The rainbow infinity sign is the symbol for neurodiversity. The full spectrum of colors represents the diversity of the autism spectrum as well as the greater neurodiversity movement. Autism Acceptance Month is a month dedicated to promoting inclusion and to breaking down the harmful misconceptions that are associated with autism. In contrast to Autism Awareness Month, which is also widely…, What is Autism?, According to the Autism Self Advocacy Network, "Autism is a developmental disability that affects how we experience the world around us. Autistic people are an important part of the world. Autism is a normal part of life, and makes us who we are. Autism has always existed. Autistic people are born autistic and we will be autistic our whole lives. Autism can be diagnosed by a doctor, but you can…, "We think differently", "We process our senses differently", "We move differently", "We communicate differently", "We socialize differently", "We might need help with daily living", However, the most important thing that they note is that not every autistic person will relate to all of these. As they say in the article linked below, “There are lots of different ways to be autistic.” Learn more about Autism by visiting ASAN’s “ About Autism ” page., What is Neurodiversity?, Neurodiversity refers to the diversity of all people, but is frequently used in the context of autism and other neurological or developmental conditions. The neurodiversity movement emerged during the 90s and is aimed at increasing acceptance and inclusion of all people by embracing neurological differences. Learn more about how you can make the workplace more inclusive for neurodiverse people by…
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May 18 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT, Join Disability:IN and their corporate partners for a Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) webinar on accessible procurement. A corporate commitment to a disability diverse and inclusive workforce requires that digital products and content be fully usable by a company’s employees and job applicants with disabilities. Accessible procurement is key to that commitment. Join this panel of…
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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 May. , Month-Long Observances, Note that Mental Health Awareness Month is covered under the "Additional Awareness Events this Month" section below., ALS Awareness Month , ALS Awareness Month is a campaign to spread awareness of and raise funds for research for a cure for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Find out how you can get involved in fighting ALS at the ALS Association website ., Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Month , Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the remarkable role of the AANHPI community in our nation’s history. The AANHPI community is incredibly diverse, comprising over 45 distinct ethnicities and over 100 language dialects. Visit the National Park Services AANHPI site to access various resources on the historical contributions of the…, Haitian Heritage Month , Haitian Heritage Month is a celebration in the United States of Haitian heritage and culture. Boston was the first city to celebrate Haitian Heritage Month in 1998 and is home to one of the largest populations of Haitian immigrants in the United States. The month of May was selected to coincide with Haitian Flag Day on May 18. , Jewish American Heritage Month, Jewish American Heritage Month is held in May to recognize the more than 350 year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. The month was first recognized in 2006, when President George W. Bush proclaimed it an official heritage month. Visit the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center (JHC) website to learn about the history of Jewish families, institutions, and communities in New…, Older Americans Month, Every May, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM). In 2022, ACL's theme "Age My Way" will focus on aging in place - how older adults can plan to stay in their homes and live independently in their communities for as long as possible. Visit the ACL Administration for Community Living site for more information., Week and Day Observances, Note that Global Accessibility Action Day and Memorial Day are covered under the "Additional Awareness Events this Month" section below., Eid al-Fitr , Sunday, May 1-Monday May 2 , Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Eid al-Fitr is otherwise known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast.” It is a Muslim holiday for special prayers, family time, gift giving, and charity. In 2022, Eid al-Fitr was celebrated beginning on the evening of Sunday, May 1, and ending on the evening of Monday, May 2. , Cinco de Mayo, Thursday, May 5 , Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, is a recognized holiday in celebration of the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The Battle of Puebla occurred during the Franco-Mexican War, which spanned from 1861-1867. While this is a minor holiday in Mexico, it is widely celebrated in the United States in commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage., Vesak (Buddhism), Friday, May 6, Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals and is usually celebrated in May or early June. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago, in the year 623 B.C., that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha in his eightieth year passed away. , International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, Tuesday, May 17, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is a day to celebrate diversity and to raise awareness of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTIQ+) people. This year’s theme is “ Our Bodies, Our Lives, Our Rights .” , World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, Saturday, May 21, Established by the United Nations in 2002, following UNESCO’s adoption in 2001, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is an occasion to promote culture and highlight the significance of its diversity as an agent of inclusion and positive change. It represents an opportunity to celebrate culture’s manifold forms, whether the tangible and intangible, creative…, Declaration of the Bab (Bahá’í), Monday, May 23, One of nine Bahá’í holy days, the Declaration of the Bab recognizes May 23, 1844, the day when the Bab announced that he was a messenger of God and foretold the coming of another messenger of God in the near future., Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Bahá’í), Sunday, May 29, The anniversary of the death of the founder of the Bahá'í faith, Bahá'u'lláh. This solemn anniversary is a day of rest, and is often observed by reading or chanting from the scriptures., Additional Awareness Events this Month , The DEIA Communications team will send out email campaigns around the following awareness events this month: Mental Health Awareness Month Global Accessibility Action Day - May 19 Memorial Day - May 30, Questions?, Please contact the DEIA Communications team with any questions or feedback.
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The Day of Silence is a national student-led demonstration where LGBTQIA+ students and allies all around the country—and the world—take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQIA+ people in schools. Students who participate often hand out “speaking cards,” which explain the reason for their silence. The Day of Silence is held on a different day in…
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Mental Health Awareness Month takes place every year during the month of May. This time is dedicated to spreading education, resources, and awareness about mental illnesses and the millions of Americans who struggle every day. This month is also an effort to destigmatize and open the conversation surrounding mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation :, 1 in 5, adults live with a mental illness Almost , 1 in 25, adults live with a serious mental illness, 50%, of chronic mental illnesses start before 14, 75%, of chronic mental illnesses start by 24 Just over , 10 million, people over the age of 18 have more than 1 addiction or mental health disorder Suicide is the , 10th leading, cause of death in the United States. It accounts for the loss of more than , 41,000 American lives, each year, more than double the number of lives lost to homicide. Mental Health Awareness Month was first recognized in 1949 by Mental Health America (then known as the National Committee for Mental Hygiene and later National Mental Health Association). Mental Health America was founded by Clifford Whittingham Beers in 1909, Beers was one of five children in a family who all battled mental…, ComPsych Webinar, On , Tuesday, May 17th at 12:00PM, , HR will be hosting a mental health awareness webinar. The webinar will be hosted by a ComPsych representative, the UMass EAP provider and will focus on educating participants on mental health and how to support one another. The session is designed to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and to promote ways of supporting each other in the workplace. During this webinar, the host will…, Resources, UMass provides employees with resources that can be accessed anytime, anywhere from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Visit UMass President's Office Mental Health Resources for more information on employee resources. Remember: Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Mental health problems can affect anyone. Remember to be kind and provide support when others are…, Be kind to your mind!
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Create Your FY2023 Disability Inclusion Action Plan, For the past 11 years, Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) has been recognized across the world on the third Thursday of each month. This year's GAAD will be held on Thursday, May 19. The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the more than one billion disabled people across the world. As we head into the 5th year of…, FY2023 Disability Inclusion Action Plan Examples, We've included a few examples of ways teams can take action, but encourage any teams that participate to establish their own action items for FY2023. If you would like to participate, please email the Digital Experience Team to let them know you are creating an FY2023 Disability Inclusion Action Plan. In addition, feel free to reach out to the Digital Experience team for help creating your action…, Incorporate accessibility skills into your job postings, . Teach Access partnered with several companies and higher education institutions, including the UMass President's Office, to develop an Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit . This toolkit provides skills that can be incorporated into several job roles, including legal counsel, project managers, and sourcing/procurement officers., Gain an understanding of disability etiquette and culture, . Set up scheduled monthly book club discussions with your team and read a chapter a month of Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau. , Learn how to write an accessible email, . Microsoft has put together quick email accessibility videos on each key email accessibility topic. , Identify other actionable goals by reviewing the , Inclusive by Design Toolkit, . What stands out to you and your team as an area of interest? What do you feel you can take action on in the next year? What do you feel you can take action in the next three months? , Attend the Teach Access "Incorporating Accessibility Skills into the Hiring Process" Panel on May 19, Thursday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. , This panel will focus on the benefits of including accessibility skills in your hiring processes. Each panelist will provide insight into their experiences with hiring staff with accessibility knowledge and skills in tech, higher education, and the disability community, highlighting how to use the Teach Access Accessibility Skills Hiring Toolkit to recruit and hire accessibility-skilled staff…, Weekly Disability Inclusion Office Hours, Have questions about Disability Inclusion? Feel free to sign up for one-on-one virtual office hours with Kristina England on Fridays between 1:00 and 3:00. Or contact Kristina if Friday afternoons do not work and you would like to schedule office hours another day of the week., Questions?, Please contact the DEIA Communications team with any questions or feedback.
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Each June, Pride Month is celebrated to honor LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual or Allies) culture, history, and achievements, and to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. Throughout Pride Month, millions of individuals throughout the world participate in parades, festivals, and celebrations of life, as well as demonstrations and awareness campaigns to…
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Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a national day of remembrance to honor military veterans who have died in service to the United States during peace and war. Since 1971, Memorial Day has been observed as a federal holiday on the last Monday in May each year. Memorial Day’s origins date back to the U.S. Civil War, when Americans began holding tributes each spring during the…, Local Memorial Day Events this Weekend, Various events will be held this weekend, including the following annual displays., Garden of Flags for Military Heroes, Boston Common Since 2010, the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund and hundreds of volunteers have created a majestic garden of flags on Boston Common for Memorial Day weekend. Each of the 37,000+ flags they plant every year represents every brave Massachusetts service member who gave his or her life defending our country since the Revolutionary War. The Memorial Day Flag Garden is planned to be…, Operation: Flags for Vets, Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne, MA Since 2011, Operation: Flags for Vets has honored our beloved veterans by placing over 77,000 flags at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. The placing of the flags will take place on Saturday, May 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A short ceremony will be held at the flagpole at the end of the Avenue of Flags at 10 AM followed by the…, Boots on the Ground for Heroes, Fort Adams, Newport, Rhode Island In 2016, Operation Stand Down RI launched the Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial which displays almost 7,000 combat boots adorned with flags and placards. Each boot represents the life of a U.S. service member killed in action post 9-11 in the Global War on Terror. The Boots on the Ground for Heroes Memorial will be displayed at Fort Adams in Newport from…, Questions?, Please contact the DEIA Communications team with any questions or feedback.
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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 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…, 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…, 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…, 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…, 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.…, 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.
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