Internal Medicine

Diversity and Inclusion Calendar

January 

January

  • Poverty in America Awareness Month
  • 1/1 – Emancipation Proclamation (Black American)
    • on this day in 1863, President Lincoln declared all persons held as slaves would be free
  • 1/4 – International World Braille Day
    • celebrated yearly in recognition of the birth of Louis Braille, born on January 4th, 1809
  • 1/17 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Black American)
    • MLK Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist, revered as one of the great leaders of the American civil rights movement
  • 1/27 – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust (United Nations)
    • commemorates the approximately 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered during World War II
February  

February

  • Black History Month
    • celebrates African American History. February was chosen because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two men prominent in eliminating slavery, were both born in February
March 

March

  • National Women’s History Month
    • honors the vital role of women in American history
  • Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
    • raises awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all facets of community life
  • Ethnic Equality Month
    • recognizes the similarities all people have, yet acknowledges, appreciates and respects the differences in all.
  • 3/8 – International Women’s Day (United Nations)
    • celebrates the various (social, economic, cultural, political) achievements of women
  • 3/11 – World Day of Muslim Culture, Peace, Dialogue and Film
  • 3/21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations)
    • after an incident in which police killed 69 people in South Africa in 1960, the UN created this event to call for elimination of racial discrimination
  • 3/25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
    • due to the beginning of an uprising and abolition in Santo Domingo, in modern-day Haiti and Dominican Republic
April 

April

  • Celebrate Diversity Month
    • a time designated to recognize and celebrate other cultures and populations.
  • 4/2 – World Autism Awareness Day (People with Disabilities)
    • a day that seeks to improve the lives of those who suffer from autism
  • 4/7 – International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda
    • remember the victims, more than one million people perished as a result of systematic killing
  • 4/11 – National Day of Silence
    • national student-led demonstration where LGBTQ students and allies all around the country—and world—take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ people in schools.
  • 4/12 – National Equal Pay Day
    • celebrated by helping to raise awareness of the ongoing struggle women have with getting equal pay for equal work
  • 4/21-23 – Gathering of Nations (Native American)
    • more than 500 Native tribes meet and celebrate various traditions and cultures
  • 4/22 – Earth Day (International)
    • celebrates the planet we live on, observed internationally in more than 192 countries
  • 4/27-4/28 – Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah)
    • a Holocaust Remembrance Day when Jews from all over the world stop to reflect on the afflictions their ancestors faced
May 

May

  • Global Civility Awareness Month
    • raise awareness on the decline of civility around the world
  • Older Americans Month
    • celebrates the contributions of older Americans in the country
  • Jewish American Heritage Month
    • honors the history of American Jews and their accomplishments
  • Haitian Heritage Month
    • honor the history of Haitian Americans
  • South Asian heritage Month
    • celebrating the presence and heritage of people with roots in the South Asian countries of Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives
  • Personal History Awareness Month
  • Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
    • recognizes, pays tribute to and acknowledges the contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders
  • 5/5 – Cinco de Mayo (Mexican American)
    • commemorates Mexico’s defeat of the French army.
  • 5/17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (LGBTQ+)
    • raises awareness for LGBTQ+ rights
  • 5/21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
    • celebrates the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development
  • 5/22 – International day for Biological Diversity
    • increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues
June

June

  • LGBT Pride Month
    • commemorates the Stonewall Riots and seeks to recognize the impact LGBT people have had around the world
  • Black Music Month
    • celebrating the many different types of music influenced by African Americans
  • National Caribbean American Heritage Month
    • recognizes the significance of Caribbean culture and history in the U.S.
  • 6/2 – Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 (Native Americans)
    • granted the right of citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S., however, the right to vote was not granted until 1957
  • 6/8 – Race Unity Day
    • raise awareness to the importance of racial harmony and understanding
  • 6/12 – Loving Day (Black American)
    • anniversary of a historic court decision for interracial marriage
  • Puerto Rican Day Parade (Puerto Rican) Second Sunday in June
    • largest demonstration of cultural pride in the United States. It promotes prominent, historical figures and seeks to raise awareness of critical issues in the community
  • 6/19 – Juneteenth (Black American)
    • marks the anniversary of when African Americans in Texas first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation. It was more than two years after it was initially issued. Juneteenth became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021
July 

July

  • 7/18 – Birthday of Nelson Mandela (South African)
    • civil rights leader for South Africa, and the country’s first black president
  • 7/26 – Disability Independence Day - Americans with Disabilities Act
    • outlawed the discrimination against people with disabilities
August

August

  • 8/9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (United Nations)
    • created by the UN, celebrates the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world
  • 8/26 – Women’s Equality Day
    • commemorates the American women gaining the right to vote in 1920
September 

September

  • National Hispanic Heritage Month
    • honors the culture and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans
  • 9/15 – International Day of Democracy
    • a day to review the democracy in the world
  • 9/16 – Mexican Independence Day
    • a day commemorating the moment when Father Hidalgo, a priest and leader, called for Mexico's liberation from Spain in September of 1810
  • 9/20 – HeForShe (Women)
    • initiated by the UN to promote gender equality
  • 9/21 – International Day of Peace
    • a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
October 

October

  • Global Diversity Awareness Month
    • aims to promote knowledge and respect for various cultures
  • National Disability Employment Awareness Month
    • advocates for people with disabilities, and their inclusion in the workforce
  • Filipino-American Heritage Month
    • commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental U.S.
  • LGBT History Month
    • an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.
  • 10/2 – International Day of Non-Violence
    • the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence
  • 10/10 – World Mental Health Day (People with Disabilities)
    • promotes mental health awareness and education, and advocates against social stigma relating to mental health
  • 10/10 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day (United States)
    • formerly called Columbus Day, honors the indigenous people of North America
  • 10/11 – National Coming Out Day
    • celebrating coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.
  • 10/17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
    • a chance to acknowledge the efforts and struggles of people living in poverty
  • 10/21 – Spirit Day (LGBTQ+)
    • wear purple on this day to support LGBTQ youth and speak out against bullying
November 

November

  • Native American Heritage Month
    • celebrates the culture and heritage of individuals who deeply enrich the United States
  • Movember
    • month-long fundraiser for men’s issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide
  • 11/09 – World Freedom Day
    • commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the end of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe
  • 11/16 – International Day for Tolerance (United Nations)
    • to promote respect for various religions, languages, ethnicities, and cultures
  • 11/20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance (LGBTQ+)
    • seeks to remember those who were murdered due to transphobia
December

December

  • 12/10 – International Human Rights Day (United Nations)
    • adopted by the UN in 1948, celebrates the day it the Universal Declaration of Human Rights