January Diversity Calendar 2022
- 1/1 – Emancipation Proclamation (Black American): on this day in 1863, President Lincoln declared all persons held as slaves would be free
- 1/4 – Birthday of Louis Braille (People with Disabilities): French educator Louis Braille created a system of reading and writing for those who are visually impaired. His system, known worldwide as “braille,” remains largely unchanged today
- 1/6 – Feast of the Epiphany (Christian): a feast day that celebrates the relevance of God incarnate as Jesus Christ
- 1/14 – Makar Sankranti (Hindu): a festival in the Hindu faith that is dedicated to the Hindu religious sun god Surya
- 1/17 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Black American): MLK Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist, revered as one of the great leaders of the American civil rights movement
- 1/27 – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of Victims of the Holocaust (United Nations): commemorates the approximately 6 million Jewish men, women and children murdered during World War II.
February Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2022
- Black History Month: celebrates African American History. February was chosen because Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two men prominent in eliminating slavery, were both born in February
- 2/1 – Chinese New Year: festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year in the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar
- 2/11 – Birthday of Tammy Baldwin (LGBTQ+): first openly LGBT woman elected to both the House of Representatives and the Senate
- 2/14 – Birthday of Frederick Douglass (Black American): well-known American social reformer and abolitionist, Douglass escaped slavery and became a prominent activist during the Civil War
- 2/15 – Nirvana Day (Buddhist): also known as Parinirvana, this annual festival remembers the death of the Buddha after he reached Nirvana
- 2/15 – Birthday of Susan B. Anthony (Women): visible leader of the women’s suffrage movement. She championed temperance, abolition, rights of labor, and equal pay for equal work.
March Diversity Events Calendar
- Women’s History Month: honors the vital role of women in American history
- 3/2 – Ash Wednesday (Christian): a day of prayer and fasting, Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent
- 3/8 – International Women’s Day: celebrates the various (social, economic, cultural, political) achievements of women
- 3/10 – Birthday of Harriet Tubman (Black American): abolitionist and activis, best known for her role on the Underground Railroad
- 3/17 – St. Patrick’s Day (Irish): Feast of Saint Patrick, a cultural and religious celebration held around the world
- 3/21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations): after an incident in which police killed 69 people in South Africa in 1960, the UN created this event to call for elimination of racial discrimination
- 3/19 – Holi (Hindu): holidays celebrating the winter harvest and the onset of spring
April Equality and Diversity Calendar
- 4/2 – World Autism Awareness Day (People with Disabilities): A day that seeks to improve the lives of those who suffer from autism
- 4/2 – Ramadan (Islamic): The first day of Islam’s sacred month in which Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dusk until dawn
- 4/15 – Passover (Jewish): start of Jewish holiday honoring the freeing of Israeli slaves
- 4/17 – Easter (Christian): most important holy day in the Christian faith, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus following his death
- 4/22 – Earth Day (International): celebrates the planet we live on, observed internationally in more than 192 countries
- 4/21-23 – Gathering of Nations (Native American): more than 500 Native tribes meet and celebrate various traditions and cultures
May Multicultural Calendar 2022
- Mental Health Awareness Month: recognizes the impact of mental illness on families and communities, and raises awareness for those living with mental and behavioral issues
- Older Americans Month: celebrates the contributions of older Americans in the country
- Jewish American Heritage Month: honors the history of American Jews and their accomplishments
- Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month: pays tribute to these people and their contributions to society
- 5/5 – Cinco de Mayo (Mexican American): commemorates Mexico’s defeat of the French army. While it’s primarily observed by Mexican Americans, others often join the celebration as well
- 5/8 – Birthday of the Buddha (Buddhist): celebrates the spiritual leader who launched one of the world’s most popular religions
- 5/17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (LGBTQ+): raises awareness for LGBTQ+ rights
- 5/19 – Birthday of Malcolm X (Black American/Muslim): Malcolm X was an Black Muslim minister, well known for his activism during the civil rights movement. He was assassinated in 1965
June Diversity and Inclusion Calendar of Events
- LGBT Pride Month: commemorates the Stonewall Riots and seeks to recognize the impact LGBT people have had around the world
- Caribbean American Heritage Month: recognizes the significance of Caribbean culture and history in the U.S.
- 6/2 – Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 (Native Americans): granted the right of citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. However, the right to vote was not granted until 1957
- 6/12 – Loving Day (Black American): anniversary of a historic court decision for interracial marriage
- Puerto Rican Day Parade (Puerto Rican): largest demonstration of cultural pride in the United States. It promotes prominent, historical figures and seeks to raise awareness of critical issues in the community
- 6/19 – Juneteenth (Black American): marks the anniversary of when African Americans first learned of the Emancipation Proclamation. It was more than two years after it was initially issued
- 6/27 – Birthday of Helen Keller (People with Disabilities): while known as being both blind and deaf, Keller was one of the 20th century’s leading humanitarians and co-founder of the ACLU
July 2022 Diversity Calendar
- 7/2 – Birthday of Thurgood Marshall (Black American): well-known as a civil rights activist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
- 7/6 – Birthday of 14th Dalai Lama (Tibetan): Happy Birthday to a Nobel Peace Prize recipient and Tibet’s leader in exile!
- 7/6 – Birthday of Frida Kahlo (Women, Mexican): one of the most recognizable painters of the 20th century
- 7/7 – The Hajj (Islamic): annual pilgrimage to Mecca. All Muslims must take at least once in their lives
- 7/18 – Birthday of Nelson Mandela (South African): civil rights leader for South Africa, and the country’s first black president
- 7/25 – Pioneer Day (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) observed: Utah official holiday marking the arrival of LDS church founder Brigham Young arriving to the Salt Lake area
- 7/26 – Americans with Disabilities Act: outlawed the discrimination against people with disabilities
August Diversity and Inclusion Calendar
- 8/4 – Birthday of Barack Obama (Black American): Happy Birthday to the United States’ first Black president!
- 8/9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (United Nations): created by the UN, celebrates the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world
- 8/30 – Al-Hijri (Islamic): This holiday marks the start of the New Year in the Muslim faith. It begins the prior evening
- 8/15 – Feast of the Assumption (Roman Catholic): marks the entry of Mary (mother of Jesus), body and soul, into Heaven
- 8/18 – Birth of Lord Krishna (Hindu): also called Janmashtami, this day celebrates the birth of one of the most popular deities in the Hindu faith, celebrated with a great festival
- 8/24 – Birthday of Marlee Matlin (People with Disabilities): Marlee Matlin is the only hearing-impaired actor to win the Oscar for best actor/actress
- 8/26 – Women’s Equality Day: commemorates the American women gaining the right to vote in 1920
- 8/31 – Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu): festival celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha, the God of new beginnings and a fresh start
September Diversity Events Calendar 2022
- 9/15-10/15 – National Hispanic Heritage Month: This month honors the culture and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans
- National Recovery Month: This month helps to educate all Americans on treatment and mental health services for those with substance use disorder
- 9/20 – HeForShe (Women): initiated by the UN to promote gender equality
- 9/22 – Autumnal Equinox: As summer moves into fall, the autumnal equinox is a time for various religious observances worldwide
- 9/25 – 9/27 – Rosh Hashanah (Jewish): the Jewish New Year, a time for reflection in the faith
October Equality and Diversity Calendar
- Global Diversity Awareness Month: aims to promote knowledge and respect for various cultures
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month: advocates for people with disabilities, and their inclusion in the workforce
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: aims to increase awareness of the disease, one of the leading causes of death in women
- National Polish American Heritage Month: dedicated to honoring Polish heritage, October was chosen because it was when Polish settlers first arrived in Jamestown, VA in 1608
- 10/10 – World Mental Health Day (People with Disabilities): promotes mental health awareness and education, and advocates against social stigma relating to mental health
- 10/10 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day (United States): formerly called Columbus Day, honors the indigenous people of North America
- 10/21 – Spirit Day (LGBTQ+): wear purple on this day to support LGBTQ youth and speak out against bullying
- 10/24 – Diwali (Hindu): significant celebration in the Hindu faith in which they praise diverse deities
November Multicultural Calendar 2022
- Native American Heritage Month: celebrates the culture and heritage of individuals who deeply enrich the United States
- Movember - month-long fundraiser for men’s issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide
- 10/31-11/2 – All Saints Day/All Souls Day/Día de los Muertos: commemorates those who have passed away in the Christian faith and Mexican and Aztec communities
- 11/16 – International Day for Tolerance (United Nations): founded by the UN to promote respect for various religions, languages, ethnicities, and cultures
- 11/16 – Dutch American Heritage Day: established to celebrate the longstanding friendship between the U.S. and the Netherlands
- 11/20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance (LGBTQ+): seeks to remember those who were murdered due to transphobia
December Diversity Calendar 2022
- 12/1 – World AIDS Day: helps raise awareness of HIV/AIDs and money to cure it
- 12/3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations): raises awareness for the rights and well-being of those with disabilities
- 12/10 – International Human Rights Day (United Nations): adopted by the UN in 1948, celebrates the day it the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- 12/16-12/24 – Las Posadas (Mexican): religious festival in Mexico and some parts of the U.S. (primarily those with Mexican-Americans) of the Christmas season
- 12/18-12/26 – Hanukkah (Jewish): celebrates the Jews triumphing over the Syrian Greeks for their independence
- 12/21 – Winter Solstice/Yule: the winter sabbat according to the Pagan and Wiccan faiths
- 12/25 – Christmas (Christian): holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ
- 12/26 – Kwanzaa (Black): 8-day holiday inspired by African harvest celebrations
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