Poverty is a complex social issue that affects people at a national and international scale. During the month of January, Poverty Awareness Month aims to raise awareness and shine a light on the growing levels of poverty in America. Through a variety of organizations and advocates, Poverty Awareness Month’s goal is to analyze, understand, and support solutions to ending poverty. You can make a…
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January 4 is World Braille Day. It is celebrated on this day to honor the birth of Louis Braille, the inventor of the touch reading and writing system. Recognizing World Braille Day reminds us of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for the blind, deafblind, and partially sighted communities. For more information, visit the United…
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Makar Sankranti is the first major harvest festival to be celebrated in India. It is recognized as both a religious as well as seasonal observance dedicated to Lord Surya, the Sun God. Makar Sankranti marks the close of the Winter season and the beginning of a new harvest season. Social activities include colorful decorations, children singing, dances, kite flying, bonfires and feasts. To learn…
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In November 2005, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to assign January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day . January 27 marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau , one of the most infamous and deadliest concentration camps of the Holocaust. The UN General Assembly designated International Holocaust Remembrance Day with the mission to serve as a date to officially honor the…, Commemoration, Every year since 2010, the UN Headquarters’ commemorations are focused on a new educational theme. The specific themes focus on topics such as collective experiences and universal human rights., Resources, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum United Nations: 2022 Holocaust Remembrance
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About Lunar New Year, With roots in ancient China and tied to the lunar calendar, Lunar New Year is celebrated across East and Southeast Asia as well as in diaspora communities. Lunar New Year is a time to gather with family, honor ancestors, and celebrate with food and traditions. This year, Lunar New Year begins on February 10., Lunar New Year Traditions, Lunar New Year is celebrated in a variety of ways across different cultures. In, China, , Lunar New Year is celebrated by cleaning to rid the house of the bad luck from the previous year and to make the house a welcoming place for good luck, decorating the home with red to symbolize joy and good fortune, and gathering for New Year’s Eve meal, the most important dinner of the year. In, Vietnam, , Vietnamese New Year, Tết, celebrates the arrival of spring based on the Vietnamese calendar, and is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. Tết celebrations start on the 1st day of Lunar calendar and usually lasts for at least three days. The first day of the New Year is reserved for parents to celebrate with their children. Children receive a red envelope with money in a…, Korea, , Korean New Year, Seollal, is a traditional festival and national holiday which takes part over three days - the day before, the day of, and the day after the Korean New Year's Day. It is typically a family holiday where many return to their hometowns to celebrate. People often make their first visits to their elders, including parents, in-laws, uncles, aunts, and grandparents, where they…, Singapor, , families celebrate the New Year by honoring their ancestors at temples, enjoy sticky rice cakes, pineapple tarts, or traditional raw fish salad, and visit the Chingay Parade . In, Malaysia, , Lunar New Year welcomes spring with families gathering, celebrating with Yee sang (a salad dish), Nian gao (a rice flour cake), and mandarin oranges. Red envelopes, ang pow, are exchanged, and traditional clothing such as cheongsam or qipao are worn. In, Taiwan, , Lunar New Year is celebrated by gathering with family, making food such as Nian gao (dumplings), pineapple, and fish. Red envelopes are also exchanged. In the, Philippines, , Lunar New Year is celebrated with a traditional midnight meal called Media Noche complete with round-shaped fruits. People jump up in the air at midnight, as tradition goes it will make them taller, and wear polka dots for prosperity and good fortune. Families come together and enjoy other traditional dishes such as sticky rice or long noodles. To read more about the history of Lunar New Year…
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Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The event inspired…, Coretta Scott King, – Mrs. King’s work and passion is highlighted in a new film “ Dear Coretta ”, Quock Walker, – Learn about this local man who fled his enslavement and sued for his freedom on the Black Gems Unearthed YouTube channel maintained by Brandeis staff member, Jazz Dottin., Ida B. Wells, – A journalist and activist for women’s rights who documented the widespread practice of lynching. Learn more about her at the Ida Wells Society Namesake page ., Additional resources, The Association for the Study of African American Life and History founded Black History Month. The organization's mission is to promote, research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community. The Black History Month Library of Congress site is a collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the…
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National Freedom Day is observed yearly on February 1. Major Richard Robert Wright Sr., a former slave, fought to have a day when freedom for all Americans is celebrated. When Wright got his freedom, he went on to become a successful businessman and community leader in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Major Wright chose February 1 as National Freedom Day in recognition of the 13th Amendment. It was on…
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Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by presidential proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history. Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women planned and executed a “Women’s History Week” celebration in 1978.…
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International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality. Marked annually on March 8th, International Women's Day (IWD) is one of the…
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President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the month of March as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in 1987. The term developmental disabilities covers a wide range of disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. The campaign seeks to raise awareness about including people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life. It also creates awareness of…
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