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Cultural Awareness
January
January is the start of a new year, including the Lunar New Year, one of the most sacred Chinese holidays. It is also a time to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an activist for social change through nonviolence. January 27th is Holocaust Remembrance Day – to mourn the loss and honor the survivors.
February
February celebrates Black History Month and all that African Americans have contributed to our American History. We also celebrate love, on Valentine's Day and Presidents Day to honor those past presidents that have birthdays during the month of February.
March
March is Women’s History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day which is a day to honor and celebrate women in economics, political and social arenas and all their achievements. It is also National Irish American Heritage Month and on March 17th St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated who was the patron saint of Ireland who brought Christianity to the country. Ramadan also begins this month, which is an Islamic holiday celebrated through fasting, praise, prayer and devotion to the Islamic faith. This week is also Holy Week, which runs from March 24-30 and includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. Each one of these days is significant on both the Christian and Jewish calendars. To close out the month, March 31st is the International Transgender Day of Visibility where people are celebrated, and their identities recognized as well as their allies who stand by their side during the fight for their rights.
April
April is the start of spring and Diversity Month. It is also Autism Acceptance Month, with April 2nd celebrating World Autism Awareness Day, which was created to help bring awareness around the globe. This is also National Arab American Heritage Month, Minority Health Awareness Month and April 12th is the Day of Silence in support of LGBTQ+ students and their allies. Passover begins Monday April 22nd - April 30 and is the remembrance of the Jewish exile from Egypt.
May
May celebrates Moms! It is also the recognition of Older Americans, Asian Pacific American Heritage, and Jewish American Heritage month. May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. On May 4th many will gather for the National Day of Prayer and then celebrate Cinco-de-Mayo the following day. Lupus Awareness Day is celebrated on May 10th each year. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 1.5 million Americans. It is estimated that 16,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia to remind us to be inclusive of all people. We recognize and celebrate Malcolm X Day on May 17th and on May 21st , the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. We close out the month remembering those who have fought and lost their lives for this country on May 27th on Memorial Day.
June
June brings us sunshine and outside events and we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride this month as well as Immigrant Heritage and Caribbean American Heritage Month. On June 2nd Native American Citizenship Day is commemorated. June 19th is when we celebrate Juneteenth, recognizing the emancipation of slavery two years after the proclamation was signed and lastly, LGBTQ+ Pride Day, which is held on June 28th to commemorate the Stonewall Riots that occurred on June 28, 1969.
July
Happy Independence Day! This is when we celebrate the birth of our Nation. We also celebrate International Non-Binary People’s Day, on July 14th which is aimed at raising awareness and organizing around the issues faced by nonbinary people while celebrating their contributions. On July 26th we recognize National Disability Independence Day which is the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities.
August
Summer is winding down, but we are still celebrating! On August 26th, we commemorating the 1920 certification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution giving women the right to vote through Women's Equality Day.
September
On the first Monday in September, Labor Day is recognized. The Second Week of September is HBCU Week, which is a week-long celebration of the vital role HBCU’s play in molding Black leaders and encouraging high school students to enroll into HBCU’s. Beginning September 15th through October 15th, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated. September 18th is International Equal Pay Day which celebrates the long standing efforts towards the achievements of equal pay for work of equal value.
October
Starting October 2nd – 4th (sundown to sundown) Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration, marking the creation of the world is celebrated. National Indigenous People’s Day is an alternative to Columbus Day, giving recognition to the indigenous populations affected by colonization and is held on the second Monday in October. On October 10th, World Mental Health Day increases public awareness about the importance of mental health, mental health services and mental health workers worldwide. On October 11th – 12th (sundown to sundown) Yom Kippur , which is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar is commemorated. It is a day of atonement, marked by fasting and repentance. October 11th is National Coming Out Day which celebrates coming out and recognition of the 1987 march on Washington for gay and lesbian equality. October 3rd – 12th commemorates Navratri which is a nine-day Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil. On October 16th we recognize International Pronouns Day which is a day to remember to respect, share and educate about personal pronouns commonplace.
November
On November 11th, Veterans Day, we honor our US military veterans of all branches and thank them for their service. November 1st is the celebration of Diwali which is the Hindu, Jain, and Sikh five-day festival of lights celebrating new beginnings and triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The week of November 13th – 19th we recognize Transgender Awareness Week to help raise awareness and visibility of transgender people and address the issues members of the community face and the week ends on November 20th with Transgender Day of Remembrance to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia. November 28th Thanksgiving Day where we give thanks for our family and friends and on November 29th we should recognize National Native American Heritage Day which is a day to observe and honor Native Americans through appropriate ceremonies and activities.
December
On December 1st, World AIDS Day we commemorate those who have died of AIDS and continued commitment to those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. December 3rd is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities to help raise awareness regarding persons with disabilities to improve their lives and provide them with equal opportunity. The week of December 25th – January 2nd Hanukkah is celebrated. It is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated for 8 days and nights. December 10th – International Human Rights Day and December 25th is Christmas Day. December 26th – January 1st, African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa which is a holiday to celebrate universal African-American Heritage and ending the year is December 31st Watch Night Service (New Year’s Eve) when people pray and attend service to bring in the new year.