moments (and any others that arise) to reflect on your personal journey with Indigenous reconciliation
You’re asked to make a specific, personal commitment, this is not meant to be vague.. For example:
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“I’ll wear my shirt on the 15th of each month.”
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“I’ll wear it every Saturday that I’m working outside.”
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“I’ll wear it on my birthday date each month.”
You’re encouraged to state your commitment out loud. Voicing it, whether to yourself or someone else, will help make it real.
Sharing the Commitment
Once you’ve signed up to Take64, you’re invited to pass it on and that’s the idea at the heart of this project.
When you invite others, imagine giving away half of your "shirts". You start with 64 commitments to wear an orange shirt each month for the next year. Then share the message with someone else, giving 32 to them and keeping 32. Then you give 16, then 8, and so on. Each time you engage someone and they sign up here, your number of “shirts” decreases until you’re left with just one - the final shirt, representing your own ongoing commitment. You’ll reach that point after just six meaningful interactions.
And of course once you reach your last split, you’re always welcome to start again and Take64 once more with a new or renewed commitment to wearing your orange item in whichever way works for you.
Follow-Up
Follow-up to make sure the people you invited to split your "shirts' with have followed through and made their own pledges. Then check in with them at least once over the next year to share how you are maintaining your commitment and ask them about theirs.
Chi-miigwetch