To the UConn Community:
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of July:
Heritage Month Celebrations:
Disability Pride Day (July 26th) and Month: In the United States, Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July to commemorate the July 26th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which provides civil rights protections to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. In 2008, the ADA was expanded with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) that expanded the definition of “disability” in order to simplify the process for establishing a disability in order to seek ADA protections. July 26th is celebrated as Disability Pride Day in honor of the ADA while Disability Pride Month provides an annual observance to promote visibility for the 160 million Americans with a disability and to raise awareness of about the pride felt by people with disabilities. Disability Pride Month explores the lives of people with disabilities in positive ways while also endeavoring to create spaces for people with disabilities to explore their own lives in positive and public ways.
UConn seeks to ensure that students with disabilities have the same access to programs, opportunities, and activities as all others at UConn. The primary pathway for providing that access comes from the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), which offers a variety of programs and services for students with disabilities, including at UConn Health. Faculty and staff can also request OIE’s training to increase awareness and understanding of disability access and responsibilities at UConn. UConn also offers a Certificate of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies in Public Health.
We are excited to announce the formation of a new **Disability Affinity Group** at UConn! This group aims to create a supportive community for UConn employees who identify with a disability/as disabled or have an interest in disability-related topics. Our mission is to foster a welcoming environment where we can share experiences, support one another, and advocate for inclusivity across our university. If you are interested in joining or would like more information about our Disability Affinity Group, please reach out to Erin Scanlon (erin.scanlon@uconn.edu). We invite you to join us!
French American Heritage Month: In the United States, July is designated as the month to celebrate the significant contributions made to the United States by people of French descent. Approximately 12.5 million Americans are of French or French Canadian descent, including 750,000 Creole peoples. This month also celebrates historical events that cemented the important relationship between the United States and France.
Cultural and Federal Holidays:
Independence Day (July 4th): The 4th of July is a national holiday commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Though organized around celebrating American independence from England, July 4th also provides an opportunity to celebrate the diverse peoples and cultures who make up our nation.
National Black Women’s Equal Pay Day (July 27th): First celebrated by The National Committee on Pay Equity in 1996, this day highlights the impacts of institutional racism in the workplace, especially regarding pay. On average, Black women make 62 cents for every dollar paid to a white man. This day also recognizes that inequalities created by pay disparity have generational consequences, a problem that has been exacerbated during the pandemic.
ODI believes that working to address the systems that create inequity for any group will help address the systems that create inequity for every group. UConn provides professional development resources for these and other identity-based groups who face unique challenges on entering the workforce. See more at the Center for Career Development.
Religious Holidays:
Muharram (July 7th – August 5th): Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar, second only to Ramadan in importance and holiness. Many Muslims celebrate the first day of Muharram as the Islamic New Year (July 7th – 8th) marking the start of the lunar year. Muslims celebrate the new year by visiting the mosque, praying for well-being, and spending time with loved ones. They also traditionally cook something sweet to share when breaking their fast. Muharram also includes Ashura (July 16th – 17th), which mourns the martyrdom of Ḥusayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad. Traditions and celebrations vary across locations and between Shia and Sunni peoples – Sunnis consider this a day of respect but do not take part in mourning traditions.
Karka Sankranti (July 16th): Karka Sankranti is a Hindu observance and festival that celebrates the sun’s journey from the Northern to the Southern hemisphere. This marks the end of the six-month Uttarayana period of the Hindu calendar and the start of Dakshinayana, which ends with January’s Marka Sankranti. Dedicated to the sun deity, Surya, Karka is typically celebrated through acts of charity.
Ashura (July 16th – 17th): This holy day for Muslims is celebrated on the tenth day of Muharram; this year, that falls on July 17th. Traditions and celebrations vary across locations and between Shia and Sunni peoples. Shia Muslims typically see it as the most important day of Muharram, which mourns the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. For Sunni Muslims, Ashura commemorates the day God saved Moses and his followers were saved from Pharaoh by creating a path in the Red Sea.
We welcome the celebration of each of these holidays on our campuses and encourage support for those requiring accommodations. You can find information and guidance about academic accommodations for religious observations on the Provost Office’s webpage.
To see more information about resources and events happening this month and throughout the semester, please visit our events page at www.diversity.uconn.edu/events. ODI writes these letters in collaboration with our partners across the UConn system. If we inadvertently omitted a cultural or religious holiday, please let us know by emailing us at diversity@uconn.edu.
Sincerely,
Jeff and Anne
Jeffrey F. Hines, MD
Interim Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, UConn Health
Anne D’Alleva
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs