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 September:
Heritage Month Celebrations:
National Recovery Month: September is National Recovery Month, which promotes and celebrates the nation’s recovery community, emphasizing that recovery from mental health and substance use disorders is possible. The event, established by SAMHSA in 1989, raises awareness about new recovery practices, supports those in recovery, and encourages more people to seek help by destigmatizing addiction and mental health challenges. Events, including walks, rallies, and seminars, are held to highlight the resilience of those in recovery and the positive impact of treatment.
The goal of this month is to reinforce the message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, that treatment is effective, and that people can and do recover. This month reminds us that no one is alone in the journey through recovery. While every journey is different, we are all in this together. At UConn, we endeavor to ensure that substance use is not a barrier to academic, personal, or professional success. Please visit Student Health and Wellness’s (SHaW) Alcohol and Substance Use Support and UConn’s Recovery Support Services page for resources, trainings, and opportunities for support on your journey.
Suicide Prevention Month and Week: September is Suicide Prevention Month. Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) host World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 to focus attention on the problem of suicide worldwide. The week leading up to this day is Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is a particular concern in the United States; it is the second leading cause of death for 10- to 34-year-olds. This month creates awareness about suicide and aims to inspire people to learn how to help save lives in their community, and to learn to have authentic and caring conversations about suicide and mental health.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health or having suicidal thoughts, please know that you are not alone. The University has resources to help through times of crisis. The Office for Diversity and Inclusion has also gathered a partial list of mental health resources for students, staff, and faculty at all five UConn campuses, as well as for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and veteran communities. There is also help available whenever you need it and wherever you may be. UConn has several resources for getting immediate support. As of summer 2022, the federal government has also instituted a new national suicide prevention hotline, 988, that can be called for immediate support 24/7.
Employees seeking mental health care at UCHC can contact the Mood and Anxiety Clinic, provided by the UConn Health Department of Psychiatry. The Clinic provides comprehensive and compassionate care to individuals struggling with mood and anxiety symptoms.
For medical, dental and graduate students at UConn Health, the Student Behavioral Health Service have a range of useful resources.
Suicide prevention should not be limited to a single day, week, or month, but should receive attention every day. For those who are struggling, please remember that you matter and that there are resources dedicated to helping you in your time of need.
Hispanic Heritage Month: (September 15 – October 15): Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the many diverse cultures and histories within Hispanic and Latine communities, as well as members of those culture’s achievements and contributions to the United States. First recognized as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, it was expanded to a full month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. This month is observed from September 15th – the anniversary of Guatemalan, Honduran, El Salvadorian, Nicaraguan, and Costa Rican independence – through October 15th. It also includes Día de la Raza on October 12th, an alternative holiday to Columbus Day that celebrates and honors the peoples, traditions, and cultures destroyed by European colonization.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we invite the entire community to participate in the Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center’s (PRLACC) events, which will be announced in the near future. Please follow the PRLACC calendar for a full list of events! We look forward to seeing you there.
Also be sure to check out events held by La Comunidad Intelectual, a learning community that works to create a welcoming space on campus for students who identify as Latina/o/x and/or who are interested in issues that affect the Latin American and Caribbean communities. Check out their Instagram page for upcoming events!
ODI and the Provost’s Office also believe that UConn is stronger for the inclusion of Hispanic and Latine peoples, cultures, and traditions. We are also proud that our UConn Stamford and UConn Waterbury campuses are accredited Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). The University has resources to help these communities navigate the unique challenges in higher education settings, including PRLACC, the Association of Latine/a/o Faculty and Staff (ALFAS), and the Center for Career Development. UConn is also proud of El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies, which supports the developing of hemispheric and Latine-centered perspectives and of La Comunidad Intelectual, a learning community that recognizes and critically examines Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures, customs, and traditions at UConn and beyond.
Cultural and Federal Holidays:
Labor Day (September 1): This federal holiday, held on the first Monday of September, celebrates the American labor movement and pays tribute to American workers. This day is set aside to celebrate improvements made to working conditions in the United States.
Patriot Day (September 11): This day honors those who perished in or because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including first responders and military service members. Flags are flown at half-staff on this day, and Americans are encouraged to honor the victims through acts of service.
National Trail of Tears Remembrance Day (September 16): On this day, we acknowledge the forced displacement of Native and Indigenous peoples from their lands. September 16th is the National Day of Commemoration for the Trail of Tears, when citizens of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek, and Chickasaw Nations and other Eastern tribal nations were violently removed from their homelands by the United States government after the passage of the 1830 Indian Removal Act. Relocated citizens suffered from continual violence, disease, and starvation during and after displacement.
We also recognize that UConn occupies lands taken from Native and Indigenous peoples accounted for in our Land Acknowledgement Statement, and we encourage reading this statement out loud before any event held on University property, incorporating it in UConn websites, and including it in course syllabi. Furthermore, we note that the University continues to profit from the sale of other land taken by violent dispossession under the auspices of the 1862 Morrill Act. To see UConn’s participation in this legacy, visit the Land Grab CT website, a resource put together by UConn’s Greenhouse Studios in conjunction with the Native American Cultural Programs (NACP), the Native American and Indigenous Students Association (NAISA), and the Dodd Impact Initiative at the Human Rights Institute.
International Equal Pay Day (September 18): This day was first established in 2019 to illuminate persistent pay discrimination and wage gaps that disproportionately affect women and people of color across all occupations. The United Nations celebrated International Equal Pay Day on September 18, 2020, to accelerate the realization of the principle of “equal pay for equal work of equal value” and ensure recognition of women’s major contribution to the economy.
Religious Holidays:
Mawlid-al-Nabi (September 4-5): Mawlid al-Nabi, or Milad-un-Nabi, is a significant Islamic religious holiday that marks the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. In 2025, it is expected to begin on the evening of Friday, September 5 and end on the evening of Saturday, September 6th. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on the Prophet’s life and teachings, express love and admiration, and engage in acts of charity and community service.
Pitru Paksha (September 6-20): Pitru Paksha is a 15-day lunar period where members of the Hindu faith pay homage to their departed ancestors through food offerings, prayers, and other rituals. It is a time to pay respects, seek blessings, and help their ancestors’ souls attain peace and salvation.
Mabon (September 22): Mabon, also known as the Autumn Equinox, falls on September 22nd, 2025. It’s a time for celebrating the second harvest, giving thanks for the bounty of the earth, and acknowledging the shift towards the darker half of the year. Mabon is a day of balance and harmony, as day and night are of equal length.
Rosh Hashanah (September 22-24): Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and marks the start of the High Holy Days. It is one of three most observed holidays by all Jewish families. Orthodox and Conservative Jews observe the traditional two-day holiday, while Reform Jews observe only the first day. Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection, prayer, and considering the past year with the hope of a positive new year ahead. The holiday is observed with special meals, synagogue services, and the symbolic blowing of the shofar (ram’s horn).
Navaratri (September 22-October 2): Navratri, also known as Shardiya Navratri, is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Northern and Eastern India. This festival symbolizes the nine nights of battle between good and evil, culminating in the victory of good on the tenth day. During this period, Mother Durga is worshipped as the deity of power, energy, and wisdom.
Tzom Gedaliah (September 25): Tzom Gedaliah is a dawn-to-dusk fast observed on the day after Rosh Hashanah (if that day is Shabbat, it is observed on Sunday). Commemorating the tragic death of Gedaliah, governor of Judea, the day begins with special Selichot liturgy.
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.
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Sincerely,
Jeff and Anne
Jeffrey F. Hines, M.D.
Vice President, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, UConn and UConn Health
Anne D’Alleva, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs