To the UConn Community:
The Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights (OICR) 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.
This observance reinforces 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 Alcohol and Substance Use Support resources and UConn’s Recovery Support Services for resources, trainings, and opportunities for support on your journey.
Suicide Prevention Month and Week: September is Suicide Prevention Month. a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage conversations about suicide prevention and mental health. Each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) recognize World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10. The week surrounding September 10 is also recognized as Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide remains a significant public health concern in the United States and is the second leading cause of death among individuals ages 10 to 34. Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that we all play a role in recognizing warning signs, supporting one another, and connecting people to help.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or experiencing thoughts of suicide, you are not alone. UConn offers crisis support and mental health resources for students, faculty, and staff, including resources for immediate support. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling or texting 988.
Employees seeking mental health care through UConn Health can access the Mood and Anxiety Clinic, which provides comprehensive care for individuals experiencing mood and anxiety disorders. Medical, dental, and graduate students at UConn Health can also access counseling and support through the Student Behavioral Health Service.
Suicide prevention is an ongoing commitment that extends beyond a single day, week, or month. Together, we can foster a community where seeking help is encouraged, support is readily available, and every member of our community knows they matter.
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 month-long observance by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The celebration begins on September 15, the anniversary of the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and concludes on October 15. It also includes Día de la Raza on October 12, an alternative observance to Columbus Day that recognizes the histories, cultures, and resilience of Indigenous peoples and the diverse peoples of the Americas.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we invite the entire community to participate in programs hosted by Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center’s (PRLACC).
UConn is also proud that the Hartford, Stamford and Waterbury campuses are federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Members of our community can connect with a variety of campus resources, including PRLACC, the Association of Latinx/a/o Faculty and Staff (ALFAS), the Center for Career Development, El Instituto: Institute of Latina/o, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies and La Comunidad Intelectual, a learning community that recognizes and critically examines Latine, Caribbean, and Latin American cultures, customs, and traditions.
Cultural and Federal Holidays:
Labor Day (September 7): Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day is a federal holiday that honors the contributions and achievements of American workers and recognizes the labor movement’s role in improving working conditions in the United States.
Patriot Day (September 11): This day honors those who lost their lives during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and recognizes the sacrifices of 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): This day commemorates the forced removal and displacement of Native and Indigenous peoples from their ancestral homelands following passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. It honors the lives lost and the resilience of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw, Seminole, and other Easter tribal nations who endured violence, disease, starvation, and displacement during these removals.
We also recognize that UConn occupies lands taken from Native and Indigenous peoples accounted for in our Land Acknowledgement statement. In addition, the University continues to benefit from the sale of other land taken by violent dispossession under the auspices of the 1862 Morrill Act. To learn more about this history, visit the Land Grab CT website, which explores UConn’s history as a land-grant institution and its connections to Indigenous lands, developed 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): Established by the United Nations, International Equal Pay Day raises awareness of persistent pay inequities that disproportionately affect women and marginalized communities around the world. The observance promotes the principle of equal pay for work of equal value and recognizes that achieving pay equity is essential to advancing economic opportunity and gender equality.
Religious Holidays:
Paryushan (September 8-15): This Jain observance, also known as Paryushana Parva, is a time of intensive study, reflection, and purification. This major festival emphasizes introspection, meditation, and austerity culminating in Samvatsari, a day of forgiveness whenJains seek pardon for any offenses committed during the year.
Nayrouz (September 11): This Coptic Orthodox Christian observance, also known as the Feast of El-Nayrouz, marks the beginning of the Coptic New Year. It is a time of spiritual renewal, remembrance, and celebration within the Coptic Orthodox tradition.
Rosh Hashanah (September 12-13): Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and marks the start of the High Holy Days. Orthodox and Conservative Jews observe the traditional two-day holiday, while Reform Jews observe only the first day. Rosh Hashanah is one of three most widely observed holidays Judaism. It’s 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).
Tzom Gedaliah (September 14): 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.
Ganesh Chaturthi (September 14): Ganesh Chaturthi begins at sunset on September 13 and celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the deity associated with wisdom, learning, and the removal of obstacles. The observance is marked by prayers, devotional offerings, and community celebrations, with many devotees seeking blessings for new beginnings, education, and success.
Yom Kippur (September 20-21): Yom Kippur begins sunset September 20. It is the Day of Atonement and considered the holiest day of the Jewish year. Yom Kippur marks the culmination of the Ten Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. The holiday is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are known as Judaism’s “High Holy Days.”
Mabon (September 22): Mabon, also known as the Autumn Equinox, is observed by many Pagans and Wiccans as a time to celebrate the second harvest, give thanks for the bounty of the earth, and acknowledge the transition toward the darker half of the year. It symbolizes balance and harmony, as day and night are of equal length.
Sukkot (September 26 – October 2): Sukkot begins sunset September 25 and is known as one of the most joyful festivals on the Jewish calendar. It is a week-long celebration of the fall harvest. Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the Israelites were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters called booths or huts.
Pitru Paksha (September 26 – October 10): 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.
We welcome the celebration of each of these holidays on our campuses and encourage support for those requiring accommodations. For more information, please review the Religious Accommodations Policy and the Religious Accommodations Frequently Asked Questions.
OICR 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 OICR Weekly Digest, where you can receive regular updates about upcoming events, programs, and opportunities, subscribe to the OICR Weekly Digest.
Sincerely,
Jeff and Pamir
Jeffrey F. Hines, M.D.
Vice President, Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights, UConn and UConn Health
Pamir Alpay, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs