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Both Interview Skills and Cultural Competence Are Needed in a Tight Labor Market

“If you get a resume with somebody’s name, like Saeed, on the resume, don’t get that already negative perception of that person, ‘Oh, this guy is Saeed, I know where he’s from. . .’ Why don’t you just give that person a chance to come in, have eye contact with that person, and talk to them?”

Interview skills and cultural competence are needed to successfully recruit, hire, and retain a diverse workforce, especially during a tight labor market. Many applicants of diverse backgrounds assume interviewers will have some biases, and they are usually right. Our biases are often at an unconscious level, as demonstrated in the above and following examples from the online training courses on Integrating Diversity & Inclusion into the Hiring Process.

Betty, an HR Generalist who is white, does interviews at her company and had this insight: “I thought I was good at interviewing. After all, I have done it for many years. But after talking with a colleague of mine, who is African American, and hearing some of the things that he has experienced in interviews, I realized that there are a lot of areas where I don’t know what I don’t know about diversity!”

Conducting effective interviews requires some skill. However, even the most skilled interviewers can lose qualified diverse applicants if they do not understand two important factors, namely, their own biases and the diverse backgrounds of applicants. Conducting inclusive and equitable interviews requires having cultural competencies. It is also important to recognize interviewers who are not culturally competent. Can you identify a cultural competence in yourself for interviewing diverse applicants that addresses your bias?

A Culturally Competent Interviewer will:

Have a wide range of experiences with and a solid understanding of diverse cultures and individuals.
Understand and be able to manage their biases.
Continue learning about and building skills for communicating across differences and developing inclusive practices.

A Non-Culturally Competent Interviewer will:

Consciously or unconsciously, allow bias, prejudice, and cultural misunderstandings influence their judgment when interviewing applicants.
Allow similarities they have with an applicant, not job related, to become an influencing factor in the decision-making process.

With the increasingly diverse workforce, it is essential for all interviewers and hiring managers to be trained on both interview skills and cultural competencies. Identifying biases that create barriers for diverse applicants illuminates areas in which cultural competencies are needed. Learning how to eliminate these barriers will allow interviewers and hiring managers to look beyond their biases and see the true skills, knowledge, and abilities of every applicant they interview.

This article includes excerpts from Lila Kelly’s research-based online training courses at diversityintegration.com, which offer training for interviewers and hiring managers on interview skills, cultural competencies, and methods to identify unconscious bias and eliminate barriers for diverse applicants. To stay up to date on all the latest from Lila Kelly Associates LLC & DiversityIntegration.com subscribe to our newsletter.

Tips for Strategic Diversity Recruiting: Networking and Outreach to Diverse Communities

Assessing Recruiting Resources

Diversity Recruiting to be sustainable needs to be done in a strategic manner, which takes planning and persistence. First, what would you like your organization’s workforce to look like in the next 5, 10, 15 years? Thinking of all the diversity recruiting resources available, what approach is going to allow you to develop a talent pipeline to reflect that?

Organizations everywhere are trying to diversify their workforce to reflect the rapidly diversifying population. This is a struggle for many, since they continue to go to the same talent pools time and time again, instead of expanding their recruiting efforts. When seeking to recruit and hire a more diverse workforce, many organizations are left spinning their wheels, not really sure where to begin. A successful diversity recruitment program focuses on long-term strategy and building the organization’s brand in diverse communities.

Assessing the available recruiting resources and planning your recruiting strategy will lay the groundwork for a successful diversity recruiting program.

Here are some questions for you to ask when assessing diversity recruiting resources.

What is the resource’s name, address, phone, email, website and/or contact person?
What is the demographic breakdown in the communities served?
Do they have a place where organizations can post job openings, and if so,

- Who is the contact person for posting jobs, and what is the process?
- How are the posting maintained/updated?
- Is there a fee to post, and if so, what is it?

What other organizations have advertised, sponsored and/or hired people from this resource?
What types of jobs and salary levels have community members served by this resource been placed in?
Do they sponsor job fairs or other recruiting events?
Do they have a publication in which organizations can advertise job openings?
What kind of relationship with your organization has helped make recruiting and hiring people from communities they serve the most successful (i.e., just posting the jobs or more personal contact)?

Diversity resources may include community events and agencies, professional associations, colleges and universities, job search websites and publications. Keep organized notes tracking your progress for each of these. This assessment and documentation of resources may take a while, but it is critical for developing a strategic diversity recruitment program. Once this assessment is complete, you will be ready to lay out your plan and budget for the next year or longer.

Networking Outside of Your Comfort Zone

To diversify their talent pool, organizations need to network outside of their comfort zone. Since a high percentage of jobs are found through networking, it is critical to reach out to diverse individuals and communities.

Network in Diverse Communities

Do you know what your organization’s reputation is in diverse communities? Diverse job candidates have commented on how fast information travels in their communities. Often candidates determine which organizations they want to approach and which ones to avoid based on information gathered through their community networks. Mostly they are looking for work environments that have opportunities for career growth and that value and promote diversity.

Many BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) have said that if a friend or someone they trusted told them that a particular organization is not welcoming to diverse employees, they would not apply there. An HR Director for a manufacturing company said that when he was working with an African American community agency, the director there told him, “We know which companies are racist and which ones aren’t. We know which companies are receptive to hiring blacks because the word just spreads. I mean, a couple people on the north side get rejected for jobs, and there are questions that are raised as to why. That just spreads like wild fire. People talk to one another.”

Work to brand your organization’s positive image in diverse communities. More than just the organization’s recruiters should be networking to further this effort and to identify potential future employees. Reach out to community centers, local businesses and schools to spread the word about the types of jobs you have and current job openings. Consider being a vendor or sponsor at a community event, such as at Juneteenth or Pride celebrations. Connect with professional associations in the area and/or offer internships.

This is an important step in taking a strategic approach to achieve targeted recruiting practices. Keep in mind that when networking in diverse communities, candidates are assessing you and your organization also. Check this Directory to see additional resources you could utilize in your networking initiatives. Let people know what jobs exist at your organization, what it takes to become qualified, and any assistance that might be available.

Network with Current and Past Employees

Reach out to current and past employees with diverse networks. This could be casually mentioning job openings to them in the hall or sending regular emails to them announcing job openings. Encourage them to share the job openings with their networks and ask them for referrals. Involve as many employees as possible in the recruitment process to always be encouraging qualified people who they know to apply. Consider implementing an employee referral program.

Past employees with diverse networks can be an excellent resource for finding diverse candidates. Every employee from an intern to an upper-level manager is a potential referral source. Communicating current job openings by word-of-mouth, through email, and/or by using social media can all be effective in recruiting new diverse talent.

Tips for Strategic Outreach to Diverse Communities

In addition to the tips offered at the beginning of each section in the Diversity Recruiting & Resource Directory, here are a few more things to consider for your strategic diversity recruitment plan.

The CEO of one of my client organizations said that he wanted to be known so well in diverse communities that if anyone even thought of looking for a job, they would think of his organization. Having a strategic recruiting plan to build your organization’s image and establish a positive presence within diverse communities will help make that happen.

To integrate equity into your hiring practices, maintaining a diverse applicant pool is important for when a job does open up. Even during the times when there are not many or any job openings, consistently and continuously cast a wider net to reach a more diverse audience. The goal is to build a diverse applicant pool. There is no such thing as “too many qualified applicants” in your applicant tracking system!

Community outreach can take a number of different forms, including:

Reach out to the community like you care about them, do things that give back to the community. This will show an effort on your part and make a good impression. This may include:
- Offer free helpful training programs in communities, such as one bank in a poor neighborhood did that gave seminars on how to buy a home and make payments and on the basics of keeping and maintaining a home.
- Offer free training programs through local libraries or community centers.
- Connect with career centers and job fairs at schools and colleges with diverse student populations.
- Offer summer internships or scholarships to economically disadvantaged students.
- Support local communities by donating items such as playground equipment and new computers.

Conduct business with vendors that are minority owned, which helps build a network in diverse communities.
Work with community organizations such as the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and its regional branches to form relationships and directly network within those diverse communities.
Start recruiting before college—at the K-12 schools in your area. Go into elementary and high schools and introduce students to the type of careers that exist at your organization.

- Seek out opportunities to speak to students about the different types of careers that exist at your organization. If high school students express an interest in certain types of positions, consider offering them summer internships and/or scholarships.
- Support schools by donating a piece of playground equipment with your organization’s name on it. Most schools look for ways to generate revenue.

On the home front, have a recruiting system that works for all job candidates. One mistake that some organizations make is assuming that all candidates have equal access to the internet. With the application process almost all online now, it is easy to forget that not everyone has easy access to high-speed internet. To reach a more diverse audience, consider offering both online and offline application submissions, and make sure these options are clearly communicated. Being understanding and respectful of all applicants’ experiences will help provide equal access for all qualified talent.

By participating in community outreach, your organization is demonstrating that it has a vested interest in the community and not simply trying to fill a diversity quota. Remember, word can travel fast in diverse communities. If people think that an organization is unwelcoming or unfair to diverse candidates and employees, they may simply avoid it. Likewise, the opposite is true. Everyone would like to work at organizations with a good reputation!

Taking a strategic approach will help achieve your long-term goals to recruit and hire a diverse workforce. A facilitated discussion or blended learning workshop on strategic diversity recruiting strategies would be a great place to start. For example, you could begin with resources that provide opportunities to post job openings and internships, then move on to community events for networking.

Looking at the big picture, however, do not stop at achieving a diverse applicant pool. Eliminating bias in your hiring process and creating an inclusive work environment are also critical to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. Remember, be persistent. If a new diversity recruiting initiative does not work at first, modify what you are doing and try something different. Do not give up.

— Copyright © 2023 Lila Kelly Associates, LLC. Not to be reprinted without written permission from Lila Kelly. Integrating Diversity into Hiring, Interviewing, Recruiting and Retention – Since 1992. This article includes excerpts from Lila Kelly’s online training and books at diversityintegration.com. To stay up to date on all the latest from Lila Kelly Associates & DiversityIntegration.com subscribe to our newsletter.

Diversity Discussion Group – Lila Kelly’s Report on Monthly Meetings

Lila Kelly, of Lila Kelly Associates, LLC and DiversityIntegration.com, facilitated this Diversity Discussion Group for over 20 years up until 2023. This group started as a Special Interest Group (SIG) with the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) and was co-sponsored by Human Resources Professionals of Minnesota (HRP-MN), where Lila was on the board of directors for many years.

We met the second Friday of the month throughout the year, and the meetings were free and open to the public. Different members provided free space to meet, and since COVID-19, we held our meetings via Zoom. We had up to 400 people on the email list who received monthly meeting reminders along with other diversity-related events, job openings and news. Typically, between 8 and 15 people attended the meetings.

Often people have asked about my monthly Diversity Discussion Group meetings — about the meeting format, attendees, types of organizations, and topics of discussion. Here is a description of the meetings followed by a sampling of the many topics we have discussed over the years.

Meeting Format
Attendees discuss and share diversity-related topics and resources, in our workplaces, personal lives, and communities. Networking with others who are interested in this important topic is another aspect of this group. The meeting atmosphere is informal. The meetings begin (and sometimes end) with moving around the circle of attendees with introductions and to give everyone a chance to speak. This may include an update on a diversity topic they had previously shared with the group, an upcoming diversity event or resource, and/or a question or topic that they would like discussed. Short discussions take place during this format, which allows many topics to be discussed. Occasionally we have a short presentation and facilitated discussion on a specific diversity-related topic.

After each meeting, I was amazed at how much we actually discussed…which seemed to unfold in my memory over the rest of the day and sometimes over the next several days. I feel enriched from hearing the topics presented and the exchange of diverse perspectives in the ensuing discussions. This group has helped me keep my finger on the pulse of the diversity movement for many years.

Attendees’ Position Titles
Account Executive, Accountant, Assistant to the CEO, Attorney, Attorney/Mediator, Career Counselor, Chief Financial Officer, College Student, Consultant and Teacher of hip hop, Customer Relations Manager, Customer Support Supervisor, Department Director, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Manager/Committee Member/Coordinator/Consultant, Education Consultant, Employee Relations, Executive Communications Associate, General Manager, Government Relations Specialist, High School Student, HR and Diversity Consultant, Human Resource Director/Manager/Specialist, Leadership Consultant, OFCCP Compliance Officer, Program Director, Psychologist, Recruiter, Recruitment and Diversity Specialist, Recruitment and Outreach Manager, Sales Rep, Sign Language Instructor, Talent Acquisition Manager.

Types of Organizations at Meetings
Agricultural, Colleges and Universities, Corporations, Financial institutions, Healthcare, Internet job search company, K-12 school districts, Law Enforcement, National Guard, Nonprofits, State/county/city government, Retail, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), and more.

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION

Organizational Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives:

The gun situation in the U.S. – https://campaignzero.org, Cultural appropriation, credential programs in the DEI area, Job search situation and advantages for people over 50.
Diversity work and projects that attendees update us on at meetings, including D&I / DEI committees and teams initiatives, struggles, and progress. Ideas for success are discussed and suggestions are shared.
An attendee shared with the group the PROCESS SHE USED TO CHANGE THE TURNOVER RATE at her organization from 200% two years ago when she started to ~35% now. She works with a very diverse workforce. One thing she did was clarify four key competencies on which to focus in their hiring and performance management practices.
A Director at a non-profit organization recalled a time years ago when I shared with the group a 10-YEAR OLD DIVERSITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT for a diversity action plan. At that time, a member of the group said that the report was actually from his organization, that he was hired to develop recommendations such as those on the report, and that NOTHING has changed in the last 10 years there! The Director said that something similar to this recently happened to him at his organization.
Discussed COMPLIANCE VERSUS THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY and the focal points for diversity work.
Much of the same type of diversity work can cross the lines between corporate, government, healthcare, education, and other fields.
A Gallup Poll that showed 70% OF WORKERS ARE NOT ACTIVELY ENGAGED and discussed generational diversity’s effect on it.
Discussed the process of starting EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS (ERGs) in one organization. One person asked whether a successful existing diversity group in his organization should be forced to become an ERG, even though the group wants to remain as they are.
DIVERSITY IS AN ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ISSUE. It touches everything. For example, to have effective diversity recruitment, organizations also need to integrate diversity into their hiring practices and retention strategies. Also, diversity and inclusion efforts need to be supported by other policies, procedures, and practices in the organization. For example, interview questions should be based on accurate job descriptions and written and asked in an inclusive manner.

Diversity Positions’ Job Responsibilities:

We discussed diversity jobs that exist now and how diversity has become a field of its own. Over 20 years ago, when some of us began working with diversity, there were no positions with diversity in their title. Now there are diversity coordinators, specialists, recruiters, managers, directors and even vice presidents. What do people do in these jobs? What are the goals of these jobs exactly? Do organizations know the answers to these questions when they create these positions? Who are mentoring people in these positions?

First, we need to ask why the organization needs this position. It should be clearly stated how exactly this position will help maximize organizational effectiveness. We began to name some specific job functions, but that is when the discussion started falling apart. Things by attendees were discussed such as, “understand cultures and how to relate to them,” “understand Affirmative Action and work on the action steps related to that,” “identify and work to resolve diversity issues related to all aspects of dealing with customers of services and/or products,” “understand employee’s attitudes—from long-term white employees, who may feel that new immigrants ‘should go back to where they came from,’ to the new immigrant with different cultural values and beliefs trying to learn the work environment’s culture.”

Recruiting / Interviewing / Hiring:

HIRING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELON was discussed again. (Notice the person-first terminology instead of referring to individuals as “felons.”) We discussed the discrimination they face, and that many employers reject an application as soon as they see a felony charge. That there is some effort to remove the question about convictions from application forms. Discussed how some companies take the time to determine if the felony is job related, and if it is not, they will interview the applicant. Two of the attendees from one company said that their company does this, however, another attendee said that he applied at that company and was told they would not interview him because of a felony conviction (unrelated to the job) – this was valuable information for the other two people to hear.
BAN THE BOX UPDATE: Amendment to Minnesota Statute 364 went into effect January 1, 2014, and restricts initial inquiries into criminal histories on job applicant forms. Discussed occupations that are excluded, that the conviction/crime has to be job-related to use as a reason not to hire a person, and what applicants can do if they see this box on an application form.
COLLEGE DIVERSITY RECRUITING: Discussed where recruiters can find diverse college graduates and resources were shared. Recruiters need to look outside the box of their traditional recruiting methods. The Diversity Recruiting & Resource Directory is a good resource for this.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION RECRUITING AND HIRING, what Affirmative Action includes and resources it offers, even to organizations that do not need to comply.
CULTURAL COMPETENCIES NEEDED FOR RECRUITING AND HIRING: Many work environments will be changed dramatically over the next 5 to 10 years. We discussed the emerging need for cultural competencies in recruiting and hiring. The baby boomer generation is beginning to pick up speed in the wave of retirements from the workforce. Many organizations do not seem prepared to deal with the turnover, let alone the diversity of the applicant pool from which they will be hiring. One person said that within the next five years 50% of their entire workforce, including 70% or the managerial staff, will retire. Another person said that at her organization, 25% of the workforce will be retiring in the next 5 years, mostly white male managers. Strategies for recruiting were discussed.

Sexual Violence and Diversity:
Kathleen McDowell discussed her work educating healthcare professionals and employers on working with child sexual abuse survivors. You can see her book here.

A few group members mentioned that they have worked with victims of sexual violence, including in healthcare, the military, schools, at the legislation level, and in communities.
This is a much more prominent problem than many people realize.
It is one of those subjects that is so uncomfortable to talk about, that often it is not… which helps allow it to continue. Even though it is uncomfortable, it needs to be discussed and dealt with.

Racism / White Race:

IS THE WHITE RACE DISAPPEARING? Discussed how some people fear this. Upon searching the Internet, the question is definitely out there. I think this fear was magnified by the news in 2012 that babies born in the U.S. were over 50% non-white births—for the first time in history, and the number of white babies born will continue to drop. The answer? No. The mathematician in the group offered some numbers to explain this.
THE N-WORD: An incident was shared where WHITE STAFF WAS USING THE N-WORD, because others in the workplace who were African American were using it. A white staff asked the question, “Will the N-word ever become just a word?” Different versions of the word and their meaning were presented related to the way the word ended, e.g. in “er” [negative historically] versus “a” [term of endearment among select groups in a community]. This discussion goes beyond our Diversity Discussion Group – you can check the Internet.
CRITICAL WHITENESS STUDIES: A course of study was mentioned that is offered in some colleges titled “Critical Whiteness Studies” In Academia. Many of us were skeptical of that at first.
“WHITE SPACE” was also discussed.
CHEERIOS COMMERCIAL: We discussed and watched (via smart phone-thanks Mitch!) the controversial Cheerios commercial that had been in the news, since some participants had not seen it. It shows a mixed-race couple and their child. The main question from the group was, “So, what’s the big deal?”
HIGH SUICIDE RATE OF YOUNG MEN. We discussed the high suicide rate of men in their twenties and suicide rates in general. Young men are isolated and expected to be tough and “suck it up.”
They have less access to mental health systems. We need to change the stigma of mental health issues.
Suicide clusters (or copycat suicides). Questions discussed included: What can we do? What should be done? What tools are given to teachers and parents? What interventions are taking place? White men have the highest suicide rate and black women have the lowest.

Other Diversity Topics:

The meaning of the words diversity versus inclusion versus equity is often discussed at meetings, since there is not just one meaning for them.
The meaning of Pansexuality, or omnisexuality – a sexual attraction, sexual desire, romantic love, or emotional attraction toward people of all gender identities and biological sexes.
THEORY X and THEORY Y are theories of human motivation that describe two contrasting models of workforce motivation. With Theory X assumptions, management’s role is to coerce and control employees. With Theory Y assumptions, management’s role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals.
POOR PEOPLE DON’T EAT HEALTHY (Socio-Economic Diversity): We discussed how many people who are poor eat unhealthy foods for a number of reasons. There is much about this on the Internet. This discussion led to brain development, that unhealthy diets contribute to the achievement gap in our K-12 school systems, and that many kids start school at an advantage or disadvantage. Again, there is much about this on the Internet. As stated in one article, “Children who grow up in poor families are exposed to food with lower nutritional value. This can adversely affect them even in the womb.” Some communities are attempting to remedy the problem with nonprofit agencies that supply pantries and administer community gardens in as part of its anti-poverty programs.
BULLYING IN ORGANIZATIONS and creating a respectful workplace. How anti-gay marriage has led to bullying in some cases.
GAY MARRIAGE and how the younger generation is more open to diversity and helped tip the scale to pass the law in Minnesota (and elsewhere).
GENERATIONAL DIVERSITY: How the different generations view diversity differently. A tenth-grade high school student in the group said about the diversity around her, “It is just the way it is.” It’s the new normal for the younger generation.
DIVERSITY EDUCATION IN PRE-K – there is more now. That is where it needs to start, with diversity and communication skills. One woman mentioned her work with young kids in schools and the use of Persona Dolls as a tool to teach about diversity.
SITUATIONS of workplace conflicts regarding newer immigrant African men and white women. We discussed two situations that involved a man who is an African immigrant from a male-dominated culture and a white female coworker in a more senior position (these were two different work settings). In both cases, words describing the male employee’s behavior included intimidation, manipulation, defensive, lying, anger, and explosive to cover up his inadequate job performance. This behavior seemed successful in keeping the focus on the fear of showing cultural bias in the workplace and not on the quality of work performed, and in the process missing the issue of sexism.
- From a cultural perspective based on cultural values and beliefs, the African men may have truly believed that they were in the right to be dominant and let the women do the more menial tasks of the job. However, the job descriptions should state the job duties, so it should be clear whether the employees are doing the job or not. However, even if a job description clearly defines the duties of a job (which many do not), manipulation and intimidation can be used to keep other employees from complaining to HR.
- Human Resource’s Role: We discussed HR’s role in each of these situations, related to diversity issues around sexism, racism, and cultural values and beliefs. It was felt that HR staff are often not culturally competent to deal with this type of situation, and they should be. One person said that HR must have known this was going on, because that is HR’s role. HR’s role should be supportive in cases like this. However, HR is often not trusted by employees that are dealing with subtle inequities in the workplace. So, incidents may continue for a long time without HR being aware of them. HR staff are busy. To learn about and develop the cultural competencies to effectively deal with the multitude of potential cross-cultural and other diverse employee situations takes a lot of work. HR staff members decide whether they are going to put the effort into learning these cultural competencies.
- If someone in HR is not going to deal with a diversity-related conflict, then HR should know who in the organization can and will, so they can refer employees to them. Situations like this need to be dealt with effectively, and someone needs to be responsible for that in organizations. Conflict situations such as these will increase with the increasing diversity in the workplace. How will they be handled in your organization?

Copyright ©2023 Lila Kelly Associates, LLC. Not to be reprinted without written permission from Lila Kelly. See information on online training, workshops and books on diversity and inclusion in hiring, interviewing, recruiting and retention at DiversityIntegration.com. To stay up to date on our latest blog posts and special offers, subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Now Is the Time for a Strategic Approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

With the uncertainty surrounding so many people and organizations during COVID-19 and the social unrest since George Floyd’s killing, organizational diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work is more important now than ever. Many organizations have been taking a piecemeal approach to DEI, including random diversity trainings and a few attempts at diversity recruiting. Most of these have yielded no long-term results. These organizations are now realizing that it is time to step back, assess where they are at, and move forward with a strategic DEI action plan to achieve long-term goals.

The goal of a DEI action plan is to create ongoing, sustainable processes and practices for developing and managing a diverse workforce. The action plan should incorporate all areas of the organization, including aspects from many different perspectives, such as:

The organization’s history
Recruitment, interviewing and hiring practices
Management and retention
Marketing and communications
Demographic makeup of the communities and individuals that the organization serves or desires to serve
Diverse backgrounds of employees, applicants and potential applicants
National diversity trends
Outside vendors that can assist with the process

A successful DEI action plan begins with an organization-wide assessment. Start by researching the history of your organization and how it has evolved, compare that to the history and evolution of this country, and then clearly define your organization’s values, goals and business case for developing a diverse and inclusive workplace. Upon completion of the assessment, list recommendations based on the assessment findings. These recommendations can then be turned into action steps, along with accountability and a format to measure outcomes.

As I state in my book, Diversity Assessment and Action Plan Workbook, there is no quick fix or cookie-cutter approach to accomplish the goal of organizational DEI. It is important that your organization begins down the right path to perform the intense and thorough work necessary to achieve systemic and sustainable change. This book outlines a step-by-step process that will help your organization’s leaders begin and maintain their commitment to accomplishing their DEI goals.

Historically, DEI is new territory for most of us, and organizations and consulting firms are taking many different approaches to this work. Understanding this strategic approach for doing organizational DEI work will help guide your organization throughout the process, whether your organization does the work internally or hires a consulting firm to assist with it.

As our country’s demographics continue to rapidly become more diverse, and particularly now with the heightened awareness around diversity issues, it is the right time for your organization to take a proactive and strategic approach to hire and develop a diverse workforce.

Copyright © 2023 Lila Kelly Associates, LLC. Not to be reprinted without written permission from Lila Kelly. Integrating Diversity into Recruiting, Interviewing, Hiring and Retention – Since 1992. This article includes excerpts from Lila Kelly’s books and online training programs at diversityintegration.com. To stay up to date on all the latest from Lila Kelly Associates, LLC and DiversityIntegration.com subscribe to our newsletter.

The Hidden Face of Discrimination for Diverse Internet Applicants

As advances in technology continue, organizations are using a variety of electronic recruitment tools to assist with their diversity hiring efforts. Electronic job boards, online social networks, as well as several different versions of applicant tracking systems are widely used across the country. Employers striving for diverse and inclusive recruitment practices continue to struggle with eliminating bias and discrimination in their Internet recruiting practices.

In 2006 there was heightened awareness around discrimination issues and Internet applicants when the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) implemented a new Internet Applicant Rule (41 CFR Part 60-1). This rule mandated employers doing business with the Federal government to identify applicants, determine their race and sex, and perform an adverse impact analysis to evaluate whether the employer’s recruitment and hiring practices have a disproportionately negative impact upon ethnic minorities and women.

Today it is common to hear a comment like, “My company only takes applications over the Internet.” It makes sense that organizations are turning to online systems to help collect, screen, and sort the bulk of applications they receive. However, employers need to be aware that this recruiting practice can have elements of bias and hidden discrimination that can have a negative impact on diversity hiring. For example, a recruiter was blind to the barriers that only accepting applications online might create. When asked why they limited applicants to only this method of application, the recruiter commented, “We see this as the first employment test that all applicants have to pass in our hiring process.” This may sound reasonable, but wait a minute…. employment test? When asked for what job skills this was testing, the recruiter responded, “Basic computer skills.” The next question was, “Does your company have many jobs that do not require basic computer skills?” This led the recruiter to admit that her company had many jobs that did not require the use of a computer.

Requiring all candidates to apply over the Internet, without providing exceptions, may cause some qualified applicants to be screened out. It also may create general accessibility issues for applicants under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if reasonable accommodations are not made for applicants. For example, someone who is sight-impaired may not be able to complete an online application, and an employer, upon request from an applicant, should provide a reasonable alternative.

Perspectives from Diverse Internet Applicants
Contrary to a common assumption, not everyone owns or has easy access to a computer and the Internet. Although libraries and other facilities have computers available, access is often dependent on many factors. To gain a better perspective of this, put yourself in the shoes of many applicants who do not have Internet access at home. After a full day at work, take the city bus to a library, wait in line for a computer, and complete an online application process in the time allowed. If you do not have small children, borrow a couple and bring them along. Perhaps the computer screen will freeze or time out on you, the library will be closed that day, you will forget your USB flash drive with your resume to attach to your application, it will be raining or below zero outside, or….. you get the picture. This type situation is a reality for many of today’s workers and demonstrates how Internet accessibility is neither equal nor easy for everyone.

Online applications can be cumbersome, confusing, and not user-friendly. Alex, an employment specialist who works for a nonprofit where he places recent immigrants in a variety of jobs, shared these client examples regarding online personality tests:

Regarding an online personality testing tool at a large corporation, as portrayed by a Togolese immigrant: “. . . then it asked me if I have done my share of causing trouble. I am wondering, ‘What is a share of trouble?’ All I want to do is stock shelves and practice the customer service I have learned in class.”

Regarding an [international coffee shop chain’s] online personality test attached to the application as relayed by an Ethiopian job seeker: “One of the questions asks if I agree that life is more about having fun than hard work. In my country you must work to survive and provide, but I came to America so if I can work enough, maybe one day I can have fun, is this the right answer?”

Alex continued, “Most of these online applications are so complex and fragile that they will screen out qualified people. They fail and reset if you use standard Internet Explorer commands; they time out if you are taking time assembling your life’s work; and they ask questions that can take up to three hours to get through. About the only thing [an employer is] sure of at the end of these applications is that you either have a computer expert or a teenager applying for the job. How many qualified custodians, food service workers, and home healthcare personnel do these online applications screen out?”

Jane, a training manager, gave up on an unwieldy online application process, but was still successfully captured by the organization’s applicant tracking system. She said,

“I started an online application process and attached my resume. After several pages that contained only one or two questions each, it required me to fill in sections of my background. I wondered why, since they already have my resume, but figured no big deal. But when I tried to copy and paste from my resume, it wouldn’t let me do that. I had to type everything word-for-word again. Having spent significant time already on the application, and not knowing how many more pages like this were yet to come, I had to stop. I just figured that it was not meant to be. A couple weeks later I got a call from the company for a phone screen. I was glad that they got my resume and called me. However, the call was a surprise since I didn’t complete the online process, and I was not prepared for the phone interview.”

This Internet recruiting practice was successful because it requested the applicant’s resume up front, and a recruiter followed up on it. Otherwise, this non-user friendly application process would have caused this organization to miss the opportunity to consider a qualified applicant.

Employee Referrals and Internet Applicants
Surveys still show that a top source for new hires (not applications received) is in-person networking, i.e., referrals. The Internet can bring in hundreds, if not thousands, of applications for some jobs. Then these applications need to be screened, which can be a burdensome task for recruiters, if not overwhelming. When a hiring manager recognizes an applicant’s name because someone they know referred that person, it can make the hiring process easier for the recruiter, hiring manager, and the applicant.
Employee referrals can be a source of hidden discrimination depending on the diversity of your current workforce. Employees refer individuals from their networks, who in most cases look like those employees. This recruiting method can leave out people who are outside of the current demographics of your workforce. While referred qualified applicants may be quickly passed through the hiring process, qualified applicants who are not referred, possibly a high percentage of the diverse applicants in your applicant data base, may be slowed down or screened out due to hidden bias and discrimination in the recruiting and hiring process.

Alex, the employment specialist working with immigrants, changed his practice after realizing the necessity of a personal contact. He stated, “I don’t bother sending blind applications anymore. After sending over 100 unsolicited online applications for my clients and receiving zero calls, I learned the only way for an immigrant or refugee to get an entry level job is to have a friend already working there or for me to personally advocate for him or her.” This hidden discrimination practice was brought to light on a national basis in a resume study that was conducted in 2003. Two professors from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sent 5,000 résumés in response to want ads in the Chicago Tribune and Boston Globe. All résumés had the same qualifications, but half of the résumés had black-sounding names (Lakisha and Jamal), and half had white-sounding names (Emily and Brendan). Résumés with white-sounding names elicited 50% more responses—a call, letter, or email—than résumés with black-sounding names.

Application Deadline
Some organizations do not consider applicants who do not complete the application by the deadline date. There can be many reasons for an applicant not to complete an online application, including internal problems with the system. One applicant completed an application before the deadline, but the system would not let her submit it. After making sure that all information on the application was complete, she emailed the contact person. After a few emails back and forth and a couple days later, she was informed that she could no longer apply since it was beyond the deadline date. This could have been an applicant that the organization would have spent lots of money and time trying to recruit by going to expensive job fairs, college recruiting trips, or by running expensive ads. This organization’s system blocked her from trying to come to them on her own effort. Someone only had to step out a little bit further to meet this applicant on their virtual doorstep. The application form can be completed later, as it is just a technicality.

Suggestions for Internet Recruiting
When utilized in an organized and structured format, the Internet can serve as an effective tool for reaching a diverse pool of qualified applicants. Here are some things to consider to make an online application process applicant-friendly and reduce bias or discrimination:

Provide information with your online application about how many sections or pages the application contains and if the applicant can sign off and return to the application at a later time.
Have help readily available for applicants, in person or through the online application system. For online systems, include instructions with the application on how to get live help. This could be in the form of a phone number, e-mail, or live chat. For in-person situations, have a computer available at your organization for applicants to come in and apply and have someone available to assist them.
Capture the applicant’s resume first, so if the applicant does not complete the whole application, you can still contact qualified applicants to complete the application process and perhaps with an invitation to come in for an interview.
Offer an alternative way to apply in addition to the online application, such as a paper application, if this fits with your organization’s record-keeping system. If not, invite the applicant in and assist him/her in your online process. Remember, there are many jobs that do not require a person to own a computer nor have computer skills.
Don’t ask for the applicant’s Social Security number (SSN) until you are going to do a background check. With all the warnings about identify theft, requiring the SSN right up front may stop a qualified applicant from applying.
Set up an automatic step to notify the applicant when his or her application has been received. If the applicant does not have an email address (not an essential function for many jobs), the phone is an alternative way to communicate necessary information.
Many applicant tracking systems have the option for applicants to disclose their protected-class status for Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA) purposes. One strategy for targeted recruitment for AA/EEO goals is to search for and select applications that fit under-represented groups in your organization. E-mail those applicants your current job openings and ask if either they or someone else they know might be interested. By strategically focusing on diverse applicants, chances are higher that their networks will bring in more diverse applicants than the networks of the majority group in your applicant database.
Review all qualified applicants with hiring managers on a regular basis. Keep this list updated, print a hard copy to show managers, and note where each applicant is in the process. This will help prevent any applicants from slipping through the cracks.
Keep track of the sources that current employees used to land their jobs with your organization. One caution though—if they say the Internet, ask them what made them go to your organization’s website to apply. For example, was it an electronic job board, a social network, or a current employee who is an acquaintance of theirs? This will give you a more accurate answer and allow you to focus on the recruiting methods that have been successful and to assess why other methods are not.
Being more understanding and respectful of applicants’ experiences and following some of these suggestions will help avoid unintentional discrimination and provide equal access to jobs for everyone. Uncovering the hidden face of discrimination for Internet applicants will give your organization the opportunity to consider all qualified applicants and to make the best possible selection for each job.

Copyright ©2022 Lila Kelly Associates LLC. Not to be reprinted without written permission from Lila Kelly. Integrating Diversity into Hiring, Interviewing, Recruiting and Retention – Since 1992. This article includes excerpts from Lila Kelly’s online training and books at diversityintegration.com. To stay up to date on all the latest from Lila Kelly Associates LLC & DiversityIntegration.com subscribe to our newsletter.

Diversity in the Job Interview Process—The First Impression

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” In my last 15 years of teaching interviewing techniques, I’ve used this phrase often with people in job transition. After conducting research on diversity in the job interview process, where I interviewed over 70 people of diverse backgrounds about their job interviewing experiences with twin city organizations, I can say that this phrase goes for interviewers as well. Following are three cases I would like to share with you.

“I don’t put on my resume, ‘I’m not as white as you might want me to be,’ or ‘Maybe this will really help your numbers out.’ My last name isn’t Jackson, and my voice on the phone doesn’t give it away. So they have no clue until I show up,” said an African American man who is a professional in the financial industry. He has had some interesting reactions when he’s shown up for job interviews. When I asked him to describe a reaction of surprise that he has experienced from interviewers, his eyes opened a little more, he looked beyond me a little, then back at me and said, “Oh, you’re David?” He added, “Then when you get the group interview, and they’re coming in one at a time, I would get to watch each one be surprised.”

An HR Manager, who is American Indian, took her husband’s Irish last name when they got married. “I am full-blooded and my coloring is very distinctly Indian,” she said. When she has gone on interviews, interviewers have often been surprised that she looks far from being Irish. Sometimes they will repeat her last name and say, “….that’s an interesting name.” She has then explained how she got the name, but that she is not Irish. She said, “Then they either get embarrassed for bringing it up or they start laughing, and I think it is because they’re not sure how to react to me.”

An Israeli man in restaurant management said that on the phone, once they got beyond the greeting, as soon as the receptionist heard his accent, her tone of voice turned rude.

These are only a few of the examples I have heard from diverse applicants. When I’ve asked people how they know that the reason they are treated a certain way is because of their color, one response I got was, “You don’t always know, maybe the person is just having a bad day. But when I see them treating other people who come in after me more respectfully, then I know.”

Could you or someone on your interviewing team be reacting in a similar way when an applicant doesn’t meet their expectations? We all make assumptions about other people. That is part of being human. However, assumptions based on stereotypes can be harmful to others, to ourselves, and to our organizations. We need to realize that we make assumptions all the time, that it is only an assumption until it is proven to be true or false, and we need to acquire the knowledge and skills to know the difference.

The first impression sets the tone for the interview, and the interview sets the tone for the applicant’s employment with your organization. If an applicant forms a negative impression of your organization during the interview, then carries it with them into the job, and this impression continues to be confirmed while on the job, this can affect employee productivity and retention. Also, the impression an applicant brings back and shares with their community can affect your organization’s future recruiting efforts.

Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Copyright ©2007, 2014 Lila Kelly Associates. Your Strategic Partner in Diversity Integration – Since 1992. Not to be reprinted without written permission from Lila Kelly. This article includes excerpts from books and online trainings on diversity in recruiting, interviewing & hiring by Lila Kelly at DiversityIntegration.com. To stay up to date on all the latest from Lila Kelly Associates and Diversity Integration, subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Cultural and Religious Occasions of Significance

Included in this document of cultural occasions are explanatory comments about this document, a “Did You Know” list of cultural occasions and explanations of the significance of the occasions.

Here is a list, compiled by Ouida Crozier, of the many occasions of significance of varying cultural and religious backgrounds, and explanations in alphabetical order of the significance of each. Please read Ouida’s explanatory comments before using this information, which are below starting with “First.”

(Note: Dates are from 2014. Check your calendar for current year dates. I want to thank Ouida for updating this for so many years and wish her a happy retirement.)

DID YOU KNOW?

* indicates an observance that may require scheduling considerations.

That JANUARY 1st is New Year’s Day on the Gregorian calendar*
1st ends Kwanzaa, an African American celebration
6th is Epiphany, a Christian observance in Western and some Eastern traditions*
6th is Three Kings Day, a Latino Christian observance
7th is Orthodox Christmas for some Eastern Orthodox & Coptic Christians*
14th is Makar Sankrat, a Hindu festival
14th is New Year’s Day for some Eastern Orthodox Christians*
19th is Theophany, an observance in some Eastern Christian traditions*
20th is Martin Luther King Day, a U.S. celebration*
24th or 29th commemorates the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday in differing Muslim communities
31st begins the 3-day Lunar New Year celebration, marked by Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tibetan cultures*

That FEBRUARY is African-American History Month
4th is Vasanta Panchami, a Hindu and Sikh festival
17th is President’s Day, a U.S. celebration*
28th is Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu observance

That MARCH is Women’s History Month
is Irish Heritage Month
3rd begins Great Lent for Eastern Orthodox Christian communities, a 40-day observance*
4th is Shrove Tuesday, beginning Mardi Gras in the U.S.
5th is Ash Wednesday, beginning Lent, a 40-day observance in Western Christian communities*
8th is International Women’s Day
15th, sundown, begins Purim, a Jewish celebration
16th is St. Urho’s Day, a Finnish celebration
17th is St. Patrick’s Day, an Irish celebration
17th is Holi, a Hindu and Sikh festival*
21st begins Naw Ruz, commencing the New Year for those who practice the Baha’i faith*

That APRIL is Thai Heritage Month
8th marks the Birth of Buddha
8th is Ramanavami, a Hindu celebration
13th begins the Buddhist New Year, known as Songkran in Thailand

13th begins the New Year in Laos and Sri Lanka
13th is Palm Sunday for Western Christians
13th is Palm Sunday for Eastern Christians
14th is Vaisakhi, celebrated by Sikhs and Hindus
14th, sundown, begins Passover, an 8-day Jewish observance*
17th is Maundy Thursday, a Western Christian observance
18th is Good Friday in Western Christian communities*
18th is Holy Friday in Eastern Christian communities*
20th is Easter in Western Christian communities*
20th is Easter in Eastern Christian communities*
20th, sundown, begins the Festival of Ridvan, a 12-day Baha’i celebration*
22nd, sundown, ends Passover, a Jewish observance
24th is Take our Daughters/Sons to Work Day in the U.S.
27th is Yom HaShoah, marking the Jewish holocaust
30th begins Beltane, a Celtic celebration

That MAY is Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
is American Indian Heritage Month in Minnesota
is Jewish Heritage Month
is Older Americans Month
2nd ends the Festival of Ridvan, a Baha’i observance
5th is Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican celebration
13th is Vesak, a Theravada Buddhist commemoration
17th is Syttende Mai, a Norwegian celebration of independence
19th is Malcolm X’s birthday, an African American commemoration
23rd is the Anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
26th is Memorial Day, a U. S. commemoration*
27th marks the Ascension of Muhammad, an Islamic commemoration
29th is the Anniversary of the Ascension of Baha’u’llah, a Baha’i commemoration*

That JUNE is Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Month
1st is Ascension Day, a Western Christian commemoration
3rd, sundown, begins Shavuot, a Jewish observance*
19th is Juneteenth, an African-American celebration
21st is the Summer Solstice
22nd is Svenskarnas Dag, a Swedish heritage celebration
23rd is St. John’s Eve, a Finnish celebration
26th is Somali Independence Day
28th, sundown, begins Ramadan, the Muslim Month of Fasting*
28th-29th is the GLBT Pride Festival in Minneapolis

That JULY 1st is Foundation of the Republic Day, a Somali commemoration
4th is the United States’ Independence Day celebration*
9th is the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
14th is Bastille Day, a French celebration
22nd, sundown, begins Lailat ul-Qadar, a Muslim observance*
24th is Pioneer Day, a Latter Day Saints celebration
27th, sundown, begins Eid Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, a Muslim observance*

That AUGUST 15th is Assumption Day, A Western Christian commemoration*
26th is Women’s Equality Day in the United States

That SEPTEMBER is Deaf Awareness Month
1st is Labor Day in the United States*
11th is Enkutatash, Ethiopian and Coptic Christian New Year
15th begins Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month
16th is Mexican Independence Day
22nd begins National Deaf Awareness Week
24th, sundown, begins Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year*
26th continues Rosh Hashanah, a Jewish observance*

That OCTOBER is Gay & Lesbian History Month
is Disability Employment Awareness Month
is Polish Heritage Month
is German Heritage Month
is Italian American Heritage Month
3rd, sundown, begins Yom Kippur, Jewish Day of Atonement*
4th, sundown, begins Eid Al-Adha, a Muslim festival*
8th, sundown, begins Sukkot, an 8-day Jewish festival*
16th, sundown, begins Simchat Torah, a Jewish celebration
20th is the Anniversary of the Birth of the Bab, a Baha’i commemoration*
23rd begins Diwali, Hindu Festival of Lights and marking the Hindu New Year*
24th, sundown, begins Muharram and the Muslim New Year*
31st is Halloween or All Hallows’ Eve
31st is Samhain, beginning Celtic New Year

That NOVEMBER is American Indian Heritage Month
1st is All Saints or All Hallows’ Day, a Christian celebration*
1st is the Day of the Dead celebration in Mexico*
2nd is All Soul’s Day, a Christian remembrance
2nd, sundown, begins Ashura, a Muslim observance
11th is Veterans Day, a U.S. commemoration*
12th is the Anniversary of the Birth of Baha’u’llah, a Baha’i commemoration*
27th is Thanksgiving Day in the United States*
28th begins the New Year celebration for those of Hmong culture in the upper Midwest*

That DECEMBER is AIDS Awareness Month
1st is World AIDS Day
6th is St. Nicholas Day, a Christian observance*
8th is Bodhi Day, a Buddhist celebration
12th is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Mexican celebration*
16th, sundown, begins Hanukkah, the 8-day Jewish Festival of Lights
21st is the Winter Solstice
24th, sundown, ends Hanukkah
25th is Christmas, a celebration in Western Christian communities*
26th begins Kwanzaa, an African-American celebration
31st is New Year’s Eve on the Gregorian calendar

Ouida’s Explanatory Comments about this Document

First, while people of Western European heritage are accustomed to fixed dates, as determined by the Gregorian calendaring system, other traditions in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa (to name only a few major regions) follow some type of lunar or ecclesiastical calendar, with days of observance linked to those calendars rather than to the Gregorian calendar. This means that the date of those celebrations will vary from year to year on the Gregorian calendar.
A notable example for those of us living in Minnesota with its large Somali population is of course related to the Muslim month of Ramadan. The Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar with only 354 days, and the beginning of the month of Ramadan moves forward on the Gregorian calendar (of 365 days) each year. For example, in 2004 it began at sundown with the sighting of the new moon around the Gregorian date of October 14th. In 2014, Ramadan began around the 28th of June, Gregorian.

Second, Jewish and Muslim calendars, in general, begin days of significance at sundown on the evening preceding the day of significance. (Note that many of the notations on the list referring to these occasions specify “beginning” on a certain date.)
Baha’i traditions, influenced by Muslim and ancient Zoroastrian calendars, also begin observances at sundown of the evening before the day of significance.
Thus, scheduling considerations may need to be observed not only for the day of the observance but also for the evening before it. The best rule to follow in taking this into consideration is simply to ask those involved in a decision about scheduling a meeting, interview, work, or any type of business event, whether or not there are any conflicts with possible dates, and include both day and evening times in the question. You might, for example, hold a meeting on the morning of the day that Rosh Hashannah begins, but would probably not want to schedule one for late afternoon or that evening, or for the first full day or two of Rosh Hashannah.

Third, some occasions of significance run for more than a 24 hour period. Ramadan, for example, is a month long period of fasting during daylight hours and adult Muslims in good health who are observing the fast will likely not even take water during daylight hours for this entire month. Rosh Hashannah is a 10-day period of observance; some Jews may, like some Christians at Lent, conduct religious activities during that entire period; others may attend religious activities during the first 24 or 48 hours of Rosh Hashannah, at Sabbath, and then again at Yom Kippur. Lent, observed by Christians around the world, is a 40-day period of self-denial — in purpose not unlike the 30 days of fasting observed by Muslims during Ramadan.

Fourth, this listing is not intended to be fully comprehensive. (If you want that, buy a commercial calendar or do your own research and compile your own calendar.) What we have tried to do with this listing since we began it about 20 years ago is to identify occasions of significance that would seem to have some relevance to our business practices at DHS: so this will include things that are Nice to Know as well as Federal/State Holidays and days requiring Scheduling Considerations.
I have tried to indicate the days requiring scheduling considerations on the calendar (with an asterisk); obviously, some of these overlap with federal/state holidays. It is also important to note that people of varying backgrounds may have differing opinions about which days require scheduling considerations. Where one Christian may believe that s/he must have time off from work on Ash Wednesday in order to attend religious services, another may recognize the Lenten season but not subscribe to a set of practices and beliefs that require that its start be observed at a given time or in a given way.

Fifth, some of the days requiring scheduling considerations are religious in nature and some are not — for example, the days of the Lunar (Chinese) New Year celebrated by many East Asian cultures are very important to observers of those cultural traditions, but do not have a basis in religious beliefs — rather they are extremely old and venerated cultural traditions. Supervisors and employees who use a calendar like this listing to assist in devising work schedules need to differentiate between days of significance that are tied to religious beliefs and practices and those that are not, while simultaneously maintaining respect for highly venerated cultural traditions.
One also needs to be aware of where religious beliefs and practices require a person to observe an event or day of significance during a fixed period of time; Catholic Christians, for example, have Holy Days of Obligation, but will typically have a number of choices for attending Mass to fulfil that obligation during a 24 hour period. Jews needing to attend a sundown service will likely not have a wide range of choices.
Obviously, the ideal situation would be that all employees could have time off to observe whatever traditions and days of significance are important to each of them. Where that is not possible, numerous factors must be weighed in making determinations about work schedules, including some of those mentioned here. This would also be an important place to remember individual differences, as noted above.

Sixth, in scheduling meetings or events that involve people from a wide variety of backgrounds, information about these days of cultural and religious significance can be important. Knowing, for example, that Yom Kippur occurs once a year should be reason enough to avoid scheduling a one-time event on that date. However, if an agency is planning a series of training sessions where each session is the same and there are enough sessions scheduled to allow anyone who would need to attend the training to find a session that suits his/her schedule, then there is no reason why a session could not be scheduled on Yom Kippur.

I hope you will find this information helpful and useful in the performance of your job duties. And if you find errors (unfortunately, I do make them), please let [Lila] know ASAP and [she] will correct them.

Originally compiled by Ouida Crozier, Coordinator for Diversity and Cultural Competency, Office for Equal Opportunity and Access, MN Department of Human Services. Revised by Lila Kelly 2015.

Explanations of the Significance of the Occasions
in alphabetic order and compiled from a variety of sources

African American/Black History Month

February is designated Black History Month in the U.S. It began as Negro History Week in 1926, established by Carter G. Woodson as a process for passing on information about how people of African ancestry had contributed to world history and to the history of the United States of America. Woodson chose the second week of February because two persons he felt had dramatically affected the lives of black Americans were born during that month: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Renamed Black History Week in 1972, the observance was extended to become Black History Month in 1976. In 1983 the U.S. Congress established a national holiday in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Both occasions promote knowledge and awareness of the contributions that people of African ancestry have made to human societies throughout history, and particularly to U.S. society.

AIDS Awareness Month and World AIDS Day

December 1st is World AIDS Day. Both were established to heighten awareness of the global epidemic of HIV and AIDS, and to provide a time to put forth information about the global epidemic as well as how one can prevent the spread or contraction of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. While HIV and AIDS were first identified in western countries, the virus has taken root in populated continents across the world and continues to spread and infect new victims.

All Saints Day/All Hallows’ Day

All Saints Day is observed by western Christians on November 1st, and by eastern Christians on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Having originated very early in the 7th century after Christ, it honors all the Christian saints. Originally, All Saints Day was celebrated in May; it was moved to November by Pope Gregory IV in the early ninth century after Christ. Exactly how this day is celebrated varies widely from one denomination to another. It has also been known as All Hallows’ Day (the day for those who are hallowed or sanctified).

All Souls Day

All Souls Day is observed by Catholic Christians on November 2nd and commemorates those who have departed this earthly life. The Office of the Dead is recited and a Mass held because it is believed that no one’s soul is perfectly cleansed when leaving the body and that prayers and intercessory actions can assist those souls in moving into heaven.

American Indian Heritage Month

Early in the twentieth century, Seneca nation member Dr. Arthur C. Parker spearheaded an effort to have one day set aside in the United States to recognize and celebrate the heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Reverend Sherman Coolidge, an Arapaho, and Red Fox James, a Blackfoot, carried on this effort during 1915. By 1920, several states were declaring a day each year to recognize native peoples. In 1990, the President designated November as National American Indian Heritage Month. Each year since then, the entire month of November has been utilized as an opportunity for Americans of all backgrounds to celebrate and educate about the heritage, history, art, and traditions of American Indian peoples.

American Indian Heritage Month (Minnesota)

American Indian Heritage Month in Minnesota is designated in recognition of the rich heritage of American Indian peoples living in Minnesota. There are seven Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) reservations and four Dakota (Sioux) communities in the state, both cultural groups having histories that go back more than a thousand years.

The Ascension of Baha’u’llah

After the death of the Bab, his disciple, Mirza Husayn-Ali — who came to be known as Baha’u’llah (the Glory of God) — continued to spread the teachings of the Bab, in spite of great peril to himself. Followers of the Bab were being tortured and put to death as infidels all over Persia. Eventually, Baha’u’llah was the only surviving leader of the Bab’s followers. He was imprisoned in 1852, but officials held back from executing him for fear it would spark nationwide riots. During this imprisonment, Baha’u’llah received a vision that he was the promised messenger of God. Released after surviving four months in prison and an attempt to kill him with poison, Baha’u’llah was banished from Tehran and chose to go into exile in Baghdad, where he was venerated as the Promised One of Shi’ih Islamic tradition. For many years, he taught and ministered in Persia and Kurdistan. In April of 1863, Baha’u’llah made a public declaration in Baghdad of his mission and proclaimed that there would be no other manifestations of God for 1,000 years. He traveled extensively — sometimes as a prisoner — in the middle east, declaring himself the Promised One and ministering to the imprisoned, the sick, and the needy. He spent the remainder of his life in service to the tenets of the Bab and wrote more than 100 texts that added to the religious doctrine of the Baha’i faith. He died on May 29, 1892 and is said to have ascended to heaven approximately eight hours after sunset.

Ascension of Christ/Ascension Day

Ascension Day — also known as Holy Thursday — occurs forty days after Easter and marks the time when Jesus the Christ ascended or was taken up into heaven. Biblical accounts differ on exactly when this occurred, and some people believe that Christ ascended to heaven shortly after his resurrection, marked today on Easter Sunday. Others believe that he continued his ministry for forty days after the resurrection and was then taken up. The ascension is also viewed in different ways — some seeing it as an act of the Son of God under his own power, others seeing it as God’s taking his son up into Heaven. The Feast of the Ascension is one of the most festive occasions in the Christian calendar and in some countries it is observed as a public holiday. Over time, celebrating the Feast of the Ascension on the fortieth day after Easter became the established custom, though some congregations conduct the actual celebration on the Sunday following Holy Thursday.

Ascension of Muhammad

Lailat al-Miraj — or Stairway to Heaven — celebrates the Night of Ascent, when 51 year old Prophet Muhammed was taken into heaven in a vision, and given divine knowledge. According to tradition, Muhammed fell asleep on a carpet in the home of his cousin. His sleep was broken by the voice of the Angel Gabriel, calling him to mount a winged horse and be carried through the sky. The horse bore Muhammed to Mt. Sinai, where the Ten Commandments were given to Moses, then to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, and finally to heaven, where Muhammed met Adam, Noah, Enoch, Moses, Isaac, Elijah, and Jesus. Muhammed was told that he was the last prophet and that he would be the first to be raised up from his grave on Resurrection Day. To mark this occasion, homes and mosques may be decorated with lights, and the devout may stay up all night, praying and reading the Qur’an.

Ash Wednesday/Great Lent

This day marks the beginning of the Lenten season in Christian traditions. Lent is a forty-day period of penitence, self-denial, and self-examination, as well as a commemoration of the forty-day fast observed by Jesus before he began his ministry. The term Ash Wednesday comes from the custom of burning palm leaves — which heralded Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday — and then using the ashes to make crosses on the foreheads of the penitents. Both eastern and western Christian churches observe Lent but they count the 40 days differently. The western church excludes Sundays (which is celebrated as the day of Christ’s resurrection) whereas the eastern church includes Sundays. The two branches of Christianity also start Lent on different days. Western churches begin Lent on the seventh Wednesday before Easter Day (Ash Wednesday), while Eastern churches begin Lent on the Monday of the seventh week before Easter and end it on the Friday nine days prior to Easter. Eastern churches call this period the Great Lent. Lent is an old English word meaning “to lengthen,” as it is observed in spring, when the days have begun to get longer.

Ashura

The tenth day of Muharram is known as Ashura (or Ashurah) and has many distinctive qualities. Allah is said to have created the heavens and the earth on this day, and to have given infinite blessings and bounties to many of the Prophets. Traditionally, on the ninth and tenth of Muharram, one should fast. If it is not possible to fast on both days, then every effort should be made to fast on the tenth day of Muharram, as there is great reward for this fast.

Ashura was a long-established day of fasting for Muslims when, in the seventh century A.D., a large group of dissenters who refused to submit to the current Caliph were killed on that day. Among them was the youngest grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, Husain. Husain chose this date for its cultural and religious significance in defying what he saw as an unjust rule by that Caliph. Husain and the others came to be regarded as martyrs for their faith by those who today are known as Shi’ite Muslims. The festival of Ashura now serves to remind the observant of the sacrifice of Husain and that he and those with him stood fast in the face of the challenges that the Caliph and his men represented. The killing of these people is also regarded as the seminal event where Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims split from one another.

Asian/Pacific Heritage Month

Asian/Pacific Heritage Month in the U.S. is set aside to recognize and celebrate the contributions that those of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage have made to the United States in particular and to human history in general. It began in 1977 when the Congress passed a resolution declaring the first ten days in May as Asian/Pacific Heritage Week. In 1990, President Bush designate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. in 1843. Today, many activities take place during May that honor Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.

Assumption Day

The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mary commemorates the departure of Mary, mother of Jesus the Christ, from her earthly life, and the assumption of her body into Heaven. Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Christians believe that Mary was borne up into heaven when she died. The Feast of the Assumption originated during the first century after Christ’s death, and its actual time of celebration has varied widely over the centuries. Today, it is celebrated on or beginning on August 15th; some Christian traditions carry the celebrations on for several days, because it is said that Mary’s body was taken into Heaven as much as fifteen days after her death.

Bastille Day

The Bastille was a fortress-like prison in Paris, built near the end of the 14th century. In succeeding centuries, it became a symbol of royal tyranny in France, especially as it was used during the 17th and 18th centuries for housing political dissidents. French citizens of every class and profession were arrested by secret order and imprisoned indefinitely in the Bastille without charges or trial. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, the Bastille was taken by a mob assisted by rebellious royal troops. It was then destroyed by the public. The site today is an open square, le Place de la Bastille. July 14 is a national holiday in France, commemorating the freeing of the unfairly imprisoned and the destruction of the hated symbol of oppression. Many of French ancestry in the U.S. also mark Bastille Day as an important milestone in the fight for civil rights and for due process under the law.

Beltane

Beltane — or Beltaine, Bealtaine, Bealtuin — takes place midway between the vernal equinox (beginning of Spring) and the summer solstice (Midsummer) and marks the arrival of summer for Celtic peoples. At Beltane, the Pleiades star cluster rises just before sunrise. Beltane, and its fall counterpart, Samhain, divide the year in half, and was considered a time of “no time” by the ancients who believed that the barrier between the worlds of Life and Death was very thin during this occasion, allowing all sorts of magic other-worldly occurrences. Beltane represents the time when the sun is released from the bondage of winter and is able to rule over the time of light and life (the summer season in the northern hemisphere). Beltane means “bright fire” and was celebrated by the lighting of hilltop fires on May Eve. That and many other traditions grew up in the British Isles around Beltane and May Day and the celebration of the renewal of life after the long winter months. It continues to be celebrated by non-Christian peoples who are heir to these traditions.

Birth of the Bab

On October 20th each year, the Birth of the Bab is observed by Baha’is around the world, one of nine holy days in the Baha’i faith on which work is suspended. The Bab was a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and, by all accounts, an extraordinary child. He is often referred to as the Herald of the Baha’i faith, because it was the Bab’s mission to prepare the way for Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i faith. Like John the Baptist nearly 2,000 years earlier, the Bab called upon the people to purify themselves for the coming of the day of God. Unlike John, however, he founded an independent religion and claimed equal station with the likes of Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Baha’is view the Bab and Baha’u’llah both as “Manifestations of God,” even though by the Bab’s own testimony his mission was subordinate to Baha’u’llah’s. There is no prescribed way for marking the occasion of his birth, and each Baha’i community and family is free to celebrate this occasion as they choose. Celebrations typically include prayer, music, and feasting.

Birth of Baha’u’llah

On November 12th each year, the Birth of Baha’u’llah is observed by Baha’is around the world, one of nine holy days in the Baha’i faith on which work is suspended. Baha’u’llah, the Prophet and Founder of Baha’i, was born in Tehran (in present day Iran) in 1817. Baha’u’llah, meaning “the glory of God,” proclaimed himself to be God’s messenger and divine teacher who would fulfill the promises of other religions. As the bearer of revelations from God that would address humanity’s present-day needs, he declared that these revelations would unite the peoples of the world. Each Baha’i community and family is free to celebrate this occasion as they choose, but celebrations typically include prayer, music, feasting, and telling of stories of Baha’u’llah’s childhood and youth.

The Birth of Buddha

It is believed that Buddha was born on April 8th in 563 B.C. in what is today southwestern Nepal. There are many legends surrounding his birth — that he was conceived by a god and born of a woman, for example — but it is known that his mother died early in his life and that he was a son of a prince. He became a religious monk at age 29, and traveled and studied in India before attaining enlightenment. At that point, he became known as Buddha, meaning “enlightened one.” Today his birth is celebrated by millions of people around the world, for his insights and philosophy became the basis for a major world religion. The actual celebration of his birth varies from one country and one Buddhist tradition to another, but in each case Buddhists are celebrating the birth of their religion’s founder.

Bodhi Day

Born in mid-sixth century B.C., Siddhartha Gautama — later known as Gautama Buddha — was prince of the Shakya clan in what is present-day Nepal. At age 29, he left his home and possessions in search of the meaning of life. After six years of rigorous discipline and asceticism under the guidance of a number of spiritual teachers, he had not found what he sought. According to tradition, while traveling with fellow seekers, he went off by himself, broke his fast, and sat down under a Bodhi tree, vowing not to rise until he understood. He sat, day and night, through a week, and on the eighth morning came to a realization of the basic principles of what has come to be known as Buddhism. Bodhi Day — usually observed on December 8th — is the date, according to Mahayana Buddhist tradition, of Gautama Buddha’s realization of the Four Noble Truths that are the foundation of Buddhism. From this date forward, Gautama was referred to as the Enlightened One and he spent nearly half a century living amongst the common people of India and teaching his vision to people from all walks of life, thus founding a major world religion that has shaped the lives of millions of human beings for nearly 2,500 years.

Buddhist New Year

Buddhist New Year is the traditional new year celebration of Buddhists and is now fixed on the Gregorian calendar. It goes by many different names, depending on local custom, and is a public holiday in countries that are largely Buddhist. It is celebrated at about the same time (perhaps a day later or earlier) in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and parts of Indonesia. Songkran, as it is known in Thailand, is celebrated during the hottest time of the year in Thailand; Songkran is also known as the Water Festival when people douse one another with water, symbolically washing away bad luck and refreshing one for the coming year. At temples, images of Buddha are bathed and monks receive special foods.

Christmas

Christmas has been celebrated since about the fourth century A.D. as the birth of the Christ child by observant Christians. It is celebrated by Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians on December 25th on the Gregorian calendar. Many Eastern Orthodox Churches observe a somewhat different ecclesiastical calendar, which results in the celebration of Christ’s birth — and the New Year — at a slightly different time of the year. Many Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on January 7th on the Gregorian calendar. The term Christmas comes from Christ’s Mass. Christmas is also a national holiday in the United States, where many other traditions have grown up around the original religious holiday, such as Christmas trees and holiday lights, mistletoe and other decorations, the sending of holiday cards, and the giving of gifts.

Cinco de Mayo

Known as Dia de la Batalla de Puebla in Mexico, Cinco de Mayo (fifth of May) commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over French invaders at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. France invaded the Gulf coast of Mexico and began to march toward Mexico City. Although United States President Abraham Lincoln was sympathetic to Mexico’s cause — for which he is honored in Mexico — the U.S. was involved in its own Civil War at the time and was unable to provide any direct assistance. In the U.S., Cinco de Mayo has become a day for those of Mexican ancestry to celebrate their cultural heritage and ceremonies, and speeches, festivals, dances, and parades in recognition of this heritage and this event are common in communities with significant populations of Mexican Americans. In Mexico, it remains primarily a regional holiday celebrated in the capital city of the Mexican state of Puebla and throughout the state of Puebla, but it is also celebrated in other parts of the country.

Dia de Muertos/Day of the Dead

The Dia de Muertos — literally, “Day of the Dead” — celebration in Mexico begins on November 1st (All Saints Day) and typically runs over to All Souls Day on November 2nd. These two days are celebrated with a wide variety of customs that reflect a hybridization of the two Catholic Christian holy days and the various indigenous practices that have been incorporated from each region of Mexico over the centuries since Christianity was introduced. Common to all are colorful adornments and lively reunions at family burial plots, along with the preparation of special foods, offerings laid out for the departed on commemorative altars, and religious rites that also include fireworks. In most localities, November 1st is set aside for remembrance of deceased infants and children (angelitos) and November 2nd honors those who have died as adults. It is believed that the roots of remembering the dead for Mexicans goes back to the Aztec celebration honoring Mictecacihuatl, “Lady of the Dead.”

Deaf Awareness Month

September is Deaf Awareness Month in Minnesota. This designation provides an opportunity to become more aware of the issues facing deaf and hard of hearing Minnesotans, as well as for taking note of the many contributions that deaf Americans have made to U. S. society.

Declaration of the Bab

Born in 1819 in Shiraz, Persia, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad came to be known as the Bab, or “the Gate,” after he declared to a disciple on the eve of May 23, 1844, that he was the Promised One of Islam and his mission was to prepare the way for another Prophet of God, “Him whom God shall make manifest.” In December of 1844, he stood at the Kabbah, the holiest shrine of Islam, and declared three times in the presence of thousands of pilgrims that he was the Promised One awaited by Shi’ih Muslims. Following this, he was condemned by the Shah as an unbeliever but he continued to spread his teachings, even when imprisoned. In 1848, one of the Bab’s followers, Mirza Husayn-Ali, organized a conference at which it became clear for the first time to the followers of the Bab’s teachings that these teachings constituted a new faith, separate and apart from Islam. The faithful of Islam persecuted and tortured the followers of the Bab, executing hundreds over a two year period. When efforts were made to execute the Bab himself, he was said to have vanished only to appear later, completing the dictation of his final teachings. He was killed then and years later his body was entombed at the Shrine of the Bab on the slope of Mt. Carmel, in Israel. At his death in 1850, his teachings had already spread throughout present-day Iran and Iraq. Husayn-Ali — who came to be known as Baha’u’llah, the Glory of God — continued the Bab’s teachings after his death.

Disability Employment Awareness Month

Disability Employment Awareness Month is observed every year in the U. S. in October. It provides an opportunity to recognize the contributions that people with disabilities have made to the culture and society of the United States of America, and also allows for time to focus more specifically on working with disabled employees and on making the workplace accessible to all employees.

Diwali

Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights. In ancient Hindu beliefs, this celebration marked the victory of good over evil and of light over darkness, as well as the return of Rama and Sita. Today, Diwali is celebrated in many parts of the world that have been influenced by Hindu culture and tradition. It is a time for family reunion, for making sweets, for fireworks, and for the lighting of lamps and candles. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu new year. The actual date(s) on which Diwali is celebrated varies from year to year. In the Unites States, the Diwali celebration may only last for a day. In India and other places observing more traditional cultural practices, the celebration is a five-day event.

Easter

Modern-day Easter is derived from at least two ancient sources of tradition: one, Judeo-Christian and the other, pagan. For millennia, peoples throughout the world have celebrated death and resurrection themes on or after the spring equinox. Most religious historians believe that many elements of the Christian observance of Easter were derived from or integrated with earlier Western European pagan celebrations. The equinox occurs each year between March 20th and 22nd. Wiccans and other Neopagans usually hold their celebrations on the day or eve of the equinox. Christians wait until after the next full moon, which is why the date for Easter can vary so widely from year to year.

The Christian celebration of Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus the Christ on the third day following his death. The day commemorating Jesus’ death is a Friday, known to Christians as Holy Friday or Good Friday; Easter is celebrated the Sunday following Good Friday. The basic tenets of Christianity hold that Jesus was the son of God, that he was sacrificed for all who believe(d) in him, and that his resurrection guarantees eternal life in heaven to those believers, which is why this religious holiday holds such significance for observant Christians.

Eid Al-Adha

Also known as Id al-Adha, this occasion is the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice, honoring Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice one of his sons (Ishmael, according to Muslims) in obedience to God. In reward for this obedience, God is said to have interceded and replaced the son with a ram. This is a happy holiday where children are given gifts and special foods are eaten. In many African countries, the occasion is marked with great feasts. The day occurs during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar, which is the season of the Haj or pilgrimage to Mecca. It is important to note that Islamic festivals are occasions of thanksgiving, joy, and happiness observed with devotion and to seek the pleasure of Allah. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

Eid Al-Fitr

Also known as Id al-Fitr, this occasion marks the end of Ramadan, the holy Muslim month of fasting. In the same way that Christians fast during the Lenten season to absolve sins, Muslims keep the fast during Ramadan to atone for sins. This fast is broken with rejoicing. The Eid is celebrated with gifts, family gatherings and parties, street carnivals, new clothing, and feasting. Literally “the little feast,” Eid Al-Fitr differs from “the great feast,” Eid Al-Adha, which takes place at the end of the Hajj. Nonetheless, in many parts of the world, the feasting can last for several days and the social time is used for scheduling marriages. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year)

Enkutatash means the “gift of jewels.” Tradition says that, when the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive jaunt to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her by replenishing her treasury with inku or jewels. This festival has been celebrated since these early times and, as the summer rains come to an abrupt end, dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside. Enkutatash is also the season for exchanging formal new year greetings and cards among the urban sophisticated — in lieu of the traditional bouquet of flowers.

Epiphany

Epiphany is the 12th day of Christmas and celebrated by Christians around the world, with different emphases. Western Christians mark it as a commemoration of the coming of the Magi or Wise Men, who are said to have brought gifts to the newborn Christ. Eastern Christians celebrate Epiphany as a high holy day which commemorates the baptism of Jesus and is also referred to as the Feast of Theophany, meaning “divine manifestation” or “God shining forth.” Latino Christians celebrate Epiphany as Three Kings Day, giving it a more cultural flavor.

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe takes place in Mexico on December 12th of each year. It commemorates the traditional accounts of the Virgin of Guadalupe’s appearance to a native man, asking that a church be built on the site where she appeared. Several miracles are associated with this appearance, which took place between December 9th and December 12th, in 1531, and for nearly five centuries she has been revered by Mexican peoples as the most important religious figure in Mexico. The novelist Carlos Fuentes is quoted as having said that “one may no longer consider himself a Christian, but you cannot be truly considered a Mexican unless you believe in the Virgin of Guadalupe.” She has symbolized Mexico since its war for independence, in the early 1800s, and is today generally recognized culturally as a symbol of all Mexicans. Her feast is celebrated in the U.S. by people of Mexican ancestry as a way of honoring their cultural and religious traditions.

Festival of Ridvan

The Festival of Ridvan is a twelve-day celebration commemorating Baha’u’llah’s stay in the Najibiyyih Garden in Baghdad and his subsequent departure from Baghdad in 1863. The name Ridvan means “paradise” or “good pleasure.” During this time, Baha’u’llah declared his mission as God’s messenger or prophet, the Promised One heralded by the Bab. The first, ninth, and twelfth days are considered holy by those of the Baha’i faith, and work should be suspended. The observance actually begins at sundown on the 20th of April, and runs through sundown on May 2.

Gay & Lesbian History Month

Gay & Lesbian History Month is observed in the U.S. in October every year. It sets aside time to recognize history of the sexual minorities community and the contributions that members of this community have made to the culture and society of the United States of America.

GLBT Pride Festival

The Stonewall riots in late June of 1969 were ultimately the birth of the modern lesbian and gay rights movement. What began as a routine early-morning raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village on June 28, 1969, turned into a brawl between New York City police, the bar’s patrons, and bystanders. The skirmish sparked five days of rioting in which police ultimately overcame the citizens whom they were fighting. But a change had been initiated in the ongoing weave of the social fabric. Today, the period of the Stonewall riots is celebrated as a time when gay men and lesbian women came together and began to fight for their rights as human beings in a society which has oppressed them. Around the world, festivals of pride are held — typically in late June or early July — celebrating and commemorating the history of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered individuals and their many contributions to human societies around the world.

GLBT Pride Month

The month of June recognizes the contributions to human society made by individuals who are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgendered, and celebrates this community’s heritage. June was selected as Pride Month because the Stonewall Riots, which denote the beginning of the modern L/G/B/T civil rights movement, occurred in June. In the early hours of the morning of June 28, 1969, a police raid on a bar in Greenwich Village in New York City that was patronized by gay and lesbian customers sparked five days of rioting in the Village. Although the police eventually prevailed over the rioting citizenry, the event mobilized hundreds of people in the sexual minorities community to begin fighting for their civil rights.

German Heritage Month

German Heritage Month is observed in some states in October every year. It recognizes the contributions that people of German heritage have made to the culture and society.

Good Friday/Holy Friday

Also known as Holy Friday, this day marks the culmination of the season of Lent for Christians and commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus the Christ. There are many terms in a variety of languages that have historically been used to refer to this day, and it isn’t entirely clear how it came to be called “Good” Friday. But, as it stands today, it is a holy day for Christians who commemorate the death of Jesus. Christians approach this commemoration with knowledge of/belief in the resurrection of Jesus on the Sunday following his death, and so there is an element of thankfulness for that resurrection in the marking of his death. As with other major religious observances in Christianity, Holy Friday is marked at different times by Eastern and Western Christians, because these two major groups of Christianity use different calendars.

Halloween/All Hallows’ Eve

The origins of Halloween go back more than 2,000 years to the ancient Celts, who at that time were living in the British Isles and western Europe. October 31st was the end of the year in the Celtic tradition, and was known as Samhain. Samhain was a new year’s eve festival honoring the dead, whose spirits, it was believed, roamed the earth and mingled with the living during this auspicious time. To appease these wandering spirits, the Druid priests lit bonfires, made sacrifices, cast spells, and wore masks to confuse the dead. When the Romans conquered the Celts, they brought their own traditions honoring the goddess of orchards, Pomona. In the early 9th century after Christ, Pope Gregory IV changed the Christian celebration for martyrs (all of whom were, later, saints) from May 13th to November 1st. Thus, All Saints Day — also known as All Hallows’ Day — is celebrated on November 1st by western Christians. All Souls Day, added more than a century later, is November 2nd. These two occasions help celebrants to remember those who have died, whether they are saints or not. The night before All Saints Day (October 31st) came to be known as All Hallows’ Eve (“holy evening”) — and this eventually metamorphosed into Halloween. Traditions around Halloween were brought to the U.S. with immigrants from the British Isles, with an emphasis on celebrating the harvest through bobbing for apples and eating popped corn. The tradition of the Jack o’ Lantern evolved from the original bonfires lit to keep the wandering spirits at bay, and the costumes that people wear evolved from the masks meant to confuse those spirits.

Hanukkah/Chanuka

Hanukkah, or Chanukah, as it is often spelled, is known as the Festival of Lights, the Feast of Consecration, or the Feast of the Maccabees, on the Jewish semi-lunar calendar. It commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after a struggle for independence from Syria in the second century before Christ. According to tradition, it was instituted by Judas Maccabeus and his brothers in 165 B.C. to celebrate the dedication of the new altar in the Temple at Jerusalem. Hanukkah later came to be linked with a miraculous cruse of oil that burned for eight days, leading to the practice of lighting special candles, one the first evening, two the second, and so on until all eight are lit on the last evening. The menorah, a branched candlestick, is used in the ceremony and is a frequent symbol for the holiday. Because Judaism uses a semi-lunar calendar, the actual dates of Hanukkah vary from year to year. Observation begins at sundown of the day before the first day of Hanukkah.

Hispanic-Latino Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. from September 15th through October 15th every year. It encompasses a number of historical commemorations, and recognizes the contributions of people of Hispanic heritage to the culture and society of the United States of America. September 15th marks Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. September 16th is Mexican Independence Day. El Dia de la Raza is celebrated on October 12th, commemorating the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas.

Hispanic Heritage Month also seeks to raise awareness and increase knowledge of the many cultures that were influenced by Spain and Spanish culture during the era of Spanish colonialism. While the areas known today as Mexico, Central America, and South America typically come to mind when one thinks of cultures influenced by the Spanish, it is important to remember that cultures in the Caribbean, along with Filipino culture in the Pacific, were also heavily impacted by Spanish colonial expansion.

Hmong New Year

Hmong New Year has been traditionally celebrated at the end of the harvest season, which varies from year to year. In Asia, each community plans its celebration with other nearby communities to allow time for people to get together and exchange news about the year just passed. It is also a time of feasting and dancing, and the occasion for young men and women to meet and conduct the traditional ball-toss. These social activities are often followed by proposals of marriage and by negotiations between the families of the prospective bride and groom. In the upper Midwest, newly established Hmong communities initially selected the weekend after Thanksgiving to celebrate the New Year. Now that those communities have grown so large, other weekends have also been designated to allow for travel and opportunities to visit one another, just as was true in Asia. In the Twin Cities, Hmong New Year celebrations take place anywhere from Thanksgiving weekend to the end of December.

Holi

This is the Hindu and Sikh festival of Spring. Amongst India’s innumerable festivals, Holi ranks as the most colorful. Not only does it celebrate the arrival of spring, it also marks the death of the demoness Holika and celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is a celebration of joy and hope. Holi provides a refreshing respite from the mundane as people from all walks of life enjoy themselves. In a tight knit community, it also provides a good excuse for letting off some steam and settling old scores, without causing physical injury. During the morning, colorful powders and water are thrown at passersby, and then in the afternoon people relax in a river or bath. Holi continues to be celebrated with great vigor throughout India, and Indians all over the world eagerly await the Festival of Colors, as bonfires are lit to banish the cold dark nights of winter and usher in warmer spring. Dhuleti, the day after Holi, is the actual festival of colors, when everything in sight is covered in a riot of colors.

Independence Day/Fourth of July

Independence Day is a national holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Declared a legal holiday in 1941, “The Fourth” is celebrated with parades, pageantry, speeches, music, and fireworks. Typically families gather for picnics and other family outings — such as boating, swimming, and other summer sports. Today it is an occasion for citizens to reflect on their patriotism and the benefits obtained from living in a democratic nation.

International Women’s Day

Originally known as International Working Women’s Day, March 8th marks the 1857 revolt of U.S. women in New York City in protest of the horrible working conditions in the textile and garment industries. Established in 1910 by the International Conference of Women as an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions women have made to society, this day of recognition has been adopted by many nations throughout the world. In Russia, it is an important holiday in remembrance of the women who participated in the 1917 protests that ultimately led to the Russian revolution, as well as an opportunity to appreciate the women in one’s own life.

Irish Heritage Month

Celebrated by proclamation in most states across the U.S., Irish Heritage Month — which includes the national Irish holiday, St. Patrick’s Day — is a time for recognizing and celebrating the many contributions that people of Irish heritage have made to the United States of America, during both the colonial and national periods of its history.

Italian American Heritage Month

Recognition of the many achievements, contributions, and successes of Americans of Italian descent as well as Italians in America.

Jewish American Heritage Month

Established in 2006 to call attention to 350 years of contributions by Jewish Americans to U.S. history and society, the month of May was chosen due to the highly successful celebration of the 350th Anniversary of American Jewish History in May 2004, which was organized by the Commission for Commemorating 350 Years of American Jewish History. A variety of activities across the country are planned each year by the Jewish American Heritage Month Coalition, formed in 2007.

Juneteenth

The nineteenth of June commemorates that date in 1865 when the message of the emancipation of all slaves in the United States finally reached the slaves in Texas. Union forces landed at Galveston with the news that the Civil War had ended and that slaves had been freed as of January 1, 1863. Recounting the memories of that day in 1865 led to festivities in celebration of it, and over time the celebration spread to succeeding generations. Juneteenth celebrations are a time for family gatherings, for prayer, for outdoor activities like fishing, games, and barbequing, and for educational and commemorative events. Many of the traditions of Juneteenth go back to the original newly-emancipated African Americans and are symbolic of experiences that were prohibited to them while held in slavery — such as dressing up or eating barbeque. The popularity of the celebration waxed and waned over the century after 1865, but following the civil rights movement in the United States of the 1950s and ’60s, African Americans initiated Juneteenth celebrations in communities across the U.S. In 1980, Juneteenth became an official state holiday in Texas, and in states all across the U.S., African Americans observe Juneteenth as a recognition and celebration of their heritage and of their many contributions to the United States of America.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa, or “celebration of the first fruits of the harvest” in Swahili, is an African American cultural celebration that runs from December 26th through January 1st each year. The celebration was originated in 1966 by a professor who wanted to see a special time set aside in the year for African Americans to reflect upon their heritage and to recommit themselves to working together for better lives for their families, communities, and all of humanity. Its rituals are based in principles and concepts derived from both traditional and modern African societies — such as unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility — and the descriptive language for these concepts comes from the Swahili language of Africa.

Labor Day

Labor Day in the United States began over 100 years ago. Conceived during the 1880s by workers in many states as a recognition of their contributions to building the United States of America, the legislation sanctioning the occasion nationally was shepherded through Congress in 1894 and it became a legal holiday. Today U.S. citizens and those in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands mark Labor Day on the first Monday of September. Canada has also adopted this holiday and celebrates simultaneously

Lailat ul-Qadar

According to the Qur’an, Lailat ul-Qadar — or Shab Qadar — is the night in which the revelation of the Qur’an was initiated. It translates as “the night of manifestation of a new world.” Since the Qur’an’s revelation was begun during the month of Ramadan, this occasion is now celebrated or observed during the last ten days of Ramadan. By tradition, it has become a time for prayer and purification of the soul and the self. Observation begins at sundown.

Laotian and Sri Lankan New Years

In both Laos and Sri Lanka, many celebrations are determined by either a Buddhist or a Hindu calendar. The Laotian New Year is celebrated in April and is known as the Boon Pee Mai or Pi Mai — meaning the festival of the fifth month. This is a time of great feasting and it lasts three to seven days. Houses are cleaned on the last day of the old year and put in order. This rids the house of bad spirits. On the first day of the new year, people go to temple and wash the statues of Buddha with perfumed holy water. They pray for good health and prosperity in the new year. For the remaining days of the festival, Laotians sing, dance, and enjoy special foods. Animals in captivity are released to ensure good luck.

The Sri Lankan New Year is the most important date on the Sri Lankan cultural calendar. Traditionally, this is a harvest festival, with rice prepared from the new crop. A grand feast is held, houses are cleaned and painted, and people visit with family and friends and play games. On the night before the new year, no food is prepared and there are no fires or lights.

Lunar or Chinese New Year

Chinese or Lunar New Year is celebrated by those of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Tibetan cultures. The Chinese method of reckoning the passage of time is based on a modified solar year combined into major cycles of 60 years with minor cycles of five years. The actual date of Chinese New Year — known as Tet in Vietnam — varies from year to year on the Gregorian calendar. It is determined by the occurrence of the second new moon after the winter solstice and will always occur between January 21st and February 19th (Gregorian dates). Each year is paired with an animal, in cycles of 12 years. For example, the Year of the Horse — Chinese year 4700 — began on February 12th, 2002, on the Gregorian calendar.

Maha Shivarathri

Also known as Maha Shivratri, this is a solemn festival devoted to the worship of one of the most powerful deities in the Hindu pantheon, Shiva. The purely religious festival takes place on the 14th night of the new moon during the dark half of the month of Phalguna. Devotees of Shiva fast during the day and maintain a long vigil during the night. In temples across India, bells ring, sacred texts are chanted, and traditional offerings of leaves and milk are made to Shiva.

Makar Sankrat/Makara Sankranthi

Also known as Pongal in the South of India, this Hindu celebration marks the beginning of the harvest season and the change of seasons from winter to spring. People celebrate by wearing new clothing and visiting friends and neighbors. Gifts are also exchanged. Held on the 14th or 15th of January each year, it also includes sacred rites that are performed to please the gods of harvests and goodwill. Cows are an important part of Indian life — integral to agriculture and farming — and they are worshiped and fed special treats on this day.

Malcolm X’s Birthday

Born Malcolm Little on May 19th, 1925, in Nebraska, and the son of a Baptist minister, Malcolm X was heavily influenced by his father’s position on the social and economic independence of black peoples in the United States and his support of Marcus Garvey’s “Back to Africa” movement. Reverend Little was murdered in 1931, devastating Malcolm’s family and leading to Malcolm’s eventual imprisonment. While in prison, Malcolm continued his education and developed an interest in the Nation of Islam, a black nationalist movement advocating Marcus Garvey’s position and based loosely on traditional Islamic teachings. When Malcolm was released from prison in 1952, he jettisoned his slave name, Little, adopted the surname “X,” and joined the National of Islam, subsequently rising rapidly through its ranks to a position of leadership. In 1964, however, Malcolm broke with the Nation of Islam, forming his own movement. Then, following a pilgrimage to Mecca, Malcolm adopted a religious name, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, rejected the militancy of the Nation of Islam, and embraced the teachings of Sunni Islam. He began to advocate a political response to racism and encouraged interracial collaborations to end racism in U.S. society. Malcolm was assassinated in 1965. His beliefs ultimately reached a broader audience with the posthumous publication of his book, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, written in collaboration with Alex Haley. Malcolm X is revered today by people of widely varying perspectives.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

This day honors the civil rights leader the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Born in 1929, the clergyman and Nobel Prize winner was one of the principal leaders of the American civil rights movement and a prominent advocate of nonviolent protest. King’s challenges to segregation and racial discrimination in the 1950s and 1960s helped convince many white Americans to support the cause of civil rights in the United States. Following his assassination in 1968, King became a symbol of protest in the struggle for racial justice. Designated by the Congress of the United States in 1983 as a national holiday, and observed on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day falls on or near King’s birthday of January 15.

Martyrdom of the Bab

On July 9th each year, the Martyrdom of the Bab is observed by Baha’is around the world, one of nine holy days in the Baha’i faith on which work is suspended. Born in 1819 in Shiraz, Persia, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad came to be known as the Bab, or “the Gate,” after he declared to a disciple in 1844, that he was the Promised One of Islam and his mission was to prepare the way for another Prophet of God. He was condemned by the Shah as an unbeliever but he continued to spread his teachings, even when imprisoned. The faithful of Islam persecuted and tortured the followers of the Bab, executing hundreds. When efforts were made to execute the Bab himself, he was said to have vanished only to appear later, completing the dictation of his final teachings. He was killed then and years later his body was entombed at the Shrine of the Bab on the slope of Mt. Carmel, in Israel. At his death in 1850, his teachings had already spread throughout present-day Iran and Iraq. The prophesied one, Husayn-Ali — who came to be known as Baha’u’llah, the Glory of God — continued the Bab’s teachings after his death.

Maundy Thursday

The feast of Maundy Thursday is celebrated by Catholic and other Christians around the world. It commemorates the institution of Communion or the Eucharist. “Maundy” comes from the Latin word mandatum, meaning “commandment,” and is derived from the words that Jesus is said to have spoken at the Last Supper/Passover meal, when he performed the first Communion, told his followers to practice the ritual, and commanded that human beings love one another. It has likely been observed as a holy day since the fourth century after Christ.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a national legal holiday — observed annually on the last Monday in May in most states in the United States — in honor of the nation’s armed services personnel killed in wartime. The holiday, originally called Decoration Day, is traditionally marked by parades, memorial speeches and ceremonies, and the decoration of graves with flowers and flags, hence the original name. Memorial Day was first observed on May 30, 1868, on the order of General John Alexander Logan for the purpose of decorating the graves of the American Civil War dead. It was observed on May 30 until 1971, when most states changed to a newly established federal schedule of holiday observance that puts it on the last Monday in May. More than 41 million men and women have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and over a million have died defending it. On Memorial Day we pause to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that citizens of the United States of America can remain free.

Mexican Independence Day

Mexican Independence Day, September 16th, is the culmination of the Fiesta Patrias, a festival celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain. Each year, at 11:00 p.m. on the night of September 15th, a re-enactment of Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costillo’s call to revolution and the freeing of the Mexican peoples from the rule of Spain takes place. Father Hidalgo’s call, known as the Grito de Dolores, was issued just before midnight on September 15th of 1810. Hidalgo was later captured and executed by Spanish troops in 1811 and Mexico did not win independence from Spain until 1821.

Hidalgo’s instigation to self-rule galvanized the members of New Spain’s lower caste in their move towards freedom. Spanish-born residents of New Spain, known as gachopines, had legal and social privilege over Mexican-born Spaniards, known as criollos, who were fomenting rebellion before Hidalgo called for an uprising. Hidalgo’s call went out to the indigenous peoples and mestizos (those of mixed native and Spanish ancestry), who had been exploited and oppressed since the arrival of the Spaniards in old Mexico some 300 years previously.

Today, the struggle for Mexican independence from Spain is commemorated with a festival beginning on Independence Eve. Parades, music and dancing, food and drink, rodeos, bullfights, fireworks, vendors, the ringing of cathedral bells, flowers of red, white, and green, and other kinds of celebratory activities are part of the festival. Celebrations are continued on Independence Day. The three colors in the celebration are also in the Mexican flag. Green symbolizes independence; white symbolizes religion; and red symbolizes union.

Muhammad’s Birthday

Born about 570 A.D. in the Arabian city of Makkah, Muhammad was an illiterate boy who was orphaned at about 6 years of age and who ultimately became the founder of Islam. During his formative years, he traveled widely and earned a solid reputation for trustworthiness. In his late thirties, he took to meditating alone in a cave on Mount Hira. One day, he heard a voice ordering him to recite. He replied that he could not, he was illiterate, but the command was repeated again and then again, until he received the first revelation. The voice was that of the Angel Gabriel, who told Muhammad that he was to be the messenger of God. These revelations continued for the remaining twenty-two years of Muhammad’s life. At first he told only his wife and closest friends about the revelations, but they eventually urged him to proclaim them to all people. These revelations were written down and are now known as the Qur’an — meaning “recitation” — the permanent record of the words of God revealed by the Angel Gabriel to Muhammad. The word Islam means “surrender” or “submission” to the will of God. Followers of Islam are Muslim, an Arabic word meaning “one who surrenders to God.” Islam is a monotheistic religion, like Judaism and Christianity, and, in fact its antecedents are found in these two other world religions. Muslims view Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus as prophets of God, or Allah, which is the Arabic word for God. Muslims believe that God’s eternal message was both reaffirmed and finalized by the Prophet Muhammad.

Muharram

This day marks the first day of the first month of the Islamic year. The Islamic New Year is celebrated more temperately than in many other traditions, and Muharram teaches lessons of admonition, good counseling, knowledge of Allah, sacrifice, selflessness, patience, and seeking the pleasure of Allah. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

National Deaf Awareness Week

Deaf Awareness Week is the last full week (Sunday through Saturday) of September, in commemoration of the first World Congress of the Deaf that was held that week in 1951. Deaf Awareness events can be held at anytime of the year, celebrating the culture, heritage, and languages unique to deaf people of the world, as well as the contributions of deaf people to human societies.

Naw-Ruz

The Iranian New Year and the Baha’i New Year are celebrated on this occasion, which itself originates from the pre-Islamic legacy of Zoroastrian Persia. Zoroastrians and Baha’is commemorate this day as the end of a long period of fasting. Naw-Ruz (or New Day) occurs on or about the time of the Spring equinox. This is one of nine days on the Baha’i calendar when work is suspended. It is both a religious holiday (for Baha’is and Zoroastrians) and a secular holiday (for Iranians, most of whom are now Muslim). It is celebrated with many symbols signifying spring and renewal and is a time for families to gather together, eating and exchanging visits with relatives.

New Year’s Day

Among ancient peoples, the first day of the year frequently corresponded to the vernal (spring) or autumnal (autumn) equinox (when the Earth crosses the celestial equator), or to the summer or winter solstice (when the sun reaches the highest or lowest point in the sky).

In the Middle Ages, the new year was celebrated by Christian peoples on or around March 25. Following the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, the day began to be observed on January 1, except in Eastern Orthodox traditions, which still follow the Julian calendar.

The Jewish New Year is the first day of the month of Tishri, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, which falls sometime in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. Rosh ha-Shanah is the Jewish New Year, also known as the Feast of the Trumpets and the Day of Judgement. This is one of the most important of Jewish holidays since it is the beginning of the 10 day period during which, according to tradition, all of the people of the Earth pass before God and are marked in the Book of Life or the Book of Death. The “Days of Awe” conclude with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The blowing of the shofar, ram’s horn, on Rosh ha-Shanah summons the faithful to penitential observance. Orthodox and Conservative Jews typically celebrate for two days, while Reform Jews typically celebrate only the first day. The Hebrew calendar marks the years from the creation of the world, according to Hebrew history, making the year beginning in September of 2002 the Jewish year 5763. The Hebrew calendar week consists of seven days, ending at the completion of Sabbath on Saturday evening. Jewish holidays begin at sunset prior to the first day and end at sunset of the last day of the holiday observance (Hanukkah runs for eight days, for example.)

In some regions of India, the Hindu New Year is observed at the end of Diwali, originally a five-day celebration also known as The Festival of Lights. At this time, old accounts are settled and new accounts begun, and places of business are renovated and homes are refurbished. Diwali is celebrated in many countries around the world, wherever Hindu culture and tradition has had an influence. The festival takes place in late fall or early winter each year.

The Chinese or Lunar New Year falls between January 10th and February 19th on the Gregorian calendar and is an important cultural festival in many Asian communities. The Chinese method of reckoning the passage of time is based on a modified solar year combined into major cycles of 60 years with minor cycles of five years. The actual date of Chinese New Year — known as Tet in Vietnam — varies from year to year and is determined by the occurrence of the second new moon after the winter solstice. Each year is paired with an animal, in cycle of 12 years. For example, the Year of the Horse — Chinese year 4700 — began on February 12th, 2002, on the Gregorian calendar.

The Muslim New Year falls on the first day of the month of Muharram. The Islamic calendar begins on the day and in the year that the Prophet Muhammad fled from Mecca to Medina. In this calendar, there are twelve lunar months of 29 or 30 days each, creating a calendar year of 354 days. Since this year is shorter than the solar year, the months move backwards through the seasons of the year, completing a cycle every thirty-two and a half solar years. The New Year celebrated in March of 2002 corresponds to the Islamic year of 1423. Muslim holidays also typically begin at sunset prior to the day of observance.

The Baha’i New Year is celebrated at the vernal equinox, or the first day of Spring on the Gregorian calendar.

The Hmong New Year celebration traditionally occurred around the end of the harvest season. In Asia, each community would plan its celebration with other communities to allow time for members to get together and exchange news about the year just passed. It was also a time of feasting and dancing, and the occasion for young men and women to meet and conduct the traditional ball-toss. These social activities were followed often by proposals of marriage and negotiations between the families of the prospective bride and groom. In the upper Midwest, newly established Hmong communities initially selected the weekend after Thanksgiving to celebrate the New Year. Now that the communities have grown so large, other weekends through December have been designated to allow for travel and opportunities to visit one another, just as was true in Asia.

Older Americans Month

Older Americans Month was established in the U.S. in 1963 as Senior Citizens Month, when a much smaller percentage of Americans had reached their 65th birthday and as many as one-third of older Americans lived in poverty, with few programs in place to help meet their needs. In 1980, the name was changed to its current name, and May has become a time to acknowledge the contributions of older Americans to the United States as well as to focus on issues that older Americans face.

Palm Sunday

This occasion commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when the streets over which he rode were strewn with palm fronds, welcoming him as a king. He was later killed, entombed, and then, according to tradition and belief, rose from the dead, and Palm Sunday now marks the beginning of Holy Week for Christians around the world who use the time to remember and celebrate Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate this occasion at a different time on the Gregorian calendar than do Western Christians because Orthodox holidays are calculated from the Julian calendar while Western holidays are calculated from the Gregorian calendar.

Passover

Passover, also known as Pesach, is a seven- or eight-day observance marking the liberation of the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. It is said that an angel of God came to Moses and told him to have all the Israelites paint their door lintels with lamb’s blood so that the angel of death would pass over the Jewish households when God sent the angel of death to force the Pharaoh of Egypt to let the Jews go out from bondage in Egypt by taking the firstborns of Egypt. Passover begins with a ritual dinner known as a Seder and runs an entire week. Jesus is said to have participated in the Passover supper/Seder with his disciples on the evening before his crucifixion, thus there is a link between the Jewish observance of Passover and the Christian observance of Maundy Thursday and Holy/Good Friday. Observation begins at sundown.

Pioneer Day

“This is the right place. Drive on.” Brigham Young, second leader of the Mormons, is said to have uttered these words on July 24, 1847, as his band of pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, in present-day Utah. Today, July 24 is a state holiday in Utah — Pioneer Day — and a day that Mormons around the world mark the arrival of the first Mormons in the Salt Lake Valley. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints , commonly known as Mormons, had left New York — the founding place of the Church — many years earlier, and moved across the United States, seeking freedom from religious persecution. Today, Salt Lake City is the center of the world-wide Church, much as Rome is at the center of the Roman Catholic Church.

Polish Heritage Month

Polish Heritage Month is observed in October every year. A National Celebration of Polish History, Culture and Pride that recognizes the contributions that people of Polish heritage have made to the culture and society of the United States of America.

President’s Day

President’s Day is a national holiday in the United States recognizing the births of George Washington (2/22/1732), the first U.S. president, and of Abraham Lincoln (2/12/1809), who is considered one of the greatest of all U.S. presidents and is the President who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all people held in slavery in the U.S.

Purim

Also known as the Feast of Lots, this is a festive Jewish holiday celebrating the miraculous rescue of the Jews in ancient Persia by Queen Esther from a plot to kill them. Esther, a Jew, was a favorite of the King of Persia, who did not know she was Jewish and who had elevated her to queenly status. When it was learned that the Persian King’s advisor had devised a plot to exterminate all the Jews living in Persia, Esther petitioned the King on behalf of the Jewish people and the King’s advisor, Haman, was killed instead. This is a two-day celebration, and takes its name from the “lots” (the antecedent of today’s “lotteries”) used to determine the date on which the Jewish people were to have been killed. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month, the traditional month of fasting, on the Islamic lunar calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims will abstain from eating, drinking (even water, if able), and other sensual pleasures every day from sunrise to sunset. This is a time of spiritual and physical purification commemorating the revelation of the Qur’an to Muhammad. The actual date on which Ramadan is celebrated varies from year to year, and also from country to country. Traditionally, a Muslim leader will declare the start of Ramadan at sundown, after the new moon has been sighted. The end of Ramadan — at the next new moon — is marked by a time of feasting and renewal known as Id al-Fitr, or Eid Al-Fitr.

Ramanavami

This occasion marks the birth of Rama on the ninth (navami) day of the month of Chaitra. The day begins with a prayer to the Sun in early morning and a special prayer is performed at midday, said to be the time of Lord Rama’s birth. In northern India, colorful processions mark the occasion and celebrate the reign of Rama, known for its prosperity and righteousness. The celebration also occurs at what is considered the beginning of summer, when the sun has begun its move into the northern hemisphere. Rama has come to be associated with the Sun and he is said to be descended from the Sun.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh ha-Shanah, meaning literally “head of the year,” is the Jewish New Year and is also known as the Day of Judgement. The Jewish New Year is the first day of the month of Tishri, the seventh month on the Jewish calendar, which falls some time in September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. Observed as a day of rest during which no work can be performed, this is one of the most important of Jewish holidays since it is the beginning of the ten day period during which, according to tradition, all of the people of the Earth pass before God and are marked in the Book of Life or the Book of Death. These ten “Days of Awe” conclude with Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The blowing of the shofar, ram’s horn, on Rosh ha-Shanah alerts the listener to the coming judgement and summons the faithful to make amends with each other and with God. A widely observed custom is eating apples with honey as an expression of hope for a sweet new year, free from past transgressions. Orthodox and Conservative Jews typically celebrate for two days, while Reform Jews typically celebrate only the first day. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

Samhain/Celtic New Year

Samhain is still observed — typically on October 31st or November 1st — by those who subscribe to pagan/neo-pagan beliefs and practices. Originating more than 2,000 years ago with the Celts, this festival marked the end of the Celtic year and the beginning of winter. Samhain divided the year into two seasons: light, just ending, and dark, just beginning. At this time, borders between the human world and the spiritual world were believed to have grown thin and the spirits of the dead were believed to wander about and mingle amongst human beings. To ward off these spirits, the Druid priests built bonfires and cast spells and wore masks to confuse the spirits. This was also a time for gathering in the harvest, leading the livestock out of pasture and to their winter shelters, storing up wood and peat, and coming together to preserve meat and vegetables for winter sustenance. Symbolically, the hearth fires were extinguished in people’s homes and they waited for the Druid priests to come and re-light the fires for the new year. Many of these early traditions are still seen in today’s celebration of Halloween.

Shavuot

Shavuot is a Jewish holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah — the first five books of Jewish holy teachings and law, including the Ten Commandments — to Moses on Mt. Sinai during the period following the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Shavuot is the Hebrew word for “weeks.” According to tradition, it took 49 days for the Hebrews to travel from Egypt to the foot of Mt. Sinai and this occasion symbolizes the completion of that seven-week journey. Shavuot is also linked to an ancient agricultural festival marking the end of the spring barley harvest and the beginning of the summer wheat harvest, a time during which crop offerings were brought to the temple in Jerusalem. Special customs during this holiday include reading and studying the Book of Ruth and other parts of the Torah, and serving dairy dishes which symbolize the sweetness of the Torah and the “land of milk and honey” of biblical mention. Shavuot takes place seven weeks after Passover. Observation begins at sundown of the day prior to the first day of Shavuot.

Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras

Shrove Tuesday is designated for Christians to confess their sins and obtain forgiveness (being shriven) before entering the religious season of Lent. It has also come to be known as Mardi Gras (“fat Tuesday” in French), and by some is viewed as the last opportunity for indulgence before the temperance of the Lenten season. Although Mardi Gras refers to a specific day, the term often encompasses a much longer period of celebrations leading up to Mardi Gras Day. Carnival season is marked by spectacular parades featuring floats, pageants, elaborate costumes, masked balls, and dancing in the streets. Some scholars have noted similarities between modern Mardi Gras or Carnival celebrations and Lupercalia, a fertility festival held each February in ancient Rome. However, modern Carnival traditions developed in Europe during the Middle Ages (5th century to the 15th century) as part of the ritual calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The date of Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras varies from year to year, always falling between February 3rd and March 9th.

Simchat Torah

Each week in synagogue, a passage from the Torah — the first five books of Jewish holy teachings and law — is chanted or read. This way, during a Gregorian calendar year, the entire Torah can be covered. Each year, the last portion of the Torah is reached around a holy day called Simchat Torah, meaning “Rejoicing in the Law.” Simchat Torah occurs a few weeks after Rosh ha-Shanah, the Jewish New Year, and at the conclusion of the Festival of Sukkot, or Festival of Booths. At this time, the final portion of the Torah is read/chanted followed immediately by the first paragraph of Genesis — the first book of the Torah — thus demonstrating that the Torah is a never-ending circle. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

Somali National Week

In Minnesota, Somali National Week takes place the last week of June, and commemorates the anniversary of the independence of the three former Somali colonies — French Djibouti, British Somaliland, and Italian Somalia — and the creation of the independent state of Somalia from the British and Italian colonies, on July 1, 1960, thus ending nearly a century of colonial occupation. Somali National Week begins with Somali Independence Day, which is celebrated on June 26th, and ends with Foundation of the Republic Day on July 1st.

Spring or Vernal Equinox

This marks the first day of spring in the Northern hemisphere and has long been welcomed and celebrated by many peoples around the world who reside in the Northern hemisphere. It is the time when the sun crosses the celestial equator heading north, and the day and the night are approximately the same length. Many ancient traditions were established in recognition of longer days and milder weather and themes of fertility, abundance, and renewal have frequently been interwoven with these traditions.

St. John’s Eve/Midsummer’s Eve

The night before the summer solstice has long been celebrated by European peoples. In Christian calendars, it is known as the Feast of John the Baptist. Finnish speakers refer to the evening as Juhannus. It is a time of quiet communion with nature, for gathering with friends to eat herring and potatoes and drink schnapps and beer. The burning of the midsummer bonfire is linked traditionally with beliefs concerning fertility, cleansing, and the banishing of evil spirits. Homes are decorated with flowers and birch branches, also. St. John was known as the “Oak King” in Europe and his connections to the wilderness have been emphasized through rustic shrines and association with this time of year when everything in the northern hemisphere is growing and thriving. Juhannus is also Flag Day in Finland.

St. Nicholas Day

The story of St. Nicholas begins in fourth century Turkey with Nicholas of Bari, also known as Nicholas of Myra, “Kriss Kringle,” “Santa Claus,” and “Saint Nick.” Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra, and a fierce defender of Christianity who was imprisoned during Emperor Diocletian’s persecution of Christians, then later released by Emperor Constantine. It is said that Nicholas attended the first Council of Nicaea in 325, so was part of that important historical event. He was buried in his church in Myra, and by the sixth century a shrine there had become well known. In 1087, his remains were allegedly stolen and moved to Bari in Italy, which allowed more people to visit his shrine. Today his remains are said to repose in the 11th century basilica church of San Nicola in Bari. Nicholas had a reputation for generosity and kindness, and many legends around these qualities arose over the centuries. During the Middle Ages in Europe, he became patron saint in Russia and Greece, the patron saint of charitable fraternities and guilds, children, sailors, merchants, and cities such as Fribourg and Moscow. Thousands of churches in Europe were dedicated to St. Nicholas over the centuries and his supposed miracles were a favorite subject of artists and liturgical plays. His traditional feast day was widely celebrated until after the Reformation, at which time the Protestant churches stopped venerating saints. Nicholas, so popular and widely regarded, was transformed into Father Christmas in England, Pere Noel in France, and Sinter Claes or Sinterklaas in Holland. Dutch colonists took their traditional Sinterklaas with them to New Amsterdam (present day New York City), where he and his traditions of giving gifts were adopted by the English-speaking majority as Santa Claus. About the same time, Nordic folk tales of a magician who punished naughty children and rewarded good children with gifts were incorporated into the evolving American Christmas tradition. Of course the tradition of giving gifts at special times of the year is found in almost every existing human culture in the world today. It also echoes the story of the Magi or Wise Men who are said to have visited the Christ Child and brought gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh. Many families with ties to these European traditions still celebrate St. Nicholas Day with the giving of small gifts such as fruit, nuts, and sweets, and for children it can be a powerful reminder that Christmas — a time of significant gift-giving for many — is just around the corner.

St. Patrick’s Day

Although of British birth, Patrick became the patron saint of Ireland. Through his work as a priest in fifth-century Ireland, he is said to have ultimately been responsible for the conversion of Ireland to Christianity. Tradition holds that he died on March 17th, and this is his religious day. St. Patrick’s Day falls during the Christian season of Lent. Traditionally on this day, Irish families would attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink, and feast on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage. The holiday today honors all those of Irish heritage and has become associated with festivities in honor of that heritage. The shamrock is worn to commemorate its use by Patrick as a symbol of the Christian trinity (Father God, Son Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit) and the color green has become widely associated with the Irish and with this festive celebration.

St. Urho’s Day

According to some, St. Urho is a legendary patron saint of Finnish Vineyard workers. When the wild grapes were threatened by a plague of grasshoppers, St. Urho is said to have raised his staff and bellowed words to the effect of “Grasshopper, Grasshopper, go away!” Thus is he credited for miraculously ridding Finland of grasshoppers and thereby saving the grapes. According to others, the legend of St. Urho began in Northern Minnesota in the 1950s, and there are differing opinions as to whether it began with the fables created by Sulo Havumaki of Bemidji, or the tongue-in-cheek tales told by Richard Mattson of Virginia. Either way, the legend has grown among Finnish-Americans to the point where St. Urho is known across the United States, in Canada, and even in Finland. Each March 16th — the day before St. Patrick’s Day — St. Urho’s Day is celebrated by many Finns with high spirits and a lot of fun!

Sukkot

The Festival of Sukkot begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and lasts for 7 days. It marks a transition from great solemnity to great rejoicing. The word Sukkot means “booths,” and refers to the temporary dwellings that are erected for this celebration. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the Jews are said to have wandered in the wilderness, living in temporary shelters. But, it is also a harvest festival and so the booths are decorated with dried squash and corn. Observant Jews may literally dwell in these shelters during this time, if weather permits; otherwise, people are expected to take meals there and spend other quality time in them. Observation begins at sundown of the day prior to the first day of Sukkot.

Summer Solstice

The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, that time in the solar year when the sun is at its greatest height relative to the Earth. It is the tilt to the Earth’s rotational axis that gives us our seasons. On this one day in June, the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly toward the sun; on another day in December, approximately six months later, the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly away from the sun. Although there is some variation from year to year, the summer solstice usually occurs on June 21st and the winter solstice on December 21st. The word “solstice” is Latin in origin and means that the sun stood still. Just before and during the winter and summer solstices, the sun appears to rise and set at the same place on the horizon — thus appearing to “stand still” in its travels across the sky. For thousands of years, people all over the world have marked the changing of seasons. The summer solstice is associated with themes of renewal, feminine energy, fertility and procreation, cleansing, and healing. Many cultures and religions have celebrated and continue to celebrate the summer solstice from ancient to modern times.

Svenskarnas Dag

Svenskarnas Dag, or Swedish Heritage Day celebration takes place each year on the last Sunday of June at Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis, MN. The day includes many activities such as: a morning church service, the raising of the May Pole, various singing and dancing performances by local and visiting Scandinavian groups, and the crowning of the Midsummer Queen. Authentic Swedish foods and handicrafts are also available for purchase. This celebration began in 1934 as a way of recognizing and preserving the heritage of Minnesotans of Swedish ancestry.

Syttende Mai

Syttende Mai is Norwegian for “the seventeenth of May.” On May 17, 1814, the Norwegian constitution was signed, giving Norway independence from a 500 year union with Denmark. In Norway, this date is marked as both Independence Day and Constitution Day. The celebration in the United States was established with the large influx of Norwegian settlers during the latter half of the nineteenth century. Today it is a colorful, family-oriented celebration of Norwegian heritage for Norwegian Americans. Syttende Mai celebrations include the wearing of authentic Norse clothing, folk dancing, exhibits of Norwegian crafts, the serving of Norwegian foods, and performances of traditional music. In some areas where there are large Norwegian American communities, a parade is conducted and “royalty” may be chosen to reign over the festivities.

Thai Heritage Month

Thai Heritage Month is organized around Thai New Year — known as Songkran — and the traditional Water Festival. The festival’s characteristic tradition of throwing water at others is linked to the new year and its underlying significance is one of cleansing and purification — the purging of all ills, misfortune, and evil, and the starting of the new year afresh with what is good and pure. The month of April has become a time for those of Thai heritage to celebrate their heritage and for others to recognize the achievements and contributions of Thai peoples to human history.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, one set aside for giving thanks for good harvest and commemorating assistance given to early colonial settlers by Native Americans. It falls on the fourth Thursday of November each year, according to the Gregorian calendar. Originally, it was observed over a period of three days of prayer and feasting. It became a national holiday in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a day of national thanksgiving.

Three Kings Day

Three Kings Day is the end of the Christmas season in many countries in the Americas that have been influenced by Catholicism and Hispanic traditions; it may be a bigger celebration than Christmas itself. Families observing these two traditions decorate their homes with lights and poinsettia flowers, Christmas trees, and nativity scenes. Special foods and beverages are prepared as well, and seasonal music accompanies the festivities. The tradition of the three kings is linked to the visit of the three wise men whose story is told in the Christian Bible. Before going to bed on the evening before Three Kings Day, children place water and grass under their beds for the Wise Men’s camels, and leave out milk and sweet treats for the Kings; in the mornings when they awake, they find presents from the Kings in place of the offerings for the camels. In some countries, children place their shoes outside, waiting for the Kings to pass by and leave gifts. Many communities celebrate the day with parades featuring floats with both religious and secular themes. This celebration coincides with the Christian celebration of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visits of the Wise Men who brought gifts for the Christ child in Western traditions and the Baptism of Christ in Eastern Orthodox communities.

Vaisakhi/Baisakhi

Vaisakhi — also known as Baisakhi — is a spring harvest festival in northern India. The festival includes dancing and singing and adornment with gaily colored clothing and traditional jewelry. Festivals are head on the banks of rivers, which have sacred import for their life-giving properties, and people may take ritual baths and decorate their homes with floral patterns, as well. In other parts of India, Baisakhi may also be celebrated in the fall, coincident with the fall harvest and other end-of-year/new-year celebrations. Vaisakhi has special significance for Sikhs, for, on this day in 1699, the tenth Guru Gobind Singh organized a special order known as the Khalsa (Five Beloved Ones); another year on this day Guru Arjan Das was martyred; and on this day in 1875, Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded a reform sect of Hinduism known as the Arya Samaj. It is also said that it was on this day that Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.

Vasanta Panchami

Vasanta Panchami is a Northern Indian festival marking the first day of spring. Everyone wears yellow clothing, the color for spirituality and representing the ripening of spring crops. Food is colored yellow using saffron, and people gather and sing songs connected to spring. Early in the morning, people bathe and worship Mother Ganga, the deity of the sacred Ganges river, the sun, and the earth. The day is also associated with Sarawati, Goddess of Learning, and Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth. This festival is also known as Basant Panchami and Magh Sukla Panchami.

Vesak

Vesak — also known as Wesak, Buddha Purinama and Visakha Puja — this day is considered one of the holiest days in Buddhism. Vesak celebrates at once the birth, Enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. Commemorations take place all over the world and can be large community events — with food, animals, and music — or they can be small remembrances filled with meditation. In either case, the activities will begin before dawn, when devotees throng the temples for early morning meditations. It is also a time for charity, and Buddhists distribute cash donations and goods, and may provide free meals to those who are hungry and in need. Candlelight processions typically bring the day to a close.

Veterans Day

In 1926, the Congress of the United States of America established November 11th to give nationwide recognition of the November 11, 1918, cessation of hostilities in what is now known as World War I; it was called “Armistice Day.” It was a legal holiday set aside to honor veterans and promote world peace. In 1954, following the even larger conflict now known as World War II, and the United States’ involvement in the Korean conflict, Congress changed the designation to Veterans Day. In 1968, in an effort to create 3-day weekends, Congress declared that Veterans Day would be celebrated on the Monday nearest November 11th; this was not well received, so in 1975, a law was passed (to take effect in 1978) which changed Veterans Day back to November 11th. Regardless of the date on which Veterans Day is commemorated, it has become a time to honor all the veterans who have served their country during all the wars in which the United States of America has been engaged over the centuries of its existence.

Western New Year

Western New Year celebrations take place the last day of the Gregorian calendar year, which is December 31st, into the first day of the next year, January 1st. The Gregorian calendar, based on a solar cycle, was adopted by Pope Gregory the 13th in 1582. This calendar replaced the Julian calendar, which had been in use in much of the western world since Julius Caesar introduced it in about 46 B.C. The Gregorian calendar has 365 1/4 days, divided into twelve unequal months. The practice of adding one day to the month of February every fourth year (Leap Year) allows the calendar to stay balanced.

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, that time in the solar year when the sun is at its lowest point in the sky relative to the northern hemisphere. It is the tilt to the Earth’s rotational axis that gives us our seasons. On this one day in December, the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly away from the sun; on another day approximately six months later — in June — the Earth’s axis is tilted most directly toward the sun. Although there is some variation from year to year, the winter solstice usually occurs on December 21st and the summer solstice on June 21st. The word “solstice” is Latin in origin and means that the sun stood still. Just before and during the winter and summer solstices, the sun appears to rise and set at the same place on the horizon — thus appearing to “stand still” in its travels across the sky. For thousands of years, people all over the world have marked the changing of seasons. The winter solstice is associated with themes of death, darkness, and the end of the year, as well as with renewal, rebirth, the lighting of fires and candles for cleansing, healing, and the battling the forces of darkness. Many cultures and religions have celebrated and continue to celebrate the winter solstice from ancient to modern times.

Women’s Equality Day

August 26 of each year is designated in the United States as Women’s Equality Day. Instituted by Representative Bella Abzug in 1971, the date commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, in 1920, which gave the majority of U.S. women full voting rights.

Women’s History Month

In the U.S., the formal study and celebration of women’s history and contributions to society began in 1978 in Sonoma County, California, with the establishment of Women’s History Week. In 1981, a Congressional resolution declared the week of March 8th — which is International Women’s Day — to be national Women’s History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the national celebrations to include the entire month of March. Today, Women’s History Month in the United States provides a time for people to focus on the history and contributions of women to human society in general and to the society of the U.S. in particular.

Yom HaShoah

Yom HaShoah is both a national and world-wide day of remembrance for the victims of the Holocaust, a state-sponsored, systematic persecution and annihilation of European Jewry by Nazi Germany and its collaborators between 1933 and 1945. During this period of time, at least six million European Jews were killed, primarily in the gas chambers of Nazi detention camps and through medical experimentation, starvation, disease, and hard labor in the camps. Gypsies, people with disabilities, and Poles were also targeted for destruction or decimation for racial, ethnic, or national reasons. Millions more, including homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Soviet prisoners of war, and political dissidents also suffered grievous oppression and death under Nazi tyranny. Yom HaShoah seeks to keep the memory of these terrible atrocities alive in succeeding generations and to honor the stories of those who died. It also reminds us that individuals who take action have the power to make a difference in the fight against oppression and hatred everywhere. Observation begins at sundown of the day before.

Yom Kippur

In Judaism, the Day of Atonement is the holiest day of the year, falling on the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri), which is usually in late September or early October on the Gregorian calendar. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and prayer for forgiveness of sins against God that have been committed during the past year, and concludes a ten day period begun with Rosh ha-Shanah. According to tradition, during these ten “Days of Awe,” all of the people of the Earth pass before God and are marked in the Book of Life or the Book of Death. The observant gather in synagogues on the Eve of Yom Kippur, beginning the 25 hour fast, then return the next morning for further confession, prayer, and repentance. No work can be performed on Yom Kippur and the fast continues until sundown. Most of the day is spent in the synagogue in prayer. Observation of Yom Kippur begins at sundown on the Eve of Yom Kippur.

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Jazz: America’s Original Diversity Success Story

By Jeff Perry

Long before the Civil Rights Act, long before Brown vs. The Board of Education, and long before President Truman’s integration of the armed forces, black and white jazz musicians where breaking social taboos in order to share and learn from each other. In the 1920s white musicians in Chicago would head down to the south side after their gigs for after-hours jam sessions with black musicians. In the 1930s Benny Goodman, perhaps the most popular band leader of the time, added black musicians to his all-white big band – a revolutionary step for diversity in the workplace. In the 1950’s Stan Getz collaborated with Brazilian musicians to create a new musical style – Bossa Nova. Then as now, Jazz possesses a culture that thrives, indeed benefits, from diversity. Jazz, it would seem, is America’s original diversity success story.

For almost 100 years, jazz has led white to black, black to white, Western to Eastern, American to European, Northern to Southern, visceral to cerebral, conventional to unorthodox. In Jazz, working with and learning from people from other cultures is a core value. What led these musicians to embrace diversity decades before it became the concept that we know today? How has that embrace led to jazz’s evolution, strength, and constant change and innovation? And, what can the rest of us learn from the Jazz example?

How A New Music Was Born

di·verse
2: composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities

Completely new forms of music are rare throughout history. So how did this new form, this uniquely American form, of music come into being? We can look to America’s “melting pot” tradition for the answer. Put simply, jazz was created through the coming together of European and African musical tradition. European music featured advanced harmonic and melodic elements while African music was very advanced rhythmically and had other unique properties that European tradition did not. By combining elements of these two unlike traditions a new music was born.

Through this fusion jazz acquired one of its significant traits – acculturation. That is, adopting and absorbing characteristics from the music of other cultures. Because of this trait, rather than remain stagnant, jazz has been extremely innovative and has created many distinct sub genres since the original Dixieland music that came out of New Orleans in the early 1900s. In its growth it has looked to all kinds of European music, as well as Cuban and Brazilian music, marching band music, Blues, Broadway, gospel, Country, Indian, Jewish Klezmer, and Arabic music. In a brilliant display of “reverse acculturation,” in the late 1960s and 70s jazz borrowed from the offspring it gave birth to – Rock and Roll – and created jazz-rock fusion.

This trait – this culture – of borrowing from virtually any and every other kind of music, has led individual jazz musicians to not only accept diversity, not only embrace it, but to proactively seek it out. Just like those white musicians in Chicago sought out their south side counter parts, just as black jazz musicians in 1940s and 50s looked to Stravinsky, Dvorak, and Debussy, this trend continues. In the 80s Paul Winter collaborated with Russian folk singers and even played with the calls of wolves and whales. The last record Miles Davis made (in the early 1990s) mixed jazz with hip-hop music. More recently, guitarist John McLaughlin recorded an album (Floating Point) with Indian musicians half his age well-versed in both Indian and Western music leading to sounds not heard with earlier jazz-Indian fusions.

Why Seek Diversity?

The motivation for jazz musicians to seek out diversity is simple – because it makes them better players. It enhances their ability to express and differentiate themselves, and find a unique voice. This last point – achieving a recognizable, unique voice – is perhaps the vanguard of jazz accomplishment. And it is no easy task. A common process for a player to develop a distinct sound is to blend many influences and techniques, finding a personal combination of them that no one else has. Clearly it is in a musician’s self-interest to seek out diversity.

To understand the need to diversify, consider the demands on jazz musicians: they are not only expected to try to find their own unique style – to sound unlike everyone else – they are challenged to continually find new depths, avoid repetition, and frequently reinvent themselves. The nature of jazz improvisation is not to play a scripted part, not even to play a predictable part, but to break new ground – to surprise the audience and the even the player. Given that there are only twelve notes in the Western scale, this may sound like an insurmountable task.

From my experience it is extremely difficult to reach these demanding new depths. To succeed, musicians have to combine emotion, knowledge, technique, experience, spirit, focus, and risk taking. They have to have a “well” within. To draw from this well, there has to be a lot of water to tap. The more variety of techniques you have available, which come from diverse influences, the more you can vary your expression and continue to “get different.”

How to Proactively Seek Diversity

As established, jazz musicians are part of a culture that proactively seeks diversity. They seek influence from other cultures by listening to records, learning songs, reading interviews of musicians from other cultures, and by seeking to hear, meet, and learn first-hand from a broad range of fellow musicians.

Minneapolis-based Saxophonist Doug Little gives us two great examples of proactively seeking diversity. He has spent time in Cuba studying Cuban music and seeking new ideas from it. So, what is he finding?

“While the greatest challenges in jazz involve melody and harmony,” Little says, “Cuban and Latin music challenge you rhythmically. The rhythm provides the interest and excitement. As you might imagine, I’m focusing a lot more on rhythmic development now than I was before.”

However, Little didn’t need to travel outside our borders to find cross-cultural pollination. He recalls time he spent playing with African-American blues singer Big Walter Smith, “I learned that the blues has its own set of values that are different from jazz. Blues is all about the feel and the sound. Playing a lot of notes, like you might in jazz, is rarely appropriate. I remember Big Walter would say ‘don’t play so many notes, just play me the melody.’” Thus, Little’s musicianship, his approach, his sound, has been shaped by the influence of both Cuba and Big Walter’s blues ethos.

For jazz musicians, European Classical music has always been a hugely important source for harmonic and melodic ideas as well as for instrumentation. Classical technique has also been influential as virtuosity is often associated with the great jazz improvisers. Some of the important early innovators of jazz were classically trained in Europe and brought their ideas back with them. Jazz musicians continued to look across the Atlantic as the new music developed and today classical music still provides a vast source for ideas.

Pianist Mary Louise Knutson studied classical music before becoming an accomplished jazz improviser. The European approach has affected her in two ways. “First, my Classical training influences how I hear music. I listen with a large scope – focusing on dynamics, articulation, orchestration, and interaction.”

“In addition, people often comment on my touch. Classical taught me to use a wide range of articulation that adds diversity to my playing. I use a range of attack, dynamics, and speed which are techniques, values, I learned from the European tradition.”

Diversity in Action

Jazz musicians approach learning with “open ears.” They study, emulate, and incorporate techniques and sensibilities from other cultures, mix that with their own strong individuality, strengths, and primary culture. Without this approach the music of jazz would have stagnated a century ago. Because of it, the music has been blessed with a thriving, passionate, evolving music. In jazz you can find influence from cultures all over the world, yet it remains uniquely American.

While the issue of diversity is given much attention now in corporate America, much opportunity remains. In many professional and business magazines there is talk of what diversity means, what its implications are, how to implement diversity programs. Proving the business case for diversity is another key topic.

Jazz has been successfully practicing diversity for nearly a hundred years. It is clear how it has impacted and benefited the development of the music, provided the music with innovative vigor, and benefited countless individual jazz musicians (not to mention the listeners!). Perhaps it’s time for the business world to ask – what is there in the jazz diversity model that we can learn from?

Copyright © 2020, Jeff Perry, Jazz Innovation Inc. Jeff Perry is a Minneapolis-based jazz musician. He has studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA and has a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies from the American Conservatory in Chicago, IL. He is also an Advertising Executive for the Star Tribune Media Company. Visit his website at jeffperryguitar.com

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