DE&I

Much like Women’s History Month in the U.S., the Canadian celebration is about honoring the contributions of women throughout history while reflecting on how women are treated today.

While Pride Month is all about identity, acceptance and loving yourself, LGBTQ+ History Month takes a look backward. Many LGBTQ+ figures have been erased from the history books or had their truths hidden. This month gives us the chance to look at the distance and recent past to see the history that didn’t make the textbooks.

Yes, October is chock-full of heritage months! This one celebrates Italian-American culture, cuisine and people! It’s a great month to learn more about the Italian-American experience.

In October, take time to reflect on the realities of people with visual impairments and how your workplace accommodates them. Remember that not all people who consider themselves to be blind have zero vision.

Considered the most somber of Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. Most who observe this occasion fast all day, pray intensely and complete a confession.

Sukkot is a pilgrimage festival where Israelites who could were commanded to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem. The primary celebration is the building of a sukkah. Celebrants eat in the sukkah for eight days.

There is a lot of controversy over Columbus Day given the history of the man himself. As an alternative celebration, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day was made a federal holiday in 2021. It focuses on helping people discover the truth of colonial history from the Native perspective.

Living life in the closet is hard and isolating. This day is meant to help those who want to come out to do so. This is also a good time to focus on why we don’t out people before they are ready and how speculating on someone’s sexuality can be harmful.

Many workplaces have bilingual signage, but is Braille among the languages used on yours? National Braille Week aims to help people understand why Braille is so important and to encourage businesses to embrace it.

This observance has been held on October 15 of every year since 1964. It is meant to celebrate the achievements of individuals with blindness while also raising our general awareness of them in our lives and societies.

Set aside to raise awareness of bullying faced by LGBTQ+ youth, this is a pretty somber day. The best way to show support on this day is to wear purple and to reflect on how our own actions and words might contribute to a culture of hostility.

This Hindu celebration centers around multiple DE&Ities, but the underlying principle is to celebrate the victory of light over darkens. In many cases, sweets and gifts are exchanged.