Participate in Our Anonymous Ancestry Survey for Family History Month, Family History Month is held in October each year. Recognized by libraries and genealogists across the country, it’s a great opportunity to talk about family history and make sure your family story is remembered for decades (and centuries) to come. While it’s not an official national holiday, Family History Month began with a resolution by the Senate in 2001. In honor of Family History Month, we…, All responses are due by Friday, October 14., Complete the Ancestry Survey, Share Family Recipes and Stories for Immigrants Day, In 1987, on the 101st anniversary of the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 28 as “National Immigrants Day.” It was celebrated as a moving reminder of what makes America unique among other nations. While it is not an official U.S. Holiday, Immigrants Day is an acknowledgement that the United States has more immigrants than any other nation. Whether your…, please submit a recipe by Friday, October 21, . You’ll also have the option to submit a family story about that recipe. Submit a Family Recipe, All are Welcome to Participate in the Tell Your Story Series, We’ve been honored to have three great Tell Your Story events over the last year and a half. Thank you to Ismael Carreras, Shahriar Panahi, and Chanda Wolf for participating in the series. If you are interested in sharing your story, contact Cheryl Millett at cmillett@umassp.edu .
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We appreciate your participation in our latest Tell Your Story event, "Unspeakable Truths: One Family's Survival from Cambodia's Killing Fields." We hope to have you join us for future Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) events! Please take a couple minutes to complete the event survey so we can continue to improve upon our DEIA events. Complete the Survey, Event Resources, You can access both the presentation and the Cambodian-American data visualizations through the Unspeakable Truths event page (authentication required). The video will be posted to the site by Friday, September 30.
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Chanda Wolf, who works as Special Assistant to the President and General Counsel for the UMass System Office, will share her story on Friday, September 23, 2022, noon to 1:00 pm— Unspeakable Truths: One Family’s Survival from Cambodia’s Killing Fields. President Meehan will be opening the event with a short introduction. The 1984 movie “The Killing Fields” provides historical and political…, Share Your Story, Every story shared is a chance to make a connection with people and between people.
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About the Month, Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) recognizes the achievements and contributions of Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. It started as National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 when Lyndon B. Johnson signed a proclamation and was later extended to a month. The celebration begins in the middle rather than the…, Historic Influencers , There have been many Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx figures who have shaped American history. Here are just a few of those influencers (feel free to share additional Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx influencer stories on our Slack #Inclusion channel ): Albert Vinicio Báez – Báez was a Mexican American physicist who co-developed the theory of using grazing-incidence mirrors to focus X-rays with…, Explore the Library of Congress's Latinx Resource Guide , The “ Latinx Resource Guide ” from the Hispanic Reading Room at the Library of Congress focuses on 20th and 21st century court cases, legislation, and events that had important impacts on civil rights in Chicana/o/x, Hispanic, Latina/o/x, Mexican-American, and Puerto Rican communities in the United States. Each page provides an overview and timeline of a civil rights topic and some breadth of…, What is the difference between Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx? , These definitions are from the University of California’s “ What’s the difference between Hispanic, Latino and Latinx? article. “Hispanic” refers to any of the peoples in the Americas and Spain who speak Spanish or are descended from Spanish-speaking communities. It was coined in the 1970s by the U.S. Census Bureau to offer a pan-ethnic name for peoples such as Puerto Ricans, Mexican Americans,…, So which one is preferred across the community?, As the above article explains, there is no one preference across the community. Each individual's preference is based on how that person identifies. The best thing to do is ask someone their preference rather than assume the person's preference.
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Chanda Wolf, who works as Special Assistant to the President and General Counsel for the UMass System Office, will share her story on Friday, September 23, 2022, noon to 1:00 pm— Unspeakable Truths: One Family’s Survival from Cambodia’s Killing Fields. President Meehan will be opening the event with a short introduction. The 1984 movie “The Killing Fields” provides historical and political…, Share Your Story, Every story shared is a chance to make a connection with people and between people.
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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 September. , Monthly Observances, Note that Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month is covered under the "Additional Awareness Events this Month" section below., National Guide Dog Month, National Guide Dog Month occurs every September. It is is a celebration of the work of guide dogs in the United States as a way to raise awareness, appreciation, and support for guide dog schools across the United States. Guide dogs are used by many blind, deafblind, and low vision people to navigate the physical world, but not everyone will choose to use a guide dog – there are a few other…, Week and Day Observances, Labor Day, Monday, September 5, Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual recognition of the social and economic achievements of American workers and the importance of workers' rights. The day was established in the late 1800s during the Industrial Revolution when many Americans were forced to work 12-hour days, seven days a week, including children as young as 5 in some states. Riots and protests arose…, Mexican Independence Day, Friday, September 16, September 16 is Mexican Independence Day, a day commemorating the moment when Father Hidalgo, a priest and leader, called for Mexico's liberation from Spain in September of 1810. The 11-year battle that resulted in Mexico's independence culminated on August 24, 1821, when Spain signed the Treaty of Córdoba, which formally recognized Mexican independence. Every year on the night of September 15,…, National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day, Sunday, September 18, September 18 is National HIV/AIDS & Aging Awareness Day, a day to combat stigma faced by older Americans with HIV and address aging-related challenges of HIV testing, prevention, and care. Older people in the United States are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage HIV. Early diagnosis and care are key strategies for ending HIV. Visit the HIV website to learn more about HIV testing, …, International Day of Peace, Wednesday, September 21, Each year, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all…, Rosh Hashanah (Jewish), Sunday, September 25 – Tuesday, September 27, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a fall holiday and one of Judaism’s holiest days. The festival is a time to celebrate the completion of another year while also taking stock of one’s life. It begins on the first day of Tishrei, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, which falls during September or October. Rosh Hashanah 2022 begins at sundown on Sunday, September 25, and ends at sundown…, Navratri (Hindu), Monday, September 26 – Wednesday, October 5, Navratri, a nine-day fast festival is one of the auspicious festivals of Hindus. Navratri is derived from two Sanskrit words; ‘nava’ means nine, and ‘ratri’ means night. Navratri holds different significance and is celebrated in different ways across India. It’s celebrated in March/April as Chaitra Navratri and in September/October (near autumn equinox) as Sharad Navratri as it follows the lunar…, Additional Awareness Events this Month, The DEIA Communications team will send out an email campaign around the following awareness event this month: Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15)
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About Transgender Awareness Week, Transgender Awareness Week occurs , November 13-19 , each year and culminates on the November 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance. Transgender Awareness Week provides awareness about transgender people and illuminates issues that face the transgender community – in particular, discrimination, prejudice, and violence. The term “transgender” or “trans” is an umbrella term for a person whose gender identity is not the same as the sex they were…, About Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20, 2022 , marks the 24th anniversary of Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR), which was originally established to commemorate the life of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was murdered in her Boston apartment in 1998. TDOR is now an annual day of remembrance for members of the transgender community who have been victims of anti-transgender hatred and violence . , Upcoming Transgender Day of Remembrance Event in Cape Cod, An in-person vigil to honor and remember the victims of anti-transgender violence will be held in Barnstable, Cape Cod on , Thursday, November 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., For more information, please visit the Cape Cod Transgender Day of Remembrance event page.
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JFK Library Event Details, The JFK Library will host their annual Native American Heritage Month event on , Friday, November 25, 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., at the library, which is located at Columbia Point, Boston. Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers will share stories of both their history and modern culture in an educational program that culminates with a full-audience dance in honor of Native American Heritage Month. During this program, the whole family can learn new movements and words in this participatory experience. The event is free,…, Who are the Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers?, The Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers are made up of the Wampanoag communities of Aquinnah, Mashpee, & Herring Pond. They perform Eastern Social Song and Dance around New England that includes audience participation. They also have an annual event on Indigenous Peoples' Day (October 9) at the Concord Museum ., #OwnVoices: Kids Books by Indigenous Authors and Illustrators, Looking for kids books by Indigenous Authors and Illustrators? Check out the #OwnVoices list , books for children by Native American and First Nations authors and illustrators. Many are recommended by the American Indian Youth Literature Award, author Cynthia Leitich Smith, or American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL). Note that while this list specifically points to library books, all of…, Thank You to Our Native American Heritage Month and National Day of Mourning Committee, Thank you to our 2022 Native American Heritage Month and National Day of Mourning Event Committee for their continued work compiling resources this month - Kristina England, Débora D. Ferreira, Sara MacKenzie, Megan Momtaheni, and Chanda Wolf. Interested in becoming a DEIA Program volunteer? Complete our DEIA Program Volunteer form .
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Thanksgiving is a time to give gratitude and to share a meal with loved ones, including a favorite family recipe . It is also a time to remember that not everyone recognizes Thanksgiving in the same way. There are colleagues or friends who have lost a loved one this year. Some people do not have anyone to celebrate the holiday with; others are homeless and grateful to have another warm meal.…
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Emily Ladau, a disability activist and author, and Kate Caldwell, a nationally recognized consultant on disability entrepreneurship, have published their annual Disability Holiday Gift Guide . In this guide, you’ll find lots of unique creations from disabled entrepreneurs, some new books by disabled authors, and disability-led organizations to support. I know it’s been a rough few years, but I…
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