APC

Did you know there is a moon sighting committee that determines the start of the holy month of Ramadan? This Muslim holy month begins in April when the moon is spotted, which can sometimes be tricky because it’s hard to see and only lasts about 20 minutes! Ramadan is a time for praying, reflecting, and fasting. At the end of the daily fast Muslims share meals with family and friends.

Ask your kids: what do DJ Khaled, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dave Chappelle have in common? Aside from being famous for their music, basketball, and comedy, they are just a small number of Americans who practice the Muslim faith. Curious about who else does?

Facts corner: According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion people live with some form of disability around the world. This includes about 10% of Americans who have an invisible disability including vision and hearing loss, or learning differences. Sadly mostpeople with unseen chronic medical conditions experience stigma and discrimination as a result of their disability.

Madeleine Albright, who died on Wednesday, was the first woman to become US Secretary of State. She paved the way for the next two women to serve in that role, Condoleezza Rice, the first Black woman to serve, and Hillary Clinton. Albright’s family fled to the US as refugees in 1949 to escape the political strife in Europe from (then) Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic). “Becoming a U.S. citizen is the most important thing that ever happened to me,” she said at the U.N. Refugee Summit in 2016. She was described by her peers as a “trailblazer,” receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

And the Oscar goes to…Here’s a bit of trivia if you watched the 93rd Academy Awards. The very first Oscar to go to an African–American went to actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian Hattie McDaniel. She earned the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind in 1939.

Facts corner: The popularity of women’s soccer has grown exponentially since the U.S. won the first Women’s World Cup in 1991, but it wasn’t until 1996 that the U.S. women’s national soccer team was allowed to compete at the summer Olympics in Atlanta. That was the first year women’s soccer was introduced as an Olympic sport, bringing home a historic win against China for the team’s first gold medal while a record-breaking 76,000 fans watched.

Enjoy free movie streaming with your CCC library card! Open a free account on Kanopy and watch from your device. This month focuses on Women’s History of course, showcasing titles like Amazing Grace, a documentary about Aretha Franklin, and classic mystery drama Winter’sBone.

Facts corner: This month marks the Bread andPeace March of 1917, when Russian women took to the streets to protest WWI, food shortages, and czarist rule. Joined by some of their male counterparts, strikers quickly numbered in the hundreds of thousands, prompting the czar to step down less than a week later. Since 1975, the United Nations has celebrated March 8 as International Women’s Day.

According to the UN, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could be the largest humanitarian crisis since WWII. The unfolding story of the women and girls caught in the crisis is devastating, and it’s worth noting that like in most crises, women and girls are hit particularly hard.

Last week, Stanley Middle School shared with its community that racist speech was shouted by a group of approximately 10 to 12 students along the streets bordering the school. While painful to process, we need to use this moment to take pause and come together as a community in our commitment to being definitely and explicitly anti-racist in our actions. We need to support each other, stand up and be heard to ensure everyone should feel like they belong in our community, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, religion or ability.
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