June 2025 Heritage Celebrations

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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 June:

Heritage and Awareness Month Celebrations:

Family Reunification Month: This month is dedicated to celebrating the power of family reunification for children in foster care and recognizing its positive impact on both children and their parents. UConn School of Social Work’s Innovations Institute through the National Quality Improvement Center on Family-Centered Reunification has developed a range of resources, including engaging videos featuring family court judges, parent support partners with lived experience, and program directors – all working on creative projects to reunify families.

LGBTQIA+ Pride Month: June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month in the United States. Pride affirms the many identities within the LGBTQIA+ community while creating spaces for individuals to show up as their most authentic selves. This month celebrates LGBTQIA+ cultures, achievements, and activism while also remembering violence committed against this community and raising awareness about persistent inequalities facing every community. Pride was first celebrated in 1970 on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, a watershed moment in modern activism in which LGBTQIA+ individuals – many of them Black and Brown – protested police brutality and shifted conversations about human rights in the United States. Instrumental to the Stonewall Uprising were Marsha P Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, the first trans women of color to lead an organization in the United States of America. Johnson and Rivera dedicated their lives to social justice, amplifying the voices of people of color and low-income trans communities in the struggle for equality.

While the LGBTQIA+ movement is often portrayed as a movement of white gay men, Johnson and Rivera remind us that the movement’s social justice work was driven by Black and Brown activists. Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ activists like Johnson and Rivera have been instrumental in police reform, mental health awareness, advocating for sexual health and healthy attitudes about sexuality, and raising awareness about bodily rights and gendered and sexualized violence. Pride provides an opportunity for greater unity, visibility, and equality for the LGBTQIA+ community and for continuing to advocate for human rights. This month, we celebrate all that has been achieved in advocating for human rights but recognize that much remains to be done.

There is no singular way to celebrate Pride; dates, traditions, and length of celebrations change by location. Typically, celebrations involve marches, speeches, outdoor festivals, concerts, performances, and workshops. The Office for Diversity and Inclusion prefers not to limit celebrations of the LGBTQIA+ community to June; rather, we believe in celebrating the community year-round. The Rainbow Center has events, programs, and initiatives to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the year. The UConn Library has put together a Pride Collection and a LGBTQIA+ Community Wellness Guide, as well as UConn Health with a list of LGBTQ+ resources.

UConn School of Social Work’s Innovations Institute supports the LGBTQIA+ community through its National SOGIE Center, as well as its Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity (COE).

Upcoming events include:

 

If you are seeking to be in community with other faculty and staff, please join Queer UConn Employees and/or Queer BIPOC Faculty and Staff Affinity Groups.

 

National Cancer Survivors Day: The first Sunday in June brings together people from all backgrounds to celebrate the strength and resilience of over 18 million survivors in the US, their caregivers and support organizations. This day is a reminder that life after cancer is possible, and survivors need to be acknowledged and supported. This year, the National Cancer Survivors Day will be celebrated on June 1 and will serve as a focal point for advocacy on improving the lives of all people that have been affected by cancer.

The Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Care Center at UConn Health is at the forefront of the race to discover new ways to treat and beat cancer and offers many resources to survivors and their relatives.

National Caribbean American Heritage Month: This heritage month was established in 2006 to create and disseminate knowledge about the contributions of Caribbean people to the United States. At UConn, we create and disseminate knowledge of Caribbean contributions, customs, and cultures through El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies; through the Africana Studies Institute; and through UConn Library’s collection on Latin American and Caribbean Studies. UConn students, staff, and faculty can find more programming, resources, and spaces of belonging at the Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center and the African American Cultural Center.

National Immigrant Heritage Month: First launched in 2014 and first recognized by the President in 2022, National Immigrant Heritage Month celebrates immigrants and their countless contributions to the history and culture of the United States. The goal of this month is to provide people across the United States with an opportunity to honor their own heritage while also recognizing the diverse experiences that make the United States unique.

UConn is enriched by the immigrant communities that live, learn, and work across all five campuses, UConn Health, and UConn Law. UConn has several resources available to immigrant communities, including the Human Rights Institute’s partnership with nonprofit services like Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services and the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants. UConn Health also provides educational resources about providing care for refugee and immigrants patients.

National Men’s Health Month: This campaign is meant to encourage men to consider three equally important aspects of their health – physical, mental, and social. Like National Men’s Health Week (June 9-15, 2025), which was first established in 1994, National Men’s Health Month began as a special campaign to help educate men, boys, and families about the importance of developing positive health attitudes and practicing preventative health measures. In addition, men and boys are encouraged to engage in healthier lifestyle choices and the early detection and treatment of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and depression.

Cultural and Federal Holidays:

Flag Day (June 14): Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the American Flag in June of 1777 and coincides with the birthdate of the American military in 1775. Though not a federal holiday, June 14th provides an opportunity to reflect on the ideals the flag stands for, on diversity, one of America’s founding ideals and greatest strengths, as well as on the sacrifices made to preserve those ideals.

The Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs (VAMP) provide student support services specifically for veterans, active service members, and their families attending UConn. Their services include certifying VA educational benefits, assisting students in their transition to life at UConn, and providing supplemental programs and activities to student veterans. VAMP works closely with the Center for Students for Disabilities, which has a wealth of resources for veterans regardless of ability status. VAMP also works closely with state-based Veterans Centers that provide fully confidential mental and behavioral health assistance.

Father’s Day (June 15): In the United States, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June. While other countries have similar days of commemoration, dates and traditions may vary. In the U.S., Father’s Day was created in 1910 to complement Mother’s Day; its founder, Sonora Smart Dodd, wanted to honor her father, who raised six children as a widower. It was made into a federal holiday in 1972. Father’s Day encourages us to honor all paternal figures, caregivers, and mentors whose contributions enrich our lives.

Juneteenth (June 19): Juneteenth, also known as America’s Second Independence Day, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is observed on June 19th, the day in 1865 that Union troops arrived in the last slave-owning community in the country to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation issued more than two years earlier. Though Juneteenth has been celebrated by African American communities since the late 1800s, it only became an official federal holiday in 2021, when President Biden made it the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983. In 2023, the Connecticut legislature designated Juneteenth as an official state holiday.

Juneteenth celebrates African American achievement while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. Celebrations typically involve guest speakers or lectures to promote education and self-improvement; community elders who recount events in the past; prayer services; barbecues; and parades. More than anything, Juneteenth is about being in a supportive community. The Office for Diversity and Inclusion prefers not to limit celebrations of Black and African American communities to June; rather, we believe in celebrating the community year-round, including through the African American Cultural Center and the Africana Studies Institute, our leading spaces of community building and education about the history, culture, contributions, and experiences of people of African descent in the United States.

Above all, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. It serves as a reminder of the moral stain of enslavement on our country and raises awareness of the continued legacy of systemic racism and inequality. It provides an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the work of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. As a community, we must pledge to continue to lift every voice in support of the abolition of hate and racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and other forms of oppression.

This year, no classes or instructional activities should be scheduled on this day.

World Refugee Day (June 20): World Refugee Day honors the strength and courage of refugees. It encourages public awareness and support for people forced to flee their homelands because of war, terror, natural disaster, or other crises. Created by the United Nations in 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Related to the Status of Refugees, World Refugee Day is an opportunity to build empathy and understanding for refugees’ plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives. This year, World Refugee Day focuses on solidarity with refugees.

UConn continues to be concerned about the refugee crisis. Our institution provides several resources available to help those whose quest for safety led them to Connecticut, including UConn Law’s Asylum and Human Rights Clinic and the Human Rights Institute’s partnership with nonprofit services like Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services and the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants. The Human Rights Institute leads UConn’s educational resources, including through the Human Rights Major for undergraduates. UConn Health also provides educational resources about providing care for refugee and immigrant patients. Students can get involved through the Huskies for Refugees club.

Religious Holidays:

Shavuot, the “Feast of Weeks” (June 1 – June 3): Although its origins are to be found in an ancient grain harvest festival, Shavuot has long been identified with the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. Shavuot traditions today include the reading of the Book of Ruth, which perhaps reminds us of the harvest, the eating of dairy foods (without meat, as befits a kosher diet) and the decoration of the home and synagogue with harvest produce.

The Hajj (June 4 – June 9): Hajj, or “pilgrimage” is one of the five pillars of Islam and a mandatory once-in-a-lifetime religious duty for all adult Muslims who are able. During Hajj, millions make the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where they perform rituals to remind them that they are all equal before God and celebrate Islamic unity. Hajj is the most revered spiritual experience for Muslims.

Eid al-Adha (June 6 – June 10, may vary): Eid al-Adha, which translates to the “festival of sacrifice”, is the second and holiest Islamic Eid festival of the year. This holiday honors the sacrifice Ibrahim (Abraham) was willing to make in obedience to God’s command. It may also be referred to as “the big Eid,” and notably marks the end of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid al-Adha will likely begin on the evening of Friday June 6 and end on the evening of Tuesday June 10, subject to the moon sighting. It is a time when Muslims dress in their finest clothing, attend prayers at their local Mosque, visit family and friends, and donate to the less fortunate.

Pentecost (June 8): Pentecost is a significant Christian holiday that commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ. It is often referred to as the “birthday of the Church” because it marks the beginning of the Church’s public mission. Pentecost takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday. Many churches hold special services, sing hymns related to the Holy Spirit, and reflect on the significance of this event.

Race Unity Day (June 8): Race Unity Day, which is also known as Race Amity Day, is observed annually on the second Sunday of June. This year, it takes place on June 8. It started in 1957 in the United States by the Bahá’í National Spiritual Assembly. The purpose was to combat racism by focusing attention on racial prejudice. Racism is the belief that humans are divided into exclusive entities called ‘races,’ that there is a link between personality and physical traits, and that some races are superior to others. The Bahá’í understood that racism is a hindrance to peace, so they started this day to promote racial harmony and understanding.

Whit Monday (June 9): Pentecost Monday, also known as Monday of the Holy Spirit, and most commonly as Whit Monday, is a holiday that is celebrated the day after Pentecost, a moveable feast that is determined by the date of Easter. Whit Monday specifically represents the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, also marking the resumption of Ordinary Time after Easter.

Trinity Sunday (June 15): On Trinity Sunday many Christians in the United States remember and honor the belief of an eternal God, consisting of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Many churches have special prayers on Trinity Sunday. The Athanasian Creed, named after St Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, is recited in some churches on Trinity Sunday because of its strong affirmation of the Triune nature of God.

The Martyrdom of Guru Dev Sahib (June 16): This Sikh holiday celebrates the life of Guru Arjan Dev, one of the ten Gurus who pioneered Sikhism and sacrificed his life for the Sikh people. This annual holiday is usually celebrated by reading the Sikh holy book from cover to cover. In some years, processions are held where sweets are distributed to people after a day of worship. It is important to note that this day is not just about sadness or remorse; it’s also about the celebration of his life, as well as the lives that lived because of him.

Feast of Corpus Christi (June 19): Corpus Christi or The Feast of Corpus Christi is a Christian festival that is celebrated annually on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. On this day, devout Christians gather to honor the sacred body of Jesus Christ. The day is also known as Corpus Domini, which translates to ‘body and blood of Christ.’ Unlike other Christian festivals, Corpus Christi is celebrated uniquely in different cultures of the world. The most common way of celebrating the day is by consuming bread and wine — the symbols of the body and blood of Christ. In 2025, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi is on June 19, but it is transferred to Sunday, June 22 in some dioceses.

Summer Solstice & Litha (June 20): The Summer Solstice, occurring on June 20 this year, marks the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a time when communities across traditions celebrate light, growth, and renewal. For many, the Solstice is a moment of reflection—an opportunity to gather, support one another, and reconnect with nature and personal well-being.

In Pagan and Wiccan traditions, this day is also celebrated as Litha, one of the four “lesser sabbats” in the Wheel of the Year. Litha honors the power and fullness of the sun at its peak, symbolizing abundance, fertility, and the vibrant energy of the natural world. Observances may include rituals, bonfires, and offerings to solar deities, emphasizing themes of balance, gratitude, and connection to the Earth.

While both the Summer Solstice and Litha share the same date and solar significance, they are expressed through different cultural and spiritual lenses—each offering meaningful ways to mark this seasonal turning point.

Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24): The celebration of the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist is a rare event in the liturgical calendar of the church. John the Baptist was set apart from the womb to prepare the way of the Lord and was a significant figure connected to the Incarnation and the Redemption. The Church honors him because of his role in preparing the way for Christ. In the United States, there isn’t a particular custom for St. John the Baptist’s feast day. Though it isn’t a Holy Day of Obligation, it would always be of merit to attend Holy Mass to honor a saint, especially on their feast days.

Muharram (June 27- July 25): It is known as the “Sacred Month of Allah” and is the first month on the Islamic calendar, Hijri, or lunar calendar. Muharram is expected to start on June 27 but is subject to change depending on the sighting of the moon. The Hijri calendar comprises 12 lunar months, with each new month determined by the sighting of a new moon. Approximately two billion Muslims worldwide partake in increased worship, fasting, and general acts of kindness during this holy month to receive multiplied blessings from Allah. This day historically marks the moment the prophet Mohammed fled from Mecca to Yathrib (now called Medina) to escape religious persecution.

Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 27): This is a moveable feast that honors the Sacred Heart. In 1675, Jesus told St. Margaret Mary that He wanted the Feast of the Sacred Heart to be celebrated on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave. In 1856, the Feast of the Sacred Heart became a universal feast. St. John Paul II, a great devotee of the Sacred Heart, said, “This feast reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for the people of all times.”

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29): Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul is observed every year on June 29. The event is the liturgical feast day that honors two martyrs of the Christian faith, St. Peter and St. Paul. Although the church acknowledges they may not have been executed at the same time, both met death at the command of the Roman emperor — Nero. The date chosen is the traditional anniversary of their death and martyrdom. The event is a significant religious occasion in Rome, and the catholic church in England commemorates it with a festival. Parishes around the world hold masses to commemorate the day.

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.

If you would like to receive our ODI Weekly Digest, to receive regular updates about upcoming events, programs, and opportunities, please subscribe here!

 

Sincerely,

Jeff and Anne

Jeffrey F. Hines, M.D.
Vice President, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, UConn | UConn Health

Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs