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Inclusive - Leadership, Education, and Advocacy for Diversity (I - LEAD)

I-LEAD is a learning community and community-of-practice established to offer faculty, staff, and students, a resource for learning and discovery about what inclusive leadership, education and advocacy for diversity means in our professional and personal roles.

I-LEAD is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development. 

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A New Page for Belonging & Inclusion

The Belonging and Inclusivity Committee (BIC) is charged with coordinating & advancing HSC BI programs, related efforts with the University’s DEI Division, and efforts toward Pillar 4 of the HSC Lead On Strategic Plan.

Upcoming Events

News

Commemorations

January

Poverty in America Awareness Month 

Jan 01: Emancipation Proclamation declared by President Lincoln in 1863; New Year's Day

Jan 04: Louis Braille Birthday (1809); French educator who created "braille" reading and writing system for visually impaired

Jan 06: Feast of the Epiphany - Christian feast day celebrates the star leading the three wise men; close of the Christmas season

Jan 07: Mahayana New year (Buddhist); Orthodox Christmas begins

Jan 09: Orthodox Christmas ends

Jan 14: Orthodox New Year

Jan 15: Makar Sankranti - Hindu festival dedicated to the god of the sun, Surya; World Religion Day (Bahai)

Jan 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Celebrates US civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jan 22: Lunar New Year - Festival marks the new year start in the lunar calendar used in China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia

Jan 27: International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust: A United Nations day that Remembers the ~6 million Jews and countless members of other  marginalized groups who were murdered in the events leading up to and during World War II

Jan 28: Birthday of Oprah Winfrey - The birthday of the “Queen of Media,” a well-known talk show host and philanthropist. She is also believed to be North America’s first Black female billionaire.

February

African American/Black History Month

Feb 04: Rosa Parks Day - Honoring American Civil Rights hero, occurs twice a year on Feb 4th and Dec 1st

Feb 11: Birthday of Tammy Baldwin - The first openly LGBTQIA+ woman elected to both houses of Congress

Feb 14: Observed as the birthday of abolitionist and social reformer Frederick Douglass

Feb 15: Nirvana Day - An annual festival that remembers the death of the Buddha after reaching nirvana (also called Parinirvana); Susan B. Anthony's Birthday - A leader of the women's suffrage movement, she advocated for abolition, temperance, labor rights, and equal pay for equal work

Feb 22: Ash Wednesday - A day of prayer and fasting that begins the Christian season of Lent, a 40-day period of preparation and fasting before Easter

March

Women's History Month; Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month; Irish American Heritage Month; Irish American Heritage Month; National Deaf History Month; Ramadan Begins

Mar 06: Makha Bucha Day/Mâgha Pujâ (Buddhist-Thailand);  Mar 6-7 Purim (Jewish)                                                                                                                           

Mar 08: International Women’s Day: A day highlighting the political, social, cultural, and economic achievements of women; Holi: Hindu holiday that celebrates the onset of spring and the triumph of good over evil                                                                                                                  

Mar 10: Harriet Tubman’s birthday (observed): American abolitionist who is well-known for her key role in the Underground Railroad                                                                                                                   

Mar 13 through Apr 15: National Deaf History Month                                                                                                                  

Mar 17:  St. Patrick’s Day: Feast day of a Catholic saint who inspires cultural and religious celebrations around the world (International)                                                                                                                  

Mar 21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination: A day that encourages everyone to come together to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (International)                                                                                                                      

Evening Thu March 22 to evening Thu April 20: key Muslim religious holidays include Ramadan, Islam’s sacred month. During this time Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk; Mar 22, 2023 Chaitra Navratri (Hindu) will begin on March 22, Wednesday, and will end on March 30. Navratri is a nine-day festival dedicated to the worship of the nine incarnations of Goddess Durga. Each day of this festival holds a different significance and is dedicated to Maa Durga's nine avatars                                                                                                                             

Mar 23: Mardi Gras, (French: Fat Tuesday) festive day celebrated in France on Shrove Tuesday (the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday), which marks the close of the pre-Lenten season. The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence                                 

Mar 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility  or TDOV | https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/03/30/a-proclamation-on-transgender-day-of-visibility/  

Celebrations based on the solar cycle occur in March and April and include:                                                                                                                          

Bengali New Year: Pohela Boishakh                                                                                                                          

Burmese New Year: Thingyan                                                                                                                     

Cambodian New Year: Chaul Chnam Thmey                                                                                                                         

Lao New Year: Pi Mai                                                                                                                     

Nepali New Year: Nepal Sambat                                                                                                                

Sinhalese New Year: Aluth Avurudda                                                                                                                       

Tamil New Year: Puthandu                                                                                                                          

Thai New Year: Songkran                                                                                                                             

April

Celebrate Diversity Month; Arab American Heritage Month; Autism Acceptance Month; Month of the Military Child; National Volunteer Month; Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Apr 02: World Autism Awareness Day: Raises awareness for those with autism and seeks to improve their lives and acceptance in society                                                                               

April 05 to April 13 Passover/Pesach (Jewish):  Major Jewish festival that celebrates the freeing of Israeli slaves                                                                                                                       

Apr 9: Easter (Christian): An important Christian holiday, which celebrates Jesus’ resurrection                                                                                                                           

Apr 14: Vaisakhi (Sikh) one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar, Vaisakhi is a spring festival which happens on the 13 or 14 April every year as a day to celebrate 1699, the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith                                                                                                                  

Evening of Apr 17 to evening of Apr 18: Yom Hashoah | Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jewish) the full name of the day commemorating the victims of the Holocaust is “Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah“– literally the “Day of (Remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism.” It is marked on the 27th day in the month of Nisan — a week after the seventh day of Passover, and a week before Yom Hazikaron (Memorial Day for Israel’s fallen soldiers)                                                                                                                       

Apr 21 - 22: Eid-ul-Fitr (Muslim) marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan or Ramadan and celebrated in India on Saturday, 22 April 2023                                                                                                               

Apr 22 Earth Day: Holiday that applauds the planet we live on and all it does for us; Earth Day is observed by more than 192 nations (International)                                                                                                                         

History of Sexual Assault Awareness Month https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/history                                                                                                                     

Holocaust Remembrance Day  https://www.ushmm.org/remember/days-of-remembrance/resources/calendar

May

Mental Health Awareness Month; Older Americans Month; Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month; Haitian Heritage Month; Jewish American Heritage Month; Speech and Hearing Awareness Month

May 01: May Day/Labor Day (International); May 1 Law Day US Federal Courts 

May 05: Cinco de Mayo: Mexican-American holiday that celebrates Mexico’s defeat of the French Army  

May 14: Mother's Day (International); May 14 Apraxia Awareness Day (Oklahoma)                                                                                                                             

May 15: International Day of Families (International)                                 

May 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: This event seeks to raise awareness for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals (United Nations)                                                                                                                     

May 18: Global Accessibility Awareness Day | https://accessibility.day/                                                                                                                    

May 19: Malcolm X’s Birthday: Well-known Muslim minister and civil rights activist, who was assassinated in 1965                                                                                                                

May 21: World Day for Cultural Diversity (United Nations)| https://www.un.org/en/observances/cultural-diversity-day  

May 25: Africa Day (Africa)

May 25-27 Shavuot (Jewish) Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, is a Jewish holiday, (Gregorian calendar). Shavout has both agricultural and biblical significance                                                                                                                

May 26: Buddha’s Birthday: Celebrates the Buddha, who founded one of the world’s most practiced faiths                                                                                                               

May 29: Memorial Day (US): a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the loss of U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the US armed forces.                                                                                                                  

June

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month; Caribbean American Heritage Month

Jun 02: Indian Citizenship Act of 1924: This act granted Native Americans born in the U.S. citizenship. However, they were not given the right to vote until 1957

Jun 11 National Puerto Rican Day Parade (US | Bronx, NY): This parade is a demonstration of cultural pride that seeks to raise awareness of issues in the Puerto Rican community | https://www.nprdpinc.org/                                                                                                                              

Jun 12: Loving Day: This day is the anniversary of the court decision that legalizes interracial marriage                                                                                                                        

Jun 14:  Flag Day: National Flag Day (US) honors and commemorates the date in 1777 when the United States approved the design for its first national flag

Jun 18 Father's Day (International)                                                                                                                          

Jun 19: Juneteenth (US): This day commemorates when the last African Americans learned of the Emancipation Proclamation (over two years after it was originally issued)     https://www.history.com/news/what-is-juneteenth                                                                                                                         

Jun 20: World Refugee Day (United Nations):  international day to honor people who have been forced to flee their home country | https://www.unhcr.org/world-refugee-day

June 26 to July 1 – the Islamic religious calendar includes the Hajj: This day begins the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims must take once in their lives if they are physically and financially capable                                                                                                                         

Jun 27: Helen Keller’s Birthday: This day celebrates the birth of Helen Keller, an individual who was both blind and deaf. She was a leading humanitarian in the 20th century as well as one of the co-founders of the ACLU

July

French American Heritage Month; Disability Pride Month

Jul 02: Thurgood Marshall’s Birthday: born July 2, 1908, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., died January 24, 1993, Bethesda), lawyer, civil rights activist, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1967–91), the Court's first African American member                                                                                                                              

Jul 04: Independence Day (US); Filipino American Friendship Day/ Republic Day (Phillipines)                                                                                                                    

Jul 06: Dalai Lama’s Birthday: The day that Tibet’s leader in exile and Nobel Peace Prize recipient was born; Frida Kahlo’s Birthday: Well-known 20th century Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, was born on July 6                         

Jul 18: Nelson Mandela’s Birthday: Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president and was a strong civil rights leader                                                                                                                      

Jul 19: Hijri New Year: this day marks the start of the Islamic New Year — beginning the prior evening         

                                                                                                               

Jul 25: Pioneer Day: This Utah state holiday marks the arrival of LDS church founder Brigham Young to the Salt Lake area                                                                                                                               

Jul 26: Americans with Disabilities Act passed: ADA law protects people with disabilities from being discriminated against                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                               

American Disability - Disability Pride Month                                                                                                                

https://www.ameridisability.com/how-to-display-disability-pride/             

August

 

Aug 04: Barack Obama’s Birthday: This day marks the birth of the United States’ first Black president             

Aug 09: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (United Nations): This day was created by the UN to celebrate the culture of indigenous people on a global scale  

Aug 15: Feast of the Assumption: This Roman Catholic feast day marks the entry of the mother Mary into Heaven (body and soul) 

Aug 18: Lord Krishna’s Birthday (Hindu): This day is the birthday of one of the most popular deities in the Hindu faith. Lord Krishna is also known as Janmashtami, and his birthday is celebrated with a festival 

Aug 24: Marlee Matlin’s Birthday: This day celebrates the birth of Marlee Matlin — the first and only (as of 2023)  hearing-impaired actor to win best actor/actress

Aug 26: Women’s Equality Day (US): Marks the anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the year 1920                                                                                                                    

Aug 30: Raksha Bandhan (Hindu), also known as Rakhi Purnima or Rakhi, is a Hindu festival that focuses on the love and duty between brothers and sisters. It is held every year in August. 

September

Hispanic Heritage Month; National Recovery Month

Sep 04: Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States                                                                  

Sep 15 to Sep 17: Rosh Hashanah: This holiday is the Jewish New Year when Jews reflect on their faith    

Sep 17:  Constitution Day and Citizenship Day                                                                                                                      

Sep 19: Ganesh Chaturthi, also called Vinayaka Chaturthi, in Hinduism, 10-day festival marking the birth of the elephant-headed deity Ganesha, the god of prosperity and wisdom. It begins on the fourth day (chaturthi) of the month of Bhadrapada (August–September), the sixth month of the Hindu calendar.    

Sep 20: HeForShe (United Nations): This movement was started by the UN with the goal of promoting gender equality

Sep 23: Autumnal Equinox: This date marks a variety of religious observances across the globe                      

Sep 15: begins Rosh Hashanah at sundown and it concludes at nightfall on Sep 17, 2023.  Rosh Hashanah celebrated the birthday of the universe, the day Gd created Adam and Eve, and its celebrated as the head of the Jewish year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

October

Global Diversity Awareness Month; Filipino American History Month; German American Heritage Month; Italian American Heritage Month; Polish American Heritage Month; National Disability Employment Awareness Month; Breast Cancer Awareness Month; LGBTQ History Month

Oct 04 -05: Yom Kippur (Jewish)                                                                                                                      

Oct 05: Dussehar (Hindu)                                                                                                                

Oct 06: German American Heritage Day (US)                                                                                                                           

Oct 09: Indigenous People’s Day: This day honors the indigenous people of the United States; the holiday coincides with Columbus Day. Indigenous Peoples' Day arose as an alternative to Columbus Day, which Native Americans protested for honoring a man who had enabled their colonization and forced assimilation; 

Oct 09-16: Sukkot (Jewish)                                                                                                                              

Oct 10: World Mental Health Day: A day that advocates for mental health awareness and education; on this day, you can support the efforts by reflecting on your own biases regarding mental health and advocating against social stigma related to it                                                                                                                        

Oct 11: National Coming out Day | LGBT Awareness Day                                                                                                  

Oct 14: Defender of Ukraine Day: This day celebrates those who have fought for the freedom of Ukraine   

Oct 16-18: Shemini Atzeret (Jewish)                                                                                                                         

Oct 17: Spirit Day: This day is aimed specifically at LGBTQ youth and what their community can do to support them. You can participate in this day by wearing purple and speaking out against bullying; 

Oct 17-18: Simchat Torah (Jewish)                                                                                                                

Oct 24 Diwali (Hindu, Jain, Sikh)                                                                                                                

Oct 31 Halloween (US)                                                                                                                  

Office of Disability Employment Policy                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                               

Indigenous People's Day                                                                                                                               

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/10/08/a-proclamation-indigenous-peoples-day-2021/

November

National Native American and Alaska Native Heritage Month; Movember (Men's issues awareness)* 

*Movember: A month-long fundraiser that seeks to raise awareness for men’s issues such as suicide as well as prostate and testicular cancer  

Nov 01: All Saints’ Day, All Souls Day, Día de Los Muertos: These days are dedicated to all those who have passed away in the Christian faith as well as the Mexican and Aztec communities

Nov 08: National First Generation College Celebration Day | https://www.colorado.edu/cisc/national-first-gen-celebration-day 

Nov 11: Veteran's Day (US)                                                                                                                           

Nov 12: Diwali: An important celebration in the Hindu faith in which a variety of deities are praised                                                                                                                             

Nov 16: International Day for Tolerance (United Nations): The UN holiday was founded to encourage respect among various people regardless of culture, language, religion, or ethnicity; Nov 16 Dutch American Heritage Day: This day applauds the long friendship between the Netherlands and the US                                                                                           

Nov 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance: This day is held as a remembrance for all those murdered because of transphobia | https://www.glaad.org/tdor   

Nov 24: Thanksgiving (US)                                                                                                                    

Nov 25: Native American Heritage Day    

December

AIDS Awareness Month

Dec 01: Rosa Parks Day honoring American Civil Rights hero; occurs twice a year - on Feb 4 or Dec 1st; World AIDS Day (International): This day highlights the importance of HIV/AIDS awareness and raises money for its cure

Dec 03: International Day of Persons with Disabilities: This United Nations holiday raises awareness for the rights of individuals with disabilities  https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities

December 07: to December 15 – Hanukkah: A Jewish holiday celebrating Jews rising up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt

Dec 10: International Humans Rights Day: A holiday adopted by the UN in 1948 following the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Dec 15:  Bill of Rights Day (US Federal Courts)                                                                                                                      

December 16 to December 24: Las Posadas: A religious festival celebrated in Mexico and parts of the U.S. during the Christmas season

Dec 18-26: Hanukkah (Jewish)    

Dec 21: Yule (Pagan) Winter Solstice: A festival celebrated by Pagan and Wiccan faiths

Dec 24: Christmas Eve/ Noche buena (Christian)                                                                                                                 

Dec 25: Christmas: A Christian holiday marking the birth of their lord and savior, Jesus Christ                          

December 26 to January 1: Kwanzaa: A 7-day holiday often celebrated by Black Americans that was inspired by African harvest celebrations (US)