The DEIA Communications team sends out monthly emails about upcoming diversity awareness events recognized either nationally or internationally due to their cultural, historical, or religious significance. See below for several diversity dates to be aware of in the month of June. 

Month-Long Observances

Note that Pride Month is covered under the "Additional Awareness Events this Month" section below.

Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month  

Go purple this June! Why? Because June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Health Awareness Month and purple is the official color of the Alzheimer’s movement. June is an opportunity to hold a conversation about the brain, and share the fact that Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are a major public health issue. Alzheimer’s is the only leading cause of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s, which kills more people each year than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. In addition, approximately 200,000 cases are people under the age of 65 with early onset Alzheimer's, including a local father of three in his 50s. Join the fight to end Alzheimer’s: consider wearing purple, sharing stories and memories of those we’ve lost to the disease, and educating yourself, your friends and your family on cognitive health. Visit the Alzheimer's Association website for more information, resources, and facts. For ways to take action in June, visit the Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month website.  

Black Music Month

Since 1979, June has been celebrated as Black Music Month. The month is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the African American musical influences that built our nation's cultural heritage. Many unique forms and music genres are deeply rooted in African American culture. Some of these forms include folk music, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock and roll, hip-hop and rap, as well as traditional sacred music. 

National Caribbean American Heritage Month 

The month of June officially became National Caribbean American Heritage Month in 2006. The annual celebration provides a time for Americans to honor the achievements and contributions of Caribbean immigrants and their descendants living in the U.S. who have shaped our society in business, journalism, government, sports, the military, and the arts. About 90 percent of Caribbean-Americans come from five countries: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago. 

National Immigrant Heritage Month 

National Immigrant Heritage Month celebrates the history and achievements of immigrant communities across our Nation. The National Endowment for the Humanities has created an Immigrant Heritage Month Virtual Bookshelf of numerous funded projects that preserve and document a wide array of immigrant experiences and showcase the contributions immigrants have made to American life. 

Week and Day Observances

Note that Loving Day and Juneteenth are covered under the “Additional Awareness Events this Month” section below. 

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day 

Sunday, June 5 

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day is an opportunity to raise awareness that leads to action. The selection of June 5 for this annual observance coincides with the anniversary of the first official reporting of what became known as the AIDS epidemic in 1981.  June 5, 1981 is considered the start of the HIV epidemic when the CDC first reported on five cases of a mysterious disease affecting young gay men. Today, HIV Long-Term Survivors (HLTS) represent a diverse group of about 300,000 people who were diagnosed with HIV before the advent of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy or HAART in 1996. For more information, please visit the HIV.gov website.  

Summer Solstice 

Tuesday, June 21

The summer solstice is the longest day of the year and the shortest night of the year. The significance of summer solstice varies among cultures. Some communities celebrate it with holidays, festivals, and rituals. Pagans recognize it as Litha, a day of inner power and brightness. In Sweden, midsummer is one of the year's major holidays when the country closes down as much as during Christmas. Summer solstice lands in June for countries in the Northern Hemisphere, while it lands in December for countries in the Southern Hemisphere, such as Australia and Argentina. 

Additional Awareness Events this Month 

The DEIA Communications team will send out email campaigns around the following awareness events this month: 

  • Pride Month 
  • Loving Day – June 12 
  • Juneteenth – June 19

Questions?

Please contact the DEIA Communications team with any questions or feedback.