DEI

Important December Dates

• Dec 3               International Day of Persons with Disabilities
• Dec 8               Bodhi Day
• Dec 10              Human Rights Day
• Dec 25              Christmas
• Dec 25-Jan 2    Hanukkah
• Dec 26- Jan 8   Kwanzaa

The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992 by United Nations General Assembly resolution 47/3. It aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have attained enlightenment, also known as bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.

The month of December is a time set aside by many to celebrate a variety of traditions and enjoy time with family, friends and community. If you have some information you feel is important for our committee to share about a celebration you partake in, please let us know.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

 
To be more involved please reach out to our DEIB committee at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com and/or attend our next meeting on Monday, Nov 18 at 6pm in the Collaboration Center.
 
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important November Dates

• National Native American History Month
• Nov 13-19 Tansgender Awareness Week
• Nov 18 ACA DEIB community meeting 6pm
• Nov 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
• Nov 28 Thanksgiving
• Nov 29 Native American Heritage Day

Please join the Acalanes DEIB Committee in the Collaboration Center tomorrow, Monday, Nov 18 at 6pm. Our 3rd meeting will include discussions about recent racist incidents on campus and how we can support families and students during the next few months.
 
Transgender Awareness Week, observed November 13 to November 19, is a one-week celebration leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which memorializes victims of transphobic violence. TDoR occurs annually on Nov 20, when transgender advocates raise awareness of the transgender community through education and advocacy activities.
 
Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester’s death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. We ask families and staff to support those who may need a little extra care on this special, but often difficult, day.

 
To be more involved please reach out to our DEIB committee at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com and/or attend our next meeting on Monday, Nov 18 at 6pm in the Collaboration Center.
 
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important November Dates

• National Native American History Month
• Nov 11 Veterans Day
• Nov 13-19 Tansgender Awareness Week
• Nov 18 ACA DEIB community meeting 6pm
• Nov 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
• Nov 28 Thanksgiving
• Nov 29 Native American Heritage Day

Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on Nov 11, honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It began and now coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are commemorated in other countries, marking the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.
 
Transgender Awareness Week, observed from Nov 13 to Nov 19, is a one week celebration leading up to the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), which memorializes victims of transphobic violence. TDoR occurs annually on Nov 20, when transgender advocates raise awareness of the transgender community through education and advocacy activities.
 
To be more involved please reach out to our DEIB committee at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com and/or attend our next meeting on Monday, Nov 18 at 6pm in the Collaboration Center.
 
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important November Dates

• National Native American History Month
• Nov 11 Veterans Day
• Nov 13-19 Transgender Awareness Week
• Nov 20 Transgender Day of Remembrance
• Nov 28 Thanksgiving
• Nov 29 Native American Heritage Day

Election day falls in just a few days and we understand that this is a time in our community that may bring up different emotions. Teachers and staff have been gathering to be sure they are holding safe spaces for our kids to have conversations and ask questions about all that is swirling around them. We ask all families to do this as well. Please find the time to center yourself before engaging in emotional conversations. We are our kids’ first role models and as such we hope to put forth a sense of calm and strength. If you need help with this please reach out to our DEIB committee at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com.
 
On Aug 3, 1990, President of the United States George H.W. Bush declared the month of November as Native American Heritage Month.This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for Native people in the United States of America to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives Native people the opportunity to express to their community, including city, county and state officials, their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area.

 
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important October/Early November Dates

• LGBTQ History Month
• Filipino American History Month
• Oct 31 – Nov 1 Diwali
• Nov 1 All Saints Day
• Nov 1-2 Day of the Dead (el Dia de Muertos or el Dia de los Muertos)

Many clubs on campus hold events at lunch or afters chool to celebrate their heritage. We ask all parents to remind your kids to join in on this fun and learn about cultures outside of their own. While it may seem nerve wracking, please know that the clubs have asked for more involvement school wide!
 
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the Hindu festival of lights, with variations celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance”. Diwali is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar months of Ashvin (according to the amanta tradition) and Kartika – between mid-Sept and mid-Nov. The celebrations generally last five or six days.
 
All Saints’ Day in the Christian church commemorates all the saints of the church, both known and unknown, who have attained heaven. It is celebrated on Nov 1 in the Western churches and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Eastern churches. In Roman Catholicism, the feast is usually a holy day of obligation. It is part of the three-day triduum dedicated to remembering the dead, beginning with Halloween (Oct 31) and followed by All Saints’ Day (Nov 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov 2).
 
The Day of the Dead (Spanish: el Día de Muertos or el Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on Nov 1 and 2, though other days, such as Oct 31 or Nov 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and remember friends and family members who have died.
 
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important October Dates

• LGBTQ History Month
• Filipino American History Month
• Oct 21 6pm APC DEIB Committee meeting
• Oct 31 Diwali

Please join us for our third general DEIB Committee meeting!We will meet in the Collaboration Center on Monday, Oct 21 at 6pm to support the students and administration in bringing an even greater sense of belonging to our school. Discussions will be based on current issues on our campus and upcoming cultural celebrations which may need additional parent support. There will be snacks and drinks and an opportunity to meet others who want everyone to feel welcome. Remember, “ALL ARE WELCOME HERE”.
 
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important October Dates

• LGBTQ History Month
• Filipino American History Month
• Oct 14 Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• Oct 31 Diwali

LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.

Filipino American History Month (FAHM) is celebrated in the United States during the month of October. In 1991, October was chosen to commemorate the arrival of the first Filipinos who landed in what is now Morro Bay, California on Oct 18, 1587. It is also the birth month of Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. “We acknowledge that Lafayette is part of the unceded, ancestral homeland of the Bay Miwok people. The Bay Miwok and neighboring Ohlone people have lived in and moved through this place for thousands of years.” City of Lafayette

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to keep up to date with what the students are doing to celebrate all of these wonderful cultures and special dates.

Important Dates

• • Sep 15-Oct 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month
  • LGBTQ History Month
  • Filipino American History Month
  • Oct 10 LatinX Heritage Month Speaker: Anthony Rodriguez Yao
  • Oct 10 World Mental Health Day
  • Oct 11-12 Yom Kippur
  • Oct 14 Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  • Oct 31 Diwali

  Latinos Unidos has a few more fun activities for students for the remainder of Hispanic Heritage month. Please check out our IG and the Daily Don to find dates and times.
  
  LatinX Heritage Month Speaker: Anthony Rodriguez Yao. On Oct 10 at 5:30pm in the library, we are excited to welcome Anthony Rodriguez Yao as our featured speaker for LatinX Heritage Month. Anthony is an immigration attorney who will share his story and shed light on his experiences. There will also be an opportunity for questions, so come prepared! We look forward to seeing you there!
  
  
  Oct 10 is World Mental Health Day. The overall objective of this day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.The day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
  
  Oct 11 at sundown to Oct 12, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. It is traditional to fast for the day to reflect on the year and end the holiday with a break fast meal after sun down. Students may be in services all day, fasting and spending the holidays with family. Please extend them grace during these days.

If you would like to get involved please email us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com. All are welcome.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Important September Dates

Important Dates

• Sep 15-Oct 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Sep 30 Black Student Union (BSU) Summit
• LGBTQ History Month
• Filipino American History Month
• Oct 2-4 Rosh Hashanah
• Oct 10 World Mental Health Day
• Oct 11-12 Yom Kippur
• Oct 14 Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• Oct 31 Diwali

Latinos Unidos has a few more fun activities for students for the remainder of Hispanic Heritage month. Please check out our IG and the Daily Don to find dates and times.

Black Student Union Summit is tomorrow at St Mary’s College.

Rosh Hashanah is the New Year in Judaism. Rosh Hashanah begins ten days of penitence culminating in Yom Kippur, as well as beginning the cycle of autumnal religious festivals. You can learn more here.

If you would like to get involved please email us at diversityandinclusion@acalanesparentsclub.com. All are welcome.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Important September Dates

Sep 15-Oct 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month
Sep 25 Door Decorations Due for Hispanic Heritage Month
Sep 27 California Native American Day
Sep 30 Black Student Union (BSU) Summit

Thank you to the families that helped to make the Latinos Unidos Potluck a success! Yummy food and the sharing of cultures was enjoyed by all who attended. But the celebrations don’t end there. The students in the Latinos Unidos Club invite us to help represent National Hispanic Heritage Month by decorating doors to celebrate the contributions of the Hispanic culture in America. Please  sign up here to support our students.
 
Native American Day is a holiday observed in several US states in celebration of Native American culture. To learn more about activities here in California, please visit https://www.nativeamericanday.org/.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.