JEDI

The choice to use “BIPOC” reflects the desire to illuminate specific injustices affecting Black and Indigenous people.” (1)

These are both labels that would only be used in a general or broad context. If the group you are referring to includes Black and Indigenous people then BIPOC is preferred over POC.

Note – whenever it is possible the best option is to specify each group individually. While generally accepted, BIPOC or POC is still a short cut and should only be used if necessary.

“Many people in the United States consider the term “African American” the more polite and correct choice, but this isn’t always accurate; some Black people may not be American, while others may not trace their ancestry to Africa”. (1)

Black or Black culture is generally a unique experience to people who are the descendants of people who were enslaved. They often do not have the same access to information about their ancestors and cultural traditions due to the impact of their culture and identity being stripped away or withheld.

“As someone who grew up with a much stronger sense of my black American roots, and an understanding of African culture distilled primarily through an American sensibility, I feel as though the term African-American doesn’t quite suit my identity.”

“Having to explain what I am—an American with American parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents—emphasized the gulf between the Kenyan understanding of race and my own. For the Kenyans I interacted with, having black skin also means being African. For me, being black means, well, being black.” (2)

Reminder – dropping person, family or culture from these terms as in “the blacks” is generally considered dehumanizing and should not be used.

Here is an article excerpt and link to read more about individual perspectives.

“Each time we choose to elect our own names and references we are empowered. This discussion does not argue that the term ‘Indian’ is better, or that ‘indigenous’ is, or to invalidate being an American or not to be; it is about choice; what we choose as well as how and why we used these names.” https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/blackhorse-do-you-prefer-native-american-or-american-indian-kHWRPJqIGU6X3FTVdMi9EQ

“When I first moved to the United States I lived in Michigan; as a new immigrant who didn’t know much about the different labels and how controversial they can be since many people have strong feelings about being called one or the other, I just identified myself as Dominican. This is really common for new immigrants from Latin America as we are used to define our identity based on our nationality.

As time passed and I became more culturally assimilated, the term Latina felt right because coming from Latin America, I also identify as a latinoamericana.” (5)

“I was part of the group of people who contributed to popularizing the term,” said artist Harry Gamboa, a California Institute of the Arts professor who was an organizer of the blowouts. “The notion of the Chicano at the beginning implicated that we were very much American. But it also refers to a population that has been here for thousands of years.” (6)

“Nowadays, Chicanismo is mostly about ethnic pride, cultural expression and the defense of immigrants.

Professor June Pedraza, chair of the National Association for Chicano and Chicana Studies, says Mexican-Americans in their teens are showing up at her classes at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio eager to study the roots of the Chicano movement. “There is more of a demand for it now,” she said.” (6)

“A National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls provides a process for public healing and accountability for this crisis, and honoring those who have been abducted, gone missing, or been murdered. It is essential on the broadest level to acknowledge the historic and ongoing human suffering and death that U.S. colonization has ravaged upon Native women.”

“A National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls will:

• honor the lives of our Native sisters,
• continue to shed light on the countless tragedies involving our Native sisters,
• highlight the need for ongoing grassroots advocacy and organizing for change of laws, policies, protocols, and allocation of increased resources at the tribal, federal, and state levels to end these injustices, and
• create the sharing of information needed to understand the legal reforms and changes required.”

https://www.niwrc.org/

We want folks of all shapes and sizes to know they are valued, to feel comfortable and included. Body shaming and discrimination against people who do not conform to conventional body standards are common issues in U.S. culture but are not often included in diversity initiatives as stated in an article by Jessica Richman, "As a fat woman, I represent a population that has not yet been recognized in diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives that continue to make headlines." (4) To learn more, click here.

“Additionally, there exist inequities in access to fresh and a wider variety of food, particularly in urban or remote areas that may have food deserts, that affect under-resourced individuals from lower income groups, people with health issues, and people from cultures and religions that are considered different that the mainstream.” (5) To learn more, click here.

"Dieting and body image talk are triggering for people who have had or who have an eating disorder – they may trigger a relapse into eating and/or weight and shape preoccupations and behaviours such as binge eating, fasting or purging," says Professor Phillipa Hay, foundation chair of mental health at Western Sydney University." To learn more, click here.

The festivities honoring the proclamation lasted for three weeks, with various exhibits depicting events in African American culture. In 1915, after seeing this display, Woodson decided to form what is now named the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History (ASALH), in order to encourage the study of the accomplishments made by Black Americans.” (Follow the links below to learn more)

https://www.oprahmag.com/life/a26077992/why-is-black-history-month-in-february/

Association for the Study of African American Life and History

https://asalh.org/

Health Disparities - “Health disparities are differences in health that are tied to economic, social or environmental disadvantages. The inequities that fuel these disparities include differences in access to health care (SN: 4/23/19) and exposure to pollution (SN: 7/30/20) and the health effects of racism (SN: 8/6/19). “ https://www.sciencenews.org/article/black-newborn-baby-survival-doctor-race-mortality-rate-disparity

Minority Stress - Recognizing the impact of “minority stress” on both physical and mental health – Article has some excellent clinical considerations. https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2021/02/16/minority-stress-depression-chase-m-t-anderson

Mind the Gap – a book by Malone Mukwende. “He is a 20-year-old medical student, who found himself repeatedly asking the same question: “But what will it look like on darker skin?” He’s publishing a book to answer that question.

Since his first class at St George’s, University of London, “I noticed a lack of teaching about darker skin tones, and how certain symptoms appear differently in those who aren’t white,” said Mukwende, who recently completed his second year of study in the medical program.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/07/22/malone-mukwende-medical-handbook/

Pdf for Mind the Gap available for free online at his website

•      To learn about the Kathrine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson the women who inspired Hidden Figures follow the links below. https://www.nasa.gov/content/dorothy-vaughan-biography
•      “Ten Black scientists that science teachers should know about.” https://www.pbs.org/education/blog/ten-black-scientists-that-science-teachers-should-know-about-and-free-resources
•      To close here is a fun and energetic Tik Tokker sharing animal facts! Jaida Elcock, who is also a co-founder of MISS – “an organization dedicated to encouraging women of color to pursue a career in shark sciences”
•      Tik Tok – @sofishtication
•      Twitter - Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) @MISS_Elasmo https://www.sharks4kids.com/post/meet-graduate-student-jaida-elcock

Huelga! (Strike!) Photographs from the Frontlines

In the latest MVC Insider, Chief Curator of Exhibits and Collections Anna Bermudez took viewers inside Huelga! Photographs from the Frontlines at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. While many of you may have explored the virtual version of Huelga! at the Ventura Museum, most have not seen this companion exhibit that touches on fascinating history involving Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Egg City, and more.

Sí, se puede

"Sí, se puede" (Spanish for "Yes, it is possible" or, roughly, "Yes, we can") pronounced [ˈsi se ˈpwe.ðe]) is the motto of the United Farm Workers of America, and has since been taken up by other activist groups. In 1972, during César Chávez's 25-day fast in Phoenix, Arizona, UFW's co-founder, Dolores Huerta, came up with the slogan. To read more, click here.

From Response For Teens JCFS Chicago; “While the events that sparked the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation as we know it today get some attention, we often forget that the movement was led by trans women of color and Black lesbians. The following four women of color were key leaders in advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. These women cared for their community and fought for all LGBTQ+ people to have the freedom to live as they are.  Because of transphobia and anti-Blackness, these women often faced even more discrimination as they fought. So… let us not forget that the struggle continues.  These women are heroes.  Their bravery and absolute refusal to accept anything less than liberation sparked a movement that needs to remember who led the charge. All Black lives matter.”  Follow the link if you’d like to learn who these four women are.

Additional Resources:

• “Frank Kameny: Google Celebrates Pride Month with Doodle” (video under 3 minutes).
• ”Celebrate Pride with us all month long! First, explore Stonewall 50 at New-York Historical Society, which dives deep into the rhythm of LGBTQ nightlife, lesbian herstory, and images from five decades of Pride marches. Then, check out our fascinating programs and events where you'll hear from activist pioneers, fashion scholars, and historians of gay culture. Meanwhile, families can enjoy Pride-themed crafting projects and reading series. Read on and start planning your calendar”. Celebrate Pride at New-York Historical Society.
• Article on Transgender and nonbinary parents’ experience with pregnancy - USA Today 5/21/2021
• Clue 3/31/2021 article : “What’s It Like to Be Pregnant As A Transmasculine Person” not only shares a personal story, but also shows how to take action and be an ally

     It is unclear where exactly this tradition originated; numerous different communities may have independently initiated the memorial gatherings. And some records show that one of the earliest Memorial Day commemorations was organized by a group of formerly enslaved people in Charleston, South Carolina less than a month after the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. Nevertheless, in 1966 the federal government declared Waterloo, New York, the official birthplace of Memorial Day.

• Memorial Day Facts, Meaning, & Traditions
• Over 150 Years of Remembrance

Local Celebration 

     This year, in Ventura County, Juneteenth will be celebrated in Oxnard’s Plaza Park (500 S. Street) on Saturday, June 17th, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  This “Freedom Day Celebration” is free to the public; for more information, check out the flier and visit their website. JUNETEENTH | Juneteenth-Oxnard (juneteenthoxnard.org) 

County Offices Closed 

     Since we collaborate with the county in our work, we wanted to share that Ventura County government agencies will recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday starting this year. Read more in the VC Star: Ventura County recognizes Juneteenth as a paid holiday (vcstar.com) 

Historically rooted in rich African traditions and the conflicted slave trade, black folk music provided the soil for jazz to grow. Other sounds began to join the chorus. From rhythm and blues to barbershop and swing, the artists responded to every era with a fresh wave of inspiration and visionary sound. 

     The music breaks barriers and moves people. It inspires generation after generation of artists and music lovers. 

In this video, Dyana Williams, who is often referred to as the mother of Black Music Month,  discusses the birth of Black Music Month and the high level of music activism that lead to the legislation to declare June Black Music Month. 

     As President Biden shared in his Proclamation on Black Music Appreciation Month “Music has the power to lift our spirits, comfort our souls, and inspire our hearts.  It gives a voice to the human spirit, creating a common language that unites people and breaks down barriers.  Perhaps no music has had as profound and powerful an impact in shaping America’s musical score as Black music.  Intricately woven into the tapestry of our Nation, Black music enriches our lives and pushes the boundaries of creativity.  Throughout the decades and across the country, Black music has fueled a myriad of genres — from rhythm and blues to jazz, gospel, country, rap and more.  This month, we celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Black music on American culture and recognize the indelible impact it continues to have on the world.” 

How Can You Observe African-American Music Appreciation Month?

     The answer to this question is easy! You can immerse yourself in the music of your favorite black musicians! These talented black musicians span throughout all genres and generations. Listed below are songs from several corners of the black music world:

Sacred Music includes spiritual and gospel music and illustrates the central role that music plays in African American spiritual and religious life.

The Caravans- I Won’t Be Back for More (Live)

Folk Music links back to African cultural traditions. Stemming from field hillers, work chants and game songs, folk music bursts with social commentary.

Richie Havens- Here Comes the Sun

The Blues form the foundation of contemporary American music. As did sacred and folk music, the blues also greatly influenced the cultural and social lives of African Americans.

Etta James- Something’s Got A Hold on Me (Live)

African American Military Music has roots that date back to the Revolutionary War and Civil War. African Americans served in fife and drum corps. Musicians that played in military bands during World War I and World War II often incorporated modern musical styles, such as jazz, into their song selections.

John "Big Nig" Bray - Trench Blues (1934)

Jazz evolved from ragtime, an American style of syncopated instrumental music. Jazz first materialized in New Orleans and is often distinguished by African American musical innovation.

Count Basie - Corner Pocket

Rhythm and Blues (R&B) is the predecessor to soul music and has a stylistically diverse genre with roots in jazz, blues and gospel music. R&B helped spread African American culture and popularized the idea of racial integration on the airwaves and in white society.

Mary J. Blige - Be Without You (Official Music Video)

Rock ‘n’ Roll music incorporates elements from all African American music genres and combines them with American pop and country music components. The genre was born in the 1950s and appealed to the rebellious yearnings of American youth culture.

Little Richard - Tutti Frutti (1956)

Hip-Hop and Rap are musical traditions firmly embedded in African American culture. Like jazz, hip-hop has become a global phenomenon and has exerted a driving force on the development of mass media.

2Pac - Changes (Official Music Video) ft. Talent

Resources

Celebrating Black Music Month | National Museum of African American History and Culture

     Indigenous peoples have sought recognition of their identities, their way of life, and their right to traditional lands, territories and natural resources for years. Yet, throughout history, their rights have been violated. Indigenous peoples today, are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world. The international community now recognizes that special measures are required to protect their rights and maintain their distinct cultures and way of life. 

     This year’s theme is Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination. Violations of the rights of the world's Indigenous Peoples have become a persistent problem, sometimes because of a historical burden from their colonization backgrounds and others because of the contrast with a constantly changing society. 

     In response to this problem, let’s remember every August 9^th that Indigenous Peoples have the right to make their own decisions and carry them out meaningfully and culturally appropriate to them. 

     In this context of demand for self-determination, Indigenous youth are working as agents of change at the forefront of some of the most pressing crises facing humanity today. 

     For instance, Indigenous youth are harnessing cutting-edge technologies and developing new skills to offer solutions and contribute to a more sustainable, peaceful future for our people and planet. 

     But their future depends as well on the decisions that are made today. Their representation and participation in global efforts towards climate change mitigation, peacebuilding, and digital cooperation are crucial for the effective implementation of their rights as indigenous. 

     This International Day of Indigenous Peoples 2023, under the title of "Indigenous youth as agents of change for self-determination", revindicates the role that indigenous youth must occupy in decision-making while recognizing their dedicated efforts in climate action, the search for justice for their people, and the creation of an intergenerational connection that keeps their culture, traditions, and contributions alive. 

For more information, click here.

Watch Revelations on YouTube

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

• Watch Amanda recite her poem at the inauguration here
• Read more about Amanda Gorman and Black art in this recent interview by Michelle Obama for Time Magazine
• Check out her website for more of her work

“Kanati saw himself as white, black and Native American, and he was not into issues of race,” his brother said. “But in my opinion, if someone subsequent to Kanati said they were the first black Olympic gymnast, they would be in error, because Kanati was black.””

https://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/February/29/Simone-Biles-And-Gabby-Douglas-Are-Latest-In-A-Storied-History-Of-African-American-Gymnasts

Here are some more resources for increasing your own understanding:

• What would Martin Luther King Jr. say about the current civil unrest?
• Martin Luther King Jr.'s true, radical legacy is being whitewashed by people looking for easy absolution

For more information.

Would you like to hear Maya Angelou? Here are two videos each under three minutes:

Additional resource on her life:

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/maya-angelou

First but not the Last: Women Who Ran for President. https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/zAJim2pJexmPJw

Legislating History: 100 Years of Women in Congress

https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/xwIyBOxRJB6rKA

Would you like to take a deeper dive into the history? Here are additional resources, please click for more information:

• Harriet Tubman day March 10th Video (1 minute)
• The National Park Service also administers a sister park in Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, New York, where Harriet Tubman lived in her later years.”
• Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park
• Harriet Tubman’s home in Auburn, NY 

“More than a century after her death, Harriet Tubman would still recognize many places in the Eastern Shore of Maryland’s mosaic of waterways, forests, and fields. Stops along the byway make it possible to learn about the lives of enslaved and free Blacks, abolitionists, and slave holders, as well as escape routes used by Tubman and her fellow freedom seekers.”

• If you would like to see a map of the journey Harriet Tubman made open this link for the Tubman Byway
• Harriet Tubman Day
• The Truths Behind the Myths of Harriet Tubman
• Why Harriet Tubman Wore White
• U.S. Treasury resuming steps to put Harriet Tubman on $20 bill - White House

The above information was sourced from Harriet Tubman Byway webpage.

• This is a military spouse site with 26 photos showing the diversity among women building aircraft in WWII
• This article is based on the point of view of a forest ranger at the national Rosie museum who talks about her experience in WWII as a Black woman and how she perceives the way history has been presented:
• This article is focused on Black women in WWII.
• This article is about women in WWII.
• This article is on Mexican-American Rosies.
• This brief article is about diverse Rosies of color and access to national parks.
• Article: “Efficiency, Skill, Spirit, and Determination”: American Women in World War II:

“African-American women struggled to find jobs in the defense industry and often found that white women were unwilling to work beside them with they did. Although factory work allowed black women to escape labor as domestic servants for a time and earn better wages, most were fired after the war and forced to resume work as maids and cooks.”

• Native American Women in WWII.

     After 381 days of the boycott, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in December 1956 that the segregation law was not aligned with the constitution. The boycott and its successful outcome triggered other civil rights protests over the years. Parks became the face of the battle against inequality. The bus in which Rosa Parks was sitting has been restored and is currently displayed in the Henry Ford Museum. 

Resources

• ROSA PARKS DAY - December 1, 2022 - National Today 

Last December at 82 years of age, and 66 years after she was charged with assaulting a police officer, Claudette’s record was expunged. See the video here: Civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin gets record cleared after 66 years - YouTube

Resources

Claudette Colvin, arrested for not giving up her seat for a White woman in 1955, has record expunged: "My name was cleared. I'm no longer a juvenile delinquent at 82." - CBS News 

     Charlotte sued the Omnibus Railroad Company (the owners of the street car at the time) and the lawsuit asked for $200. The Omnibus Railroad Company stated that the conductor was justified by what he did because the segregation laws said that Black people could be removed to avoid and prevent white women and children from being afraid or repulsed. Charlotte won her case but the jury that presided over the case only awarded her $25. Three days after the end of the first trial, Charlotte was kicked off of another street car. She again brought a lawsuit against Omnibus and, this time, she asked for $3,000. The 12^th district court upheld the first verdict that was in favor of Charlotte and ruled that excluding passengers from street cars based on race is illegal. The judge said that he had “no desire to perpetrate a relic of barbarism.” The judge also asked, “Why are we preventing anybody, regardless of color, from riding on street cars?” Charlotte’s case paved the way for other challenges and cases against white only practices on privately owned street cars. 

Resources

April 17, 1863: Charlotte Brown Forced Off Streetcar - Zinn Education Project (zinnedproject.org) 

     Jo Ann was the target of several acts of intimidation. In February of 1956, a local police officer threw a stone through a window of her home. Two weeks after that incident, another police officer poured acid on her car. The intimidation and violence had gotten so bad that the governor of Alabama ordered the state police to guard, not just Jo Ann’s home, but the homes of other civil rights leaders. The police were the ones instigating the violence and police were the people creating these intimidating situations in the first place and yet they were now ordered to protect the very people they were victimizing. 

     The boycott continued until December 20, 1956, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared segregated seating on buses unconstitutional. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was one of the first successful protest of segregation in the Deep South, inspiring other nonviolent civil rights protest. It also established Dr. King as a prominent national figure. 

Resources

• Jo Ann Robinson: A Heroine of the Montgomery Bus Boycott | National Museum of African American History and Culture (si.edu) 

     Irene was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and violating Virginia’s Jim Crow transit laws. She pled guilty to the first, and paid a $100 fine for resisting arrest; however, on the second charge, that of violating segregation laws, she refused to plead guilty or pay the $10 fine.It took extreme courage for Irene to publicly declare that she was not guilty of violating any segregation laws; the courthouse was packed and the Ku Klux Klan charter was posted on the door. Nevertheless, she maintained her innocence. She and her lawyer chose to appeal the decision to the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, arguing that transportation segregation impeded interstate commerce. 

     The Supreme Court agreed to hear her case (Morgan vs. Virginia) and in a landmark decision and an unprecedented ruling, it was decided that Virginias segregation transit laws were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court then extended this ruling to bus terminals used in interstate bus services. So, not only were the busses affected, but the terminals also. Despite this, Black people were still being removed and arrested whenever they tried to integrate these facilities. This was due to the fact that the southern states refused to acknowledge the ruling of Morgan vs. Virginia. Irene Kirkaldy’s case inspired the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation, which was considered the first Freedom Ride where this ruling was then put to the test as bus riders rode from Atlanta Ga to Washington DC. 

Resources

• Irene Morgan Kirkaldy, MSA SC 3520-15242 (maryland.gov) 

     Kate sued the railway company and won, with the district court awarding her $1,500. The railway company appealed several times and it went all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. At the Supreme Court hearing, it was stated that the railway line was not allowed to segregate according to the congressional charter (which stated that no person shall be excluded from the cars on account of race). Kate recovered from her injuries and continued working for the US Senate until 1881. 

Resources

• Feb. 8, 1868: Kate Brown Blocked from Seat in Ladies' Car and Assaulted - Zinn Education Project (zinnedproject.org) 

It is dangerous to assume that we can completely understand the lived experience of our neighbor, and when we do we create spaces primed with opportunity for misunderstanding, exploitation, marginalization, and structural oppression.”

We must shift our efforts from the pursuit of an attainable understanding to the development of a new habit: cultural humility. There are significant differences between cultural competence and cultural humility. Cultural humility is a process that one engages in, rather than a level of education one seeks to attain. Cultural humility focuses on moving the emphasis away from our own lived experience, and even the way that we ascribe meaning to the lived experience of others, to give value to the practice of listening to and embracing the voices of those other than ourselves. What our university, our community, our nation, and indeed our world needs at this time, more than ever, is the expansion of this habit. Less talking. Less assuming we understand what it feels like to be someone else. More compassion. More listening and accepting what others tell us they’re experiencing. As an educator, I’ve found that perhaps the most difficult lesson to teach is when I try to explain to a person who has lived through adversity, that through complicated layers of privilege, or the lack thereof, others may have had an even smaller chance of success than they did. None of us is without some degree of privilege. Some of us have more than others. None of us has lived without having to endure adversity of some kind. Some far more than others. All of us have the ability to engage those around us in a habit of cultural humility. It is a choice. Perhaps this is one of the only things that will give us the ability to genuinely and authentically unite and move forward together.”

Koutahi, M. (2016, 28 November). Professor’s Perspective: Cultural Competence vs. Cultural Humility. Forum Magazine, 2.

“People can only live fully by helping others to live. When you give life to friends you truly

live. Cultures can only realize their further richness by honoring other traditions...”

-Daisaku Ikeda, Japanese Peace Activist and Buddhist Leader

     The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) first introduced National Deaf History Month in 1997 and, in 2006, the American Library Association partnered with NAD in supporting and spreading awareness of this celebration.” (excerpt from Insight Into Diversity)

Insight Into Diversity highlights the first deaf Black woman to earn a doctoral degree in the US, a deaf Mexican-American who as a child worked alongside farmworker parents, the first deaf African-American boxer, the deaf founder of the Girl Scouts, and the first deaf actor.  Deaf Women United created Deaf Women Herstory Month in 2014 to celebrate contributions made by this under-recognized group during Women’s History Month in March.

“Driven by compassion and a strong sense of purpose, deaf women have long been fighters for social justice. Charlotte Elizabeth Tonna (1790-1846) was a popular deaf writer whose work “The Wrongs of Woman” exposed the deplorable living and working conditions of female laborers in London. Juliette Gordon Low, who became deaf as a young adult, devoted her time to charity work and founded The Girl Scouts of America in 1913. Since it’s creation, The Girl Scouts program has helped millions of young Americans from all walks of life to become more confident and capable individuals.  In 1986, Marilyn J. Smith founded Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services to address the unique needs of deaf and deaf-blind victims of abuse. Smith’s organization has centers across the country which are run by and for deaf people to provide training and education regarding issues of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Between communication obstacles and societal oppression, deaf women had to really break through th ebarriers to receive the education they deserved. It was the impressive intelligence of young Alice Cogswell which inspired Thomas Hopikins Gallaudet to create the world's first University for the Deaf in 1817. Through the 19th century, deaf-blind women such as Julia Brace, Laura Bridgman, and Helen Keller went out to further prove that physical disabilities did not limit ones ability or desire to learn. These pioneers opened the door for women like Marie Jean Philip (1953-1997), who was a Gallaudet graduate, educator, and international advocate for deaf language rights. Philip was one of the first people to research, study, and establish American Sign Language as a recognized language!" (excerpt from Sign Nexus Celebrating Women Through History)

Wheelchair user vs person in a wheelchair – the first gives the person more agency. They are not passively sitting in a chair, they are actively using it. People who use wheelchairs would also work. This can apply with any type of assistive device.

It’s also worth noting that your perception of the word disabled may be very different from people with disabilities. Many folks may be classified disabled in the sense that their accessibility needs are legally protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act - ADA. Interpreters for the Deaf, wheelchair ramps etc. Often these folks will tell you that they don’t see their disability as a negative. The challenge is that society designs the world in a way that does not accommodate them. It’s not the disability but society that makes life harder. If every public building had wheelchair access, then wheelchairs users would have greater freedom. If every video, lecture etc. was closed captioned the Deaf and Hard of Hearing would have access. If we all learned American Sign Language alongside spoken language as children then Deaf people would have greater freedom. Think of it this way - Deaf people have language and can communicate, if I don’t know sign language why don’t I think that I am the one that can’t communicate with them?

Here is a link to a story and a theory created by one woman to explain life with chronic illness to her friend. This story does not apply to everyone with a disability but there are many who find it helpful. You may have run across the term “spoonie”, well here is the theory behind it.

But You Dont Look Sick? support for those with invisible illness or chronic illness The Spoon Theory written by Christine Miserandino - But You Dont Look Sick? support for those with invisible illness or chronic illness

Identity beyond Disability. Intersectional Approaches to Disability | by Diversity & Ability | DnA’s Blog | Medium

Americans with Disabilities Act | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov)

     Disability Pride Flag designed by Ann Magill and updated in 2021 to ensure accessibility, each color represents a different type of disability: physical (red), cognitive and intellectual (yellow), invisible and undiagnosed (white), psychosocial (blue), and sensory (green). The charcoal background symbolizes mourning and rage for the victims of ableist violence and abuse, and the colored bands are placed diagonally to convey persons with disabilities “cutting across” societal barriers.
Image pulled from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/07/22/observing-disability-pride-month-july 

Third Places and Disability

     What are third places? From Wikipedia “In sociology, the third place refers to the social surroundings that are separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Examples of third places include churches, cafes, clubs, public libraries, gyms, bookstores, stoops, and parks. In his book The Great Good Place (1989), Ray Oldenburg argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place.“

     Third places are spaces separate from home and work where people find community. Sadly, real-world third places can be difficult to access. Where can kids go to just play, teens to hang out, and adults to relax with others? Where can we go that doesn’t cost money, allows us to be noisy or quiet, allows people from a variety of beliefs to be together, etc.? Online communities have become a third place that is important for many people but especially important for anyone with disabilities that may not be accommodated in real-world third places. Many third places are not physically accessible, not participating in public health safety measures such as masking, or don’t have programs/available spaces that are low to no cost. 

Check out this article by Imani Barbarin a Black disabled woman who is also a communications professional

With Twitter Crumbling, It Feels Like The World Is Collapsing On Disabled People

by Imani
https://crutchesandspice.com/2022/11/16/with-twitter-crumbling-it-feels-like-the-world-is-collapsing-on-disabled-people/ 
 
November 16, 2022
 
     I don’t want to leave the platform and I feel like I am mourning it in real time.
They call us the “chronically online,” those who “need to touch grass,” the people who need to “log off,” but for disabled people, online spaces have been a lifeline in a world that seeks to erase and eradicate us. Even prior to the pandemic, platforms like Twitter helped us to feel less alone and gaslit by our experiences and allowed us to contextualize our experiences in a way that gave us peace.
     When I started CrutchesAndSpice.com, I was coming off another major depressive episode and was feeling hopeless about the future. It had taken a long time for me to find a job. My resume always “looked good” but I could see the enthusiasm drain from the interviewee’s faces when they clocked my crutches and, now that I had found a job, it was only part-time, and I was spending more on inaccessible transportation than I was making on my checks. Despite all the tv shows and films that I watched, none really showed what it was like trying to be an adult—or any person—with a disability. It was like we all hit adulthood and disappeared.
     I was raised to overcome my disability in quiet ways and always outperform people’s expectations, but that didn’t matter much once I was no longer cute and “inspirational.” And, because I was “normalized” in school from childhood, I didn’t have many disabled friends who could relate, and any time I spoke on these things, I was just told to work harder.
That is—until I got to use Twitter more often.
     I set up my Twitter profile in 2009 but didn’t spend too much on the platform until I started my first job outside of college in 2014. I had begun using my blog to write stories about being brought up as a Black, disabled child because that was something I never got to see growing up. I shared these stories on Facebook, but then branched out to Twitter and began engaging in conversations like #CripTheVote.
     Through those hashtags, I met other disabled people, particularly, Black disabled people who affirmed my experiences and were vulnerable enough to let into their worlds. I was finally seeing the representation I had always wanted and disabled people—Black disabled people were in the directors’ chairs creating our own narratives and forcing people to see us.
Moved by the community, I went to Graduate School for Global Communications with the express purpose of telling better disability stories and utilizing online spaces to create representation and community. Soon, I started creating my own hashtags and online movements like #AbledsAreWeird and #PatientsAreNotFaking.
     Through the disability community on Twitter, it is no exaggeration to say that the disability community saved my life, and it is through knowing them that I have found my purpose. I found answers to questions I didn’t even know to ask and support from people who only know me through their phones.
     Without their grace, kindness, and understanding, I can honestly say I don’t think I would be alive right now.
     The disability communities and discourse that was done prior to 2020 became critically important during the pandemic. We knew that the ways we discussed disability would mean life and death for thousands of disabled folks across the United States. Disabled folks, being criminally underrepresented, now more than ever were reliant upon nondisabled people’s view of the value of our lives as they debated whether it was prudent to participate in COVID-19 mitigation efforts or not.
     It was important that we shared information and resources and information with one another as the entire world had stopped more for us than any other group. While a lot of companies focused on the importance of disability in DEI work and how the pandemic proved accessibility and inclusion of us was always necessary, they fail to see the full picture. While the world finally came to the realization disabled people were right the entire time and that accommodations were for all, everything halted completely for disabled people.
We were left for dead.
     Hospitals quickly reached capacity and medical rationing guidelines meant that we were at the back of the line to get care. Society and the system saw no point in saving us. On top of that, we were cut off from our regular medical care, services, and education almost entirely. We had to sit and listen as people debated the merits of a disabled life and whether the economy should be punished for our existence.
     We were isolated completely, but we were able to connect and come together in our fear and anger over how our community was being pushed to the margins. We could make it to the timeline even if we couldn’t make it out of our homes and despite a world that had forgotten about us.
And now a billionaire has bought Twitter.
     It seems cartoonish that he would buy the platform that kept so many disabled people connected and therefore alive (for a greatly inflated price) and then seemingly scuttles it with bad decision after bad decision. For all the talk about how keeping disabled people alive throughout the pandemic was the greatest threat to the economy, it was he who cost corporations billions in mere hours.
     Thousands have lost their jobs or quit because of his “leadership” and the guardrails are off as content moderation disappears and accessibility no longer matters to the company.
Aside from the increased threat of harassment, the greatest threat to the disability community is all the advocacy, networks and supports we created on the platform could be wiped off of it.
I fear that if the platform disappears, the visibility that we’ve built—demanded—will be gone as well.
     All my sarcasm over the last few weeks has been out of fear of what seems to be this eventuality. I am looking for ways for us to continue to be connected, but I don’t think there’s any platform that can replicate the magic we created on Twitter.
I don’t want to leave the platform and I feel like I am mourning it in real time.
I don’t want to say goodbye.
     I have decided to stick it out as long as possible, but before it’s curtains, I just want to say to each of you: thank you.
     Thank you for saving my life and making it make sense. Thank you for the trust and privilege of getting to know you. Thank you for helping me understand my purpose. Thank you for helping me reach my dreams. Thank you for being unapologetically yourselves. Thank you for this community.
     I’ll see you on the next one—wherever we go.
Find more of her articles as well as social media profiles at https://crutchesandspice.com 

Chronicon 2023
     “On May 19th, 2023, a group of fabulous and caring people put their heart and souls into bringing the disabled and chronically ill from the Chronicon community, from all over the US and Canada, to meet each other face to face in many cases for the first time. They gathered to celebrate all that they are and all that they can and will become. It was truly the most amazingly iconic day…”
 
     “Chronically ill people are one of the largest marginalized groups in the US and we have a lot of work to do in having real equality in our everyday lives,” was our next topic of discussion led by the following panelists: Komal Minhas, Resilience Educator, Fortune Consultant, and Host, Julia Stephanides, Workers' Rights Lawyer and Founder of Legally Holistic, Dr. Deepek Penesetti, Triple Board Certified Child, Adolescent, and Adult Psychiatrist, and Emily Ladau, Author, Advocate, and Speaker.
     Finding answers to our problems can be extremely difficult. That is why it is important for us to seek answers by finding our community. For instance, “Loneliness is also known as “Death by 1,000 Paper Cuts,” according to Dr. Deepek Pensetti. “When you have something that you do not share with others, that is loneliness.” “Loneliness is also known as “the silent struggle” and the best way to overcome it is with community,” according to Dr. Pensetti. He also added that “change happens when one person humbled by life helps another.” That is what Chronicon is all about.
Go to the website to read the full article about the event. https://mydiversability.com/blog/2023/6/28/summary-of-chronicon-2023-an-amazing-day-for-the-disabled-and-chronically-ill-community-to-come-together-to-celebrate-all-that-we-are 

Resources 

• 12 Ways to Celebrate Disability Pride Month
  https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/how-to-celebrate-disability-pride-month
• What You Need To Know About Ableism
  https://mydiversability.com/blog/2020/8/20/what-you-need-to-know-about-ableism
• Diversability Website
  https://mydiversability.com/ 
  https://mydiversability.com/blog/2023/6/28/summary-of-chronicon-2023-an-amazing-day-for-the-disabled-and-chronically-ill-community-to-come-together-to-celebrate-all-that-we-are
• Chronicon
  Chronicon is on a mission to elevate the visibility of the 133+ million Americans living with a chronic illness. Because, let’s be honest—this population deserves more love and support.
  https://chronicon.co/ 
  https://www.thechroniconcommunity.com/landing?space_id=2928422
• PBS - articles and videos about Disability Pride
  https://www.pbs.org/articles/disability-pride-month-and-the-disability-rights-movement/
• Disability Pride Parade will be held in LA in October 2023
  https://www.disabilitypridela.com/ 
  https://www.disabilitypridela.com/faqs
• Third Places
  https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/04/third-places-meet-new-people-pandemic/629468/ 

This movement has continued on for over a century but has lost steam at times. In the United States, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 2011 to be "Women's History Month", calling Americans to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) by reflecting on "the extraordinary accomplishments of women" in shaping the country's history. The world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in both women's and society's thoughts about women's equality and emancipation. To learn more, click here.

Theme

For example, UN Women announced the theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2021 (IWD 2021) as, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” The theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens that women carry. To learn more, click here.

1. Show your support on social media
2. Involve men and people who identify beyond the gender binary in the conversation and celebration
3. Advocate for gender equality in your workplace
4. Host or attend an online panel
5. Set up a (virtual) coffee date with a woman in your network
6. Start a book club with your colleagues and friends
7. Support women-owned businesses
8. Host a film screening
9. Donate to charity
10. Acknowledge the awesome women in your life (Ideas found more in depth here.)

• POC-Led Organizations to Support on International Women’s day

The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple (as you’ll read below). Also spelled Hanukkah (or variations of that spelling), the Hebrew word is actually pronounced with a guttural, “kh” sound, kha-nu-kah, not tcha-new-kah.

In the second century BCE, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who tried to force the people of Israel to accept Greek culture and beliefs instead of mitzvah observance and belief in G‑d. Against all odds, a small band of faithful but poorly armed Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G‑d.

When they sought to light the Temple's Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity. To learn more, click here.

The German word Weihnachten denotes “hallowed night.” Since the early 20th century, Christmas has also been a secular family holiday, observed by Christians and non-Christians alike, devoid of Christian elements, and marked by an increasingly elaborate exchange of gifts. In this secular Christmas celebration, a mythical figure named Santa Claus plays the pivotal role. Christmas is celebrated on Friday, December 25, 2020.

The early Christian community distinguished between the identification of the date of Jesus’ birth and the liturgical celebration of that event. The actual observance of the day of Jesus’ birth was long in coming. In particular, during the first two centuries of Christianity there was strong opposition to recognizing birthdays of martyrs or, for that matter, of Jesus. To learn more, click here.

The Battle of Puebla

Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a ragtag force of 2,000 loyal men—many of them either Indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry—and sent them to Puebla.

The vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans, led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez gathered his army—supported by heavy artillery—before the city of Puebla and led an assault.

How Long Did the Battle of Puebla Last?

The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.

Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza’s success at the Battle of Puebla on May 5 represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. In 1867—thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War—France finally withdrew.

The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico in 1864 by Napoleon, was captured and executed by Juárez’s forces. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his historic triumph there.

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico

Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza’s unlikely victory occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration.

Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla, and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks, and stores remain open.

Why Do We Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States?

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations.

Chicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of Indigenous Mexicans (such as Juárez) over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla.

Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing, and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.

Confusion with Mexican Independence Day

Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla.

Independence Day in Mexico (Día de la Independencia) is commemorated on September 16, the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla’s famous “Grito de Dolores” (“Cry of Dolores,” referring to the city of Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico), a call to arms that amounted to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.

Take Back Cinco de Mayo

Olivia Juarez, Public Lands program director for the group GreenLatinos – said, through a “Take Back Cinco de Mayo” campaign, they want people to recognize the holiday as a day of action for cultural and environmental defense.

They said it’s been “hijacked by corporate interests to sell alcohol and stereotype Mexican culture.” “What we seek to do, by taking back Cinco de Mayo, is to enhance the holiday as a day of action,” said Juarez. “To reaffirm our commitment to protect public land, waters, and our cultures from those who seek to drill, mine, and otherwise destroy our communities.”

Juarez said their group wants to emulate the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla to now fight against the climate crisis, which they describe as “the greatest challenge of our lifetime.”

Juarez pointed out that Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican celebration and should not be inherently associated with all Latinx communities, as it isn’t a monolithic group. But regardless of where a person was born or their heritage, they said people can come together to celebrate cultural diversity and richness.

Juarez added that this also means not perpetuating negative stereotypes. “This is a campaign for everybody,” said Juarez. “And that, through standing for environmental liberation, in this case, you’re supporting everybody’s liberation – not just people of the Mexican community or Latinos.”

Action Items

The GreenLatinos group has posted a declaration online for people to sign, in support of reclaiming the significance of the holiday, and it has an online ‘toolkit’ on how to uplift cultural heritage and defend the environment this coming Cinco de Mayo.

Resources

• Cinco De Mayo: A Celebration of Mexican Heritage | History - YouTube
• Cinco de Mayo 2023: Facts, Meaning & Celebrations | HISTORY
• Latino Environmental Movement Building | GreenLatinos
• Taking Back Cinco de Mayo 2023 | Greenlatinos
• Franklin & Marshall – Cinco de Mayo is Not Mexican Independence Day (fandm.edu)

     The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration and remembrance of loved ones who have passed away, much like Memorial Day in the United States. During the days of the dead, the family often takes the opportunity to visit the gravesite and pull weeds, clean any debris and decorate the graves of loved ones. Day of the Dead (Día De Los Muertos) is a two-day holiday that reunites the living and dead. Families create ofrendas (Offerings) to honor their departed family members that have passed.

Origins of Day of the Dead

     The roots of the Day of the Dead, celebrated in contemporary Mexico and among those of Mexican heritage in the United States and around the world, go back some 3,000 years, to the rituals honoring the dead in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Aztecs and other Nahua people living in what is now central Mexico held a cyclical view of the universe, and saw death as an integral, ever-present part of life.

     The Day of the Dead (el Día de los Muertos), is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. A blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture, the holiday is celebrated each year from October 31- November 2. While October 31 is Halloween, November 1 is “el Día de los innocents,” or the day of the children, and All Saints Day. November 2 is All Souls Day or the Day of the Dead. According to tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31 and the spirits of children can rejoin their families for 24 hours. The spirits of adults can do the same on November 2.

How is the Day of the Dead Celebrated?

     El Día de los Muertos is not, as is commonly thought, a Mexican version of Halloween, though the two holidays do share some traditions, including costumes and parades. On the Day of the Dead, it’s believed that the border between the spirit world and the real-world dissolve. During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance and play music with their loved ones. In turn, the living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations, and leave the deceased’s favorite foods and other offerings at gravesites or on the ofrendas built in their homes. Ofrendas can be decorated with candles, bright marigolds called cempasuchil and red cock’s combs alongside food like stacks of tortillas and fruit.

     The most prominent symbols related to the Day of the Dead are Calacas (skeletons) and calaveras (skulls). In the early 19th century, the printer and cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada re-envisioned Mictecacíhuatl, the Aztec goddess of the underworld, as a female skeleton known as La Calavera Catrina, now the most recognizable Day of the Dead icon.

     During contemporary Day of the Dead festivities, people commonly wear skull masks and eat sugar candy molded into the shape of skulls. The pan de ánimas of All Souls Day rituals in Spain is reflected in pan de Muerto, the traditional sweet baked good of Day of the Dead celebrations today. Other food and drink associated with the holiday, but consumed year-round as well, include spicy dark chocolate and the corn-based liquor called atole. You can wish someone a happy Day of the Dead by saying, “Feliz Día de los Muertos.”

     Though the particular customs and scale of Day of the Dead celebrations continue to evolve, the heart of the holiday has remained the same over thousands of years. It’s an occasion for remembering and celebrating those who have passed on from this world, while at the same time portraying death in a more positive light, as a natural part of the human experience.

This is Day of the Dead in Mexico City (2 min. video) 

What is Day of the Dead? (2 min video)  

“Diwali is not only significant because of its massive popularity and brilliant displays of fireworks but also because it symbolises the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil and of knowledge over ignorance. On this day, diyas, candles and lamps are placed all around the house, to ‘light’ the way to knowledge and victory. Each house is decorated with various assortments of coloured lights and diyas. The entire country is bathed in the soft glow of light and warmth emanating from every household, making it a truly wondrous sight to behold.

The celebration of Diwali also serves as a cleansing ritual, one that signifies letting go of all of the past year’s worries and troubles and stepping into the light. In the days leading up to Diwali, families get together to clean, renovate and decorate their respective households and workplaces with rangolis and diyas. Diwali marks the onset of winter and the beginning of all things new, both in nature and humanity.” To learn more, click here.

Today Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement. It is a day, a week, and in some areas a month marked with celebrations, guest speakers, picnics and family gatherings. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing. It is a time for assessment, self-improvement and for planning the future. Its growing popularity signifies a level of maturity and dignity in America long overdue. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today. Sensitized to the conditions and experiences of others, only then can we make significant and lasting improvements in our society. (juneteenth.com)

Dec. 20 was considered a day of good luck. It was on this day that the first event of the kakunupmawa ceremony usually would begin with a conference of chiefs.

A portion of this meeting would include discussion of whether any debt was owed to you or your family. These debts must be paid in full, whether owed to you or departed members of your family. After the approved claims were satisfied, a crier would declare: “Rest! Let it be!”

Our ancestors made feathered poles and erected them at special shrines in the valleys and mountains for solstice. They could begin working on these feathered poles in November. A leader would select several men to work together to create the poles. They determined how many poles to make by visiting the places in the valley and hills where a pole previously was put up.

Today, we place “shrine community” and “grave shrine” poles on our sacred mountain known as “Owotoponu,” also called Grass Mountain. We also continue to incorporate our ancestors’ traditional ways into present day ceremonies. Tribal members make fire offerings of chia seeds, acorn flour and berries.”

To learn more, click here

Secondly, the Continental African components of Kwanzaa are a synthesis of various cultural values and practices from different Continental African peoples. In a word, the values and practices of Kwanzaa are selected from peoples from all parts of Africa, south and north, west and east, in a true spirit of Pan_Africanism.

And finally, Kwanzaa is a synthesis in the sense that it is based, in both conception and self-conscious commitment, on tradition and reason. Kawaida, the philosophy out of which Kwanzaa is created, teaches that all we think and do should be based on tradition and reason which are in turn rooted in practice. Tradition is our grounding, our cultural anchor and therefore, our starting point. It is also cultural authority for any claims to cultural authenticity for anything we do and think as an African people. And reason is necessary critical thought about our tradition which enables us to select, preserve and build on the best of what we have achieved and produced, in the light of our knowledge and our needs born of experience. Through reason rooted in experience or practice, then, we keep our tradition as an African people from becoming stagnant, sterile convention or empty historical reference. Instead, our tradition becomes and remains a lived, living and constantly expanded and enriched experience.”

From: "Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture - by Maulana Karenga / pp 15-16 / Los Angeles: University of Sankore Press (2008) To learn more, click here

     The Aztecs had a tradition of honoring their god Huitzilopochtli at the same time of year (coinciding with the winter solstice), and they would have special meals in which the guests were given small figures of idols made from a paste that consisted of ground toasted corn and agave syrup. The friars took advantage of the coincidence and the two celebrations were combined. 

     Today, “Las Posadas” is not one single isolated event, but a string of December events e.g. in San Miguel de Allende, the nine nights of the posadas—which means “inn”—represent the nine-day journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.  

     In a different colonia each night, a boy dressed as Joseph and a young girl dressed as Mary (usually riding a burro/donkey) parade through the streets knocking on doors only to be turned away because there is “no room at the inn.” 

     At each door, they sing the traditional Posada Song, “Pidiendo Posada,” (Begging for Shelter). Learn all the lyrics to the Posada Song here.  

     Finally, when the Holy Couple finds an open door and a welcome, everyone is offered food and hot fruit ponche to drink. Piñatas get broken and candy gobbled. Try this ponche recipe yourself. It’s a true Mexican taste of Christmas. 

Resources 

Spanish Christmas Songs and Carols (thoughtco.com) 

Las Posadas: the nine days of Christmas - MexConnect 

We are approaching the year of the tiger, which is known for being courageous, active, and enjoying a challenge. There are also lucky/unlucky colors, numbers for each animal sign. Find your zodiac sign here according to the year of your birth. The Chinese zodiac has 12 animal signs that represent the year in which a person was born. In China, all stores are closed for the first five days, so everyone must stock up for the celebration. There are many traditional foods enjoyed by families to celebrate the new year, such as spring rolls, dumplings, and “longevity” noodles—the noodles should be slurped and never cut to bring a person a long life. If you’d like to learn more about the Lunar New Year, go to this great infographic link.   

“At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate one of their major holidays called Eid al-Fitr or the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.” Children traditionally receive new clothes, money or gifts from parents, relatives and friends. A special prayer and sermon are held the morning of Eid day, followed by a community celebration usually in a park or large hall. Food, games and presents for children are important parts of the festivities, as friends and family spend the day socializing, eating and reuniting with old acquaintances.” To learn more, click here. 

As we read in the Rosh Hashanah prayers, each year on this day “all inhabitants of the world pass before G‑d like a flock of sheep,” and it is decreed in the heavenly court “who shall live, and who shall die ... who shall be impoverished and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise.”

It is a day of prayer, a time to ask the Almighty to grant us a year of peace, prosperity and blessing. But it is also a joyous day when we proclaim G‑d King of the Universe. The Kabbalists teach that the continued existence of the universe depends on G‑d’s desire for a world, a desire that is renewed when we accept His kingship anew each year on Rosh Hashanah.” To learn more, click here.

People may make assumptions about the gender of another person based on appearance or name but these assumptions aren’t always correct. Using someone’s correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them and create an inclusive environment. Automatically sharing our own pronouns is a way to make it more comfortable for others to share their pronouns with us. Some people choose not to use pronouns at all and can be referred to by their name in place of pronouns.

Most Common Pronouns  

• She/her/hers
• He/him/his
• They/them/theirs

Neopronouns  

• These are an alternative gender-neutral pronoun set. Neopronouns can be used to avoid singular they being confused with plural they, to express something else about gender, or because someone may simply feel more comfortable using neopronouns.

Some examples of neopronouns:

• Ze/zir/zirs
• Ey/em/eirs

What about Foster Children and Pronouns? 

Foster children have the right to use the name and gender pronoun they identify with and that right must be respected by caregivers, SWs, teachers etc.

Simple Ways to Start Sharing Pronouns 

To add your pronouns to your email signature there are several options. You can use parenthesis after your name, or use a separate line after your name, title or contact information.

What Do I Do if I Misgender Someone? 

     The first thing to be aware of is that we often assume gender, and sexual identity. If you see someone with long hair and makeup, no facial hair you may assume that person is a cis gendered heterosexual and hetero romantic woman. Part of respecting identities is realizing how often we assume based on the cultural norms we grew up with. Those norms can make anyone who doesn’t fit within them feel like an outsider. So, the idea of not assuming these things even if you are thinking in your head “but the person is clearly a man, clearly white and straight...?” 

     Try to develop the habit of not assuming. If you do make an assumption or a mistake, generally the best course is to listen to the person, take accountability, apologize and move on.  

Read More

Here are some examples; 

If you are unsure or someone else corrects you. 

Person 1: “Jesse said he wants to go to the movies.” 

Person 2: “Jesse is non binary and uses they/them pronouns” 

Person 1: “Oh, Thanks for letting me know. They want to go to the movies.” 

 It can be helpful to repeat the statement, it shows willingness to correct the mistake and honestly it is good practice anytime you are still learning. 

The person corrects you. 

Person 1: Talking to a group that includes Jesse.  “Hey, Jesse said he wants to go to the movies with us!” 

Jesse: “Uh, I'm a woman?!” 

Person 1: “Thank you, sorry...She said she wants to go to the movies with us!” 

I catch myself making the mistake 

“Jesse said she wants to go to the movies.” (Jesse is male) “Sorry, he said he wants to go.” 

You may feel awkward or embarrassed but that is not Jesse’s responsibility. Quickly apologize and move on. If you have someone in your life that has let you know their name and pronouns are not what you thought they were – practice using their correct name and pronouns even when you are not talking to them. If you continue to use their dead name or the wrong pronouns then you will likely slip up in person. Practice, practice, practice! 

     We often think of sex and gender as both being binary. You are either one or the other. But really, sex is a spectrum. Chromosomes can also be just X, just Y, XO, XXX, XXXY, and more. So not everyone is male or female, some people are intersex. Two of the more well-known intersex conditions are PCOS and Androgen insensitivity syndrome.  

     PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome can impact someone who was AFAB but in puberty they may start to develop characteristics that we commonly think of a as male such as thick facial hair. Now all people have some facial hair but we associate beards with men. There are women who also grow beards.  PCOS is a common reason why a woman might have thick facial hair. Beards are not just for boys. Someone with PCOS has XX chromosomes, was AFAB and may identify as a cis gender intersex woman. 

     Androgen insensitivity syndrome is when someone who has male chromosomes – XY develops female characteristics due to the bodies lack of response to testosterone.  The baby has a vagina and develops female characteristics in puberty.  Someone with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome with XY chromosomes, was AFAB and might identify as a cis gendered intersex woman.  

If You Would Like to Learn More:

• Article from San Diego State University
• International Pronouns Day (Oct 21st) seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace.

Resources:

• Pronouns.org Resources on Personal Pronouns 

• Signature Samples | LGBT Resource Center (ucsf.edu) 

• Gender Pronouns | LGBTQ+ Resource Center (uwm.edu) 

• What to Do if You Misgender a Trans Person (out.com)

• A Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth – The Trevor Project 

• • Queer, Gay and other terms are often used at people in derogatory ways and there are individuals that could have trauma associated with any of these labels. That is why it is so important to ask people what identity labels they use and always respect their personal choice.  
  • Generally, if you are not part of the LGBTQIA++ community, avoid using the words Queer or Gay as umbrella terms. Within the community Queer is often uses in place of LGBTQIA++. It is seen by many as a simple, non-gendered and inclusive term.  

     National Coming Out Day is observed annually, in October, to celebrate coming out and to raise awareness of the LGBT community and civil rights movement. In the first ten to twenty years,  observances were marked by private and public people coming out, often in the media, to raise awareness and let the mainstream know that everyone knows at least one person who is lesbian or gay. In more recent years, because coming out as LGBT is now far less risky in most Western countries, the day is more of a holiday. Participants often wear pride symbols such as pink triangles and rainbow flags. 

     National Coming Out Day is also observed in Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) sponsors NCOD events under the auspices of their National Coming Out Project, offering resources to LGBT individuals, couples, parents, and children, as well as straight friends and relatives, to promote awareness of LGBT families living honest and open lives. 

     Like any other sexual orientation, asexuality isn’t a choice. Unlike abstinence and celibacy, which are both choices to avoid sex, asexuality is an innate part of who someone is. 

     There are some people who may not fit the strictest definition of the word asexual but nonetheless feel their experience aligns with asexuality in some way. Gray-asexual (or graysexual) is a term that describes this experience. Gray-asexuality incorporates a wide range of experiences, including: 

• experiencing sexual attraction rarely, 
• only experiencing sexual attraction under specific circumstances, or 
• fluctuating between periods of experiencing sexual attraction and periods of not experiencing sexual attraction. 

     The term asexual umbrella (or asexual spectrum) includes all the identities related to asexuality, including asexual, gray-asexual, and demisexual. The word “ACE “ is shortcut word for the identities that fit within the asexual umbrella, and it can also be used to refer to a person who identifies with the asexual umbrella. For example, an ace person might identify as asexual, gray-asexual, or demisexual. 

"each person has neurological strengths and weaknesses that should be appreciated in much the same way diverse cultures and ethnicities are welcomed." (Berger, K. (2018) The Developing Person through Childhood and Adolescence (11th ed.) pg. 323)

“Neurodiversity refers to the idea that neurological differences, such as those seen in autism or ADHD, reflect normal variations in brain development. Neurodiversity is often contrasted with the “medical model,” which views conditions like autism or ADHD as disorders to prevent, treat, or cure. There has been a push to move away from this idea of pathology and more toward a more nuanced perspective with variations of what is “normal.””

“The term originally referred most commonly to autism but has since come to include ADHD, dyslexia, Tourette's, synesthesia, as well as other learning and developmental differences.”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/neurodiversity

The Autism Society of America, the nation’s oldest leading grassroots autism organization, is proud to celebrate Autism Acceptance Month in April 2021 with its “Celebrate Differences” campaign. Designed to build a better awareness of the signs, symptoms, and realities of autism, #CelebrateDifferences focuses on providing information and resources for communities to be more aware of autism, promote acceptance, and be more inclusive in everyday life.

https://www.autism-society.org/get-involved/national-autism-awareness-month/

In an article by Alaina Leary she stated that “As a joke a few years ago, I posted on April 2 (widely celebrated as World Autism Awareness Day), “I think you’re all aware, but I’m autistic.” I was sick of seeing photos of non-autistic people on fundraising walks for autism awareness and explaining why many autistic people wouldn’t want a cure even if one were available. I was exhausted because although from the outside it sounds like Autism Awareness Month should be all about autistic people, it’s actually not—and I’m always invisible in conversations about my own disability.

     Every April, people pull out their blue clothing and puzzle piece memorabilia to honor Autism Awareness Month, which was started by the Autism Society in 1970 to educate communities and spread public awareness about autism. Since then, the autistic community has spoken up about some of the problems with how this month is celebrated—including its ties to the organization Autism Speaks (that were basically created by Autism Speaks with campaigns like “Light It Up Blue”) and their history of disrespecting autistic people, and its focus on awareness instead of any actionable shift in how autistic people are treated.”

https://rootedinrights.org/autistic-people-are-taking-back-autism-awareness-its-about-acceptance/

https://www.autism-society.org/releases/media-urged-to-recognize-shift-from-autism-awareness-month-to-autism-acceptance-month-this-april/

• Take breaks from the news if it becomes too stressful or overwhelming.
• Teach children soothing or grounding exercises. You can find some in our own Nurturing Connections book!
• Encourage kids to keep talking and asking questions. Prepare for the long haul, not only do kids come up with different questions after they have had time to process events, it is helpful to be thinking about future events and the need for ongoing conversations.
• Tell kids to look for helpers – wise words shared by Mr. Rogers that in any crisis there are helpers and that can calm children to learn to focus on the people helping others.
• Be on the lookout for signs of stress or anxiety. A child may not be able to tell you that they are distressed. Be aware of changes in mood, eating, sleep etc.
• Support emotional regulation. Keep kids on regular schedules, make sure they have opportunities to eat, sleep, socialize and drink water as needed. Keeping the bodies stable and healthy will support their ability to manage emotions.
• Look for ways to make a difference. Whether your child wants to be part of a justice movement or just contribute to their community, finding ways to volunteer, give back or be part of an organized movement helps kids feel that they can make a difference!

More resources in this article, click here. 

~Definitions and examples~ 

Civil Disobedience 

“The refusal to comply with certain laws or to pay taxes and fines, as a peaceful form of political protest.” This can be on an individual level or as part of a larger protest.

Definition: Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical violence. It is one of the primary tactics of nonviolent resistance.

Helping Kids Understand Civil Disobedience

• Civil disobedience facts for kids
• Top 5 Acts of Civil Disobedience in American History

Read More

Examples: 

• The Declaration of Independence, 1776. Those who signed accepted that the hangman’s noose was their fate if caught.
• The Underground Railroad, 1790 to 1860. Consider the famous case of Simeon Bushnell. He and his cohorts defied the Fugitive Slave Act to save a captured runaway slave from being returned to bondage. Bushnell et al were fined and jailed. When they got out of jail, they rescued other runaways, and everything they did was illegal.
• Martin Luther King’s March on Selma, 1965.  King’s famous 1963 Letter from the Birmingham Jail gave mankind its greatest articulation of civil disobedience theory. He distinguished just laws from unjust laws.
• Burning draft cards in the late 1960s, early 70s. Draftees during the Vietnam War who did not believe the war was just, including Muhammed Ali, who loudly refused to fight. His actual words are in dispute, but “Why should black folks fight a war against yellow folks so that white folks can keep a land they stole from red folks?” became famous.

Protest 

“An organized public demonstration expressing strong objection to an official policy or course of action”. A protest can be a lawful event, but it can also include acts of civil disobedience or be an unauthorized group gathering together. In some cases, events that would be considered riots by authorities become protests by historical record. Boston Tea Party – Riot or protest? “Despite its quaint-sounding name, the 1773 "tea party" was in fact a bitter reaction to harsh new British taxation acts. Over the course of three hours on Dec. 16, more than 100 colonists secretly boarded three British ships arriving in harbor and dumped 45 tons of tea into the water. The unorthodox protest was a key precursor to the American Revolution.” Most likely considered a riot by authorities at the time, we now look at it as a justified protest of unfair taxes.

Examples: 

• March on Washington – “August 1963 rally to promote racial equality. More than 200,000 demonstrators gathered peacefully at the Lincoln Memorial in D.C., and the event is credited with pressuring President John F. Kennedy to draw up firm civil rights legislation.” https://www.livescience.com/16153-10-significant-political-protests.html
• The Women's March on Washington – “On Jan. 21, 2017 — the day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as 45th president of the United States — more than 470,000 people marched on Washington, D.C., in support of women's rights”. https://womensmarch.com/mission-and-principles

Riot 

“A violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd”. A defining characteristic of riots is that they are spontaneous and not organized. Sometimes a riot happens when there is a large excited group of people i.e. after a large sporting event, when fans of either a winning or losing team are leaving a stadium and begin damaging property. More often they are a reaction to long standing inequity and often happen right after an event that heightens the tension of injustice. What starts as a riot in reaction to an event can, in following days, turn into organized protests.

What was interesting in looking up riots as examples is that there were many inconsistencies in how events were labeled. I think it highlights the importance of not putting a value judgement on something based on the word riot. Riots can lead to protest and necessary change, but riots can also result in harm to marginalized communities.

Examples: 

• Tulsa Race Massacre 1921, During the Tulsa Race Massacre (also known as the Tulsa Race Riot), which occurred over 18 hours on May 31-June 1, 1921, a white mob attacked residents, homes and businesses in the predominantly Black Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. “The 1921 Attack on Greenwood was one of the most significant events in Tulsa’s history. Following World War I, Tulsa was recognized nationally for its affluent African American community known as the Greenwood District. This thriving business district and surrounding residential area was referred to as “Black Wall Street.” In June 1921, a series of events nearly destroyed the entire Greenwood area.” https://www.tulsahistory.org/exhibit/1921-tulsa-race-massacre/   What triggered this event? “On May 30, 1921, a young Black teenager named Dick Rowland entered an elevator at the Drexel Building, an office building on South Main Street. At some point after that, the young white elevator operator, Sarah Page, screamed; Rowland fled the scene. The police were called, and the next morning they arrested Rowland. In the hours after the Tulsa Race Massacre, all charges against Dick Rowland were dropped. The police concluded that Rowland had most likely stumbled into Page, or stepped on her foot.”

https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/tulsa-race-massacre 

• Watts Rebellion 1965. The riot spurred from an incident on August 11, 1965 when Marquette Frye, a young African American motorist, was pulled over and arrested by Lee W. Minikus, a white California Highway Patrolman, for suspicion of driving while intoxicated. As a crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of Frye's arrest, strained tensions between police officers and the crowd erupted in a violent exchange. Unfortunately, there was little systemic improvement after the rebellion but it did spark ongoing activism.

https://www.history.com/topics/1960s/watts-riots

Insurrection 

“A violent uprising against an authority or government. An act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government.” “More than "mob" or "riot," the word specifies a violent uprising against authority — and it carries both historical precedence and legal implication in the U.S. Code.”

Defining the Chaos on Capitol Hill: Protest, Riot Or Insurrection

While a protest may be an effort to change law or policy, it does not stop the law in the moment.   A riot as a reaction to injustice, may try to stop the enforcement of a law in the moment – i.e. hiding someone that the police are looking for and civil disobedience is deliberate breaking of a law but allowing the enforcement of the law in the moment. Insurrection is an attempt to stop the government from being able to function. To potentially overthrow the government as a whole rather than change a policy or systemic injustice.

So, this may bring up the question of how is an insurrection different than a rebellion or revolution? Rebellion and revolution are technically insurrections, but when working to overthrow an unjust government, we tend to label it revolution instead.

Examples: 

• Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 – “On the morning of November 10, 1898, a throng of some 2,000-armed white men took to the streets of the Southern port town of Wilmington, North Carolina. Spurred on by white supremacist politicians and businessmen, the mob burned the offices of a prominent African-American newspaper, sparking a frenzy of urban warfare that saw dozens of blacks gunned down in the streets.  As the chaos unfolded, white rioters descended on City Hall and forced the town’s mayor to resign along with several black aldermen. By nightfall, the mob had seized full control of the local government, some 60 black citizens lay dead and thousands more had fled the city in panic. While it took the form of a race riot, the Wilmington uprising was actually a calculated rebellion by a cabal of white business leaders and Democratic politicians intent on dissolving the city’s biracial, majority-Republican government.”
• Capitol Insurrection 2021- "This was a deliberate effort to block the actions of the U.S. Congress, and using violence to stop lawmaking to shut the government down, even for a few hours, is the very definition of something beyond a riot."

If you are passionate about a cause and a physical demonstration isn’t something you’re comfortable with there are other ways to advocate and show support for what you believe in. You can attend town hall meetings, write to your senator, become more educated, donate time or money, share your story, listen to others and support the voices of people most affected. There are so many ways to be an activist, you just have to find what works for you- and, most importantly, take action.

Hairstyles helped to identify age, social rank, occupation, marital status, religion, and ethnicity. When Europeans began to kidnap Africans and trade them, many of them wore elaborate hairstyles. At first, these hairstyles were admired and adored by the Europeans. However, something had to be done to rid them of their identity and control. Slave owners shaved both the men’s and women’s hair and enslaved Africans were no longer allowed to speak their native languages or continue any traditions or dances. This is why and when African culture and traditions began to disappear. Slave owners replaced the rich African culture with their standard of beauty which included fair skin, straight hair, and their European facial features. The enslaved women were often abused by their “owners” and this resulted in the birth of mixed-race children who were born with hair that was straighter and less curly. Due to brainwashing, many Black people started to promote the idea that kinky hair and darker skin were less attractive which was a mentality that was passed down from generation to generation. The enslaved Africans were given no way to care for their hair, so they were forced to use butter, baking grease, and sheep brushes. 

     In the 1700s, the freed Black people wore hairstyles that drew the attention of white men and the jealousy of white women. In 1786, the tignon law was enacted by the Spanish Governor of Louisiana Esteban Rodriguez Miro. This law forced black women to wear a tignon headscarf. 

In the 1800s, due to the uniqueness of African hair, skin, and physique, the Europeans began putting them on display in human zoos. Although in 1865, slavery was finally abolished, it still left many with emotional the psychological scars that are still evidenced today. “Good hair” or hair that is thinner, looser in texture or looks closer to European standard, became a prerequisite for getting jobs and entering schools, churches, and social groups. Black people with afro hair were expected to conform to an aesthetic that values straight hair. The desire for straight hair is a construct that started during colonization.  

The box braids we know today originated in 3500 BC in South Africa. The hair was weaved into durable skull fiber caps so it could often times be reused for traditional ceremonies. Their box braids were decorated with beads, jewels, shells, and other valuable items. The braids revealed key aspects of a woman’s identity including their readiness to find a mate and their wealth. A woman with box braids meant a woman of fortune as they were expensive in terms of time and materials.  

The term cornrows originated somewhere between the 16^th and 19^th centuries in colonial America and were named after the agricultural fields that many enslaved people worked in because they had a similar pattern. In the Caribbean, for instance, they are still sometimes referred to as ‘canerows’, linking back to work in the sugar cane fields. Cornrows differ from braids because they aren’t always formed by intertwining three strands of hair that hang from the scalp. Cornrows stay close to the scalp. Cornrows specifically are a hairstyle that Black women have been wearing for centuries. In ancient Egypt, men and women wore cornrows or simple braids, and they were often adorned with gold thread and other delicacies. This type of hairstyle then spread from the Nile Valley throughout the rest of Africa.   

     The enslaved wore cornrows as a simple way to wear their hair during the week and it was considered the best option for those who worked in plantation houses and were expected to keep a tidy appearance. Cornrows were often used as a way of communicating in code. Written messages or maps could get in the wrong hands, so cornrows were the perfect solution. A particular number of braids would indicate possible escape routes or even be used to signal a meetup time without drawing attention or scrutiny. On top of that, they were also used to hide gold fragments or seeds in order to give the wearer some nourishment if ever they were able to escape.