Diversity Calendar
The DEIA Communications team keeps a calendar of upcoming diversity awareness months and days recognized either nationally or internationally due to their cultural, historical, or religious significance.
Month-Long Events:
Date-Specific Events:
- Monday, September 4: Labor Day
- Wednesday, September 6 – Thursday, September 7: Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
- Friday, September 15 – Sunday, September 17: Rosh Hashanah (Jewish)
- Saturday, September 16: Mexican Independence Day
- Monday, September 18 – Sunday, September 24: International Week of the Deaf
- Monday, September 18: Air Force Birthday
- Saturday, September 23: International Day of Sign Languages
- Sunday, September 24 – Monday, September 25: Yom Kippur (Jewish)
- Tuesday, September 26 – Wednesday, September 27: Eid Milad ul-Nabi (Muslim)
- Friday, September 29 – Friday, October 6: Sukkot (Jewish)
- Saturday, September 30: National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools
Additional Awareness Events this Month
The DEIA Communications team will send out individual communications around the following awareness events this month:
- Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx Heritage Month
You can participate in this year’s theme for International Week of the Deaf
There are 48 million people in the United States that identify as Deaf or hard of hearing. About 500,000 Deaf people communicate through sign language.
The theme for this year’s International Week of the Deaf (#IWDP) is 'A World Where Deaf People Can Sign Anywhere!' The theme highlights the importance of creating an environment in which Deaf people can communicate using sign language wherever they are, without any limitations or barriers. This may include increasing access to sign language interpreters, providing more education and resources, and encouraging the use of sign language in public spaces.
You can take part in this year’s theme by learning basic American Sign Language (ASL). Dr. Bill Vicars, a Deaf ASL professor, has created beginners training for everyone called ASL University: Lessons. His training includes videos, practice cards, presentations, and quizzes.
As an important reminder, ASL is not the only sign language in the United States and not everyone that is Deaf knows sign language. Our recent Deaf History Month communication covers six types of sign language (e.g., Black American Sign Language, Plains Indian Sign Language, etc.) along with the different ways in which Deaf people communicate. Always ask a Deaf person their preferred methods of communication.
A note about the image used in this article: The sign being made by the Deaf model in this picture is “like.” The picture is from the Disabled and Here collection.