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:

Hispanic Heritage Month: (September 15^th – October 15^th): Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the many diverse cultures and histories within Hispanic and Latinx 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 15^th – the anniversary of Guatemalan, Honduran, El Salvadorian, Nicaraguan, and Costa Rican independence – through October 15^th.  It also includes Día de la Raza on October 12^th, 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 very 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 campus is an accredited Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).  The University has resources to help these communities navigate the unique challenges in higher education settings, including PRLACC, the Association of Latinx/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.

National Recovery Month: September is National Recovery Month, a time set aside to assist the road to recovery for the more than 20 million Americans who are experiencing one or more substance use disorders. This month not only educates Americans about the substance use treatments and mental health services that can help those with substance use disorders live a healthier and more rewarding life, but also celebrates the gains made by those already in recovery – gains that often go unrecognized in wider conversations.

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 serves as a moment for creating awareness about suicide, 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 is dedicated to providing 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 has 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.

Cultural and Federal Holidays:

Chuseok (September 29): Chuseok is a Korean holiday celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, traditionally to commemorate the fall harvest and to honor one’s ancestors. The Harvest Moon Festival, as it is also known, is one of the most popular holidays in Korea, and many travel home to visit family and share a celebratory meal together. The day begins with a ceremony in which food and wine are offered to ancestors. This is followed by a meal that typically consists of fish and newly harvested vegetables and grains. The food most associated with the holiday is songpyon, a crescent-shaped rice cake that is cooked on a bed of pine needles. Later in the day celebrants visit the graves of relatives, where more ceremonies are performed. Chuseok is also marked by gift giving and athletic events, including tug-of-war competitions, archery contests, and sirrum (Korean wrestling) matches. Other activities include dancing and music playing, and on Chuseok many Koreans wear traditional clothing (hanbok).

Labor Day (September 4^th): This federal holiday, always held on the first Monday of September, celebrates the American labor movement and pays tribute to American workers. While this day is set aside to celebrate improvements made to working conditions in the United States, September also has two other labor-related holidays that remind us of the continued need to address race- and gender-based disparities in pay:

International Equal Pay Day (September 18^th): This day was first acknowledged in 2019 to illuminate persistent pay discrimination and wage gaps that disproportionately affect women and people of color across all occupations. Unequal pay leads to lower wealth accumulation and has generational impacts.

National Black Women’s Equal Pay Day (September 21^st): 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.

Mid-Autumn Festival (September 29): The  Mid-Autumn Festival  falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, and it’s the second most important traditional festival in China after the spring festival. It is also celebrated by many other Asian countries. In China, the  Mid-Autumn Festival  is a celebration of the harvest. Ceremonies are held both to give thanks for the harvest and to encourage the harvest-giving light to return again in the coming year. The Mid-Autumn Festival has a history of over 3000 years. In the process of cultural developments, the festival has been infused with more meanings, including families gathering and praying for good health and happiness. In modern times, people mainly celebrate the mid-autumn festival as a time for family reunions. It is said the moon on this day is the brightest and roundest, which has come to mean family reunion. Some traditional celebrations include enjoying a dinner with family, eating mooncakes, and appreciating the moon.

National Trail of Tears Remembrance Day (September 16^th):  On this day, we acknowledge the forced displacement of Native and Indigenous peoples from their lands. September 16^th 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 peoples 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 the 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 off of 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.

Patriot Day (September 11^th):  This day honors those who perished in or as a result 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.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind military service members that you are important to UConn, which recognizes the unique challenges you face in higher education. The Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs (VAMP) provides 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 with Disabilities (CSD), 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.

Religious Holidays:

Krishna Janmashtami (September 6^th – September 7^th): Also known as Gokulashtami, this two-day festival marks the birth of Krishna, one of the most popular Hindu deities.  Hindus celebrate Janmashtami by fasting, singing devotional songs, praying together, preparing special foods, holding night vigils, and visiting temples. Major Krishna temples organize a recitation of “Bhagavata Purana” and “Bhagavad Gita” or drama events “Rasa Lila” and “Krishna Lila.”

Rosh Hashanah: (Sundown September 15^th – Sundown September 17^th): Rosh Hashanah, which is Hebrew for “first of the year,” is one of the holiest days in Judaism, celebrating the New Year, the birthday of the Universe, and the creation of Adam and Eve.  It is part of the High Holidays with Yom Kippur, which comes 10 days later (September 24^th – September 25^th).  Rosh Hashanah is a time of rejoicing and introspection; it offers an occasion to celebrate the completion of another year while also providing an opportunity to take stock of one’s life and contemplate the upcoming year. Traditionally, Rosh Hashanah is observed with sounding a ram’s horn on both days (unless either day falls on Shabbat), and with sweet foods like challah bread with raisins or apples dipped in honey to symbolize wishes for a sweet new year.

Sukkot (Sundown September 29 – Sundown October 6): Sukkot is a Jewish festival of thanksgiving and harvest commemorating the dwelling of the ancient Israelites in booths in the wilderness.

UConn Hillel will hold services and meals for this year’s High Holiday celebrations, including Erev Rosh Hashanah services and dinner on Sunday, September 15th at 6:30 PM; Tashlich and Lunch on Monday, September 17th at 2 PM; and Erev Yom Kippur services at 5:00 PM. These events are free and open to the entire UConn community. The full calendar of services and meals is on UConn Hillel’s homepage.

Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) (September 24^th – September 25^th ): Yom Kippur is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith.  It 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.”

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, where you can receive regular updates about upcoming events, programs, and opportunities, subscribe here!

 

Sincerely,

Frank, Anne, and Jeff

Frank Tuitt
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

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

Jeffrey F. Hines, MD
Associate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, UConn Health

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 August:

Cultural and Federal Holidays:

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (August 9^th): The United Nations sets aside every August 9^th to commemorate the world’s Indigenous Peoples and to raise awareness about the need to recognize their identities, ways of life, territories, and natural resources, all of which have been violated throughout history. This year’s theme is “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.” Indigenous youth are actively exercising their right to self-determination by being change agents in key areas like climate action and the green transition, mobilizing for justice, and intergenerational connections. To learn about the advocacy of Native and Indigenous young people at UConn, visit the Native American Cultural Programs website.

National Senior Citizens Day (August 21^st):  Created by Presidential Proclamation in 1988, National Senior Citizens Day honors and shows appreciation to the elders in our communities.  It also raises awareness of the need to continue supporting our elders as they face new struggles from ageing; senior citizens often face increased health issues and may be economically vulnerable.  The best ways to celebrate this day are to visit the elders in your family and community or to volunteer at senior care centers, meal delivery services, and other senior-based programs.  The University of Connecticut supports senior citizens through free educational initiatives, including Senior Citizen Audits for learners over 62, UConn Extension’s Center for Learning in Retirement (CLIR) for retirees and other adults from all walks of life, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLII) where learners over 50 can expand their minds and connect with other learners.

Purple Heart Day (August 7^th): This day honors American soldiers who were wounded or killed while serving their country on or after April 5, 1917.  The veteran community is important to UConn. The Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs (VAMP) provides 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 with Disabilities (CSD), 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.

Women’s Equality Day (August 26^th): Women’s Equality Day commemorates the certification of the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, guaranteeing that every American can vote, regardless of gender.  Made into a national holiday in 1971, this day celebrates activists’ achievements in promoting equity and equality for women.  It also serves as a reminder of the need to continually advocate for gender-based equity and equality, as well as the need to dedicate resources to promoting and empowering women, including by combatting sexual- and gender-based violence.  At UConn, these imperatives are carried out by the Women’s Center, the Rainbow Center, the Title IX office, the UConn Foundation, the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, the Center for Career Development, and the UConn Health Women’s Center resources for expecting, pregnant, and parenting students, among other unit- and department-level resources.

Religious Holidays:

Muharram (July 19^th – August 17^th): 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 19^th) 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 27^th – 28^th), 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.

Feast of the Assumption / Dormition of the Mother of God (August 15^th): August 15^th is widely celebrated among Roman Catholics, Eastern Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians as the day Jesus’s mother, Mary, ascended to heaven in both body and soul. This is a holy day of obligation for Catholics. Celebrations might include festivals, processions, and planting a Mary Garden.

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,

Frank, Anne, and Jeff

Frank Tuitt
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

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

Jeffrey F. Hines, MD
Associate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, UConn Health

 

 

 

 

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 26^th) and Month: In the United States, Disability Pride Month is celebrated in July to commemorate the July 26^th anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which provides civil rights protections 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 26^th 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.

French American Heritage Month: In the United States, July is designated as the month to celebrate the significant contributions made by to the United States by people of French descent. Approximately 12.5 million Americans are of French or French Canadian decent, 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 4^th): The 4^th 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 4^th also provides an opportunity to celebrate the diverse peoples and cultures who make up our nation.

Religious Holidays:

Karka Sankranti (July 16^th): 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.

Muharram (July 19^th – August 17^th): 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 19^th) 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 27^th – 28^th), 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.

Hajj [Pilgrimage] (June 26^th – July 1^st): 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.

Ashura (July 27^th – 28^th): This holy day for Muslims is celebrated on the tenth day of Muharram; this year, that falls on July 27^th.  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. 

Eid al-Adha (June 28^th – July 2^nd): Eid al-Adha is the second and holiest Islamic Eid festival of the year. Known as the “Festival of the Sacrifice” – or colloquially as “Big Eid” – Eid al-Adha honors the willingness of Ibrahim (known as Abraham in the Christian and Jewish traditions) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah; before Ibrahim carried out the command, however, Allah produced a lamb for him to sacrifice instead. Traditions vary from place to place, but celebrations typically include congregational prayers at a mosque, the sharing of meat, gift-giving, and inviting members of other faiths to opportunities that better acquaint them with Islam and Muslim culture.

Tisha B’av (July 26^th – July 27^th): This annual fast day mourns the destruction of the First Temple and Second Temple in Jerusalem on the same calendar day 655 years apart.  Tisha B’av is remembered by Jews all over the world to recall the sufferings of the Jewish people.  This day of mourning is typically held on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av,  unless the ninth falls on Shabbat, in which case Tish B’av is celebrated on the tenth day of Av.

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,

Frank, Anne, and Jeff

Frank Tuitt
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer

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

Jeffrey F. Hines, MD
Associate Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, UConn Health

 

 

 

 

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 Month Celebrations:

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 US. Johnson and Rivera worked 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. UConn Library has put together a Pride Collection and a LGBTQIA+ Community Wellness Guide, and UConn Health has put together a list of LGBTQ+ resources. UConn School of Social Work supports LGBTQIA+ community through the National SOGIE Center, as well as the Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity, which will hold a Pride Month Series on Native and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ youth.

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. This year’s theme is #CelebrateImmigrants, which highlights the stories of individual immigrants to explore the ways that diversity enriches our communities.

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 immigrant patients.

Cultural and Federal Holidays:

Father’s Day (June 18th): 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 US, 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. This June, we honor all paternal figures, caregivers, and mentors whose contributions enrich our lives.

Flag Day (June 14th): 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. In particular, it provides an opportunity to reflect on diversity, one of America’s founding ideals and greatest strengths.

It also provides an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made to preserve those ideals. The Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs (VAMP) provides 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.

Juneteenth (June 19th): 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. This year, the Connecticut legislature designated Juneteenth as an official state holiday, starting in 2023.

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. This year, UConn Health is sponsoring a blood drive in Hartford, as well as a Juneteenth event at Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington.

Most of all, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. It serves as a reminder of the moral stain of slavery on our country and raises awareness of the continued legacy of systemic racism and inequality. It also 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.

World Refugee Day (June 20th): 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.

UConn is deeply concerned about the refugee crisis. UConn has 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:

The Martyrdom of Guru Dev Sahib (June 16th): This Sikh holiday celebrates the life of Guru Arjan Dev, one of the ten Gurus who pioneered Sikhism. It also commemorates his role as the first martyr for Sikhism. This holiday celebrates his life, and is honored by reading the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib.

The Hajj [Pilgrimage] (June 26th – July 1st): 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 28th – July 2nd): Eid al-Adha is the second and holiest Islamic Eid festival of the year. Known as the “Festival of the Sacrifice” – or colloquially as “Big Eid” – Eid al-Adha honors the willingness of Ibrahim (known as Abraham in the Christian and Jewish traditions) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah; before Ibrahim carried out the command, however, Allah produced a lamb for him to sacrifice instead. Traditions vary from place to place, but celebrations typically include congregational prayers at a mosque, the sharing of meat, gift-giving, and inviting members of other faiths to opportunities that better acquaint them with Islam and Muslim culture.

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,

Anne and Frank

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

Frank Tuitt
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer