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September: Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year, we observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, by celebrating the rich history, cultures, and to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic and Latin American champions past and present.
Originally began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.
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October: LGBTQIA+ History Month
"LGBTQIA+ History Month is a month-long celebration of the history of the diverse and beautiful lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community and the importance of civil rights movements in progressing gay rights. The observance was created by Rodney Wilson, a history teacher at a Missouri high school, in 1994. Then in 1995, LGBTQ+ History Month was added to the list of commemorative months in a resolution forwarded by the General Assembly of the National Education Association. The month, October was chosen because of National Coming Out Day and the anniversary of the first march for gay rights in Washington in October of 1979." -National Today
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October: Filipino American Heritage Month
"Filipino American History Month or FAHM, is celebrated annually in October, commemorating the arrival of the first Filipinos in modern-day Morro Bay, California in the U.S. on October 18, 1587.
Following years of campaigning and advocacy by both the civil society and organizations, the Filipino American National Historical Society established Filipino American History Month in 1992. In 2009, Congress recognized the month of October officially as Filipino American History Month in the U.S." -National Today -
November: Trans Awareness Month
November is Transgender Awareness Month, a time to honor, celebrate, and advocate for our transgender and gender diverse community. Transgender Awareness Month culminates with the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR).
Each year on November 20, LGBTQIA+ people everywhere pause to remember and mourn the lives we’ve lost to transphobic violence. This tradition began here in Boston in 1998 in response to the murder of beloved community member Rita Hester in Allston. This is a great time to review our responsibilities to youth who are transgender, and to seek expert advice about fulfilling these responsibilities. For greater explanation, please see OSPI’s Gender-Inclusive Schools: Resources for School Districts webpage.
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November: Native American & Alaska Native Heritage Month
Each year, in November we observe National Native American Heritage Month and on November 26th we celebrate Native American Heritage Day. This month is also referred to as National American Indian Heritage Month and American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This monthly observance and day is an opportunity to educate our students, staff, and community about the rich culture, traditions, contributions, and history of Indigenous Peoples. As well as an opportunity to raise general awareness about the unique challenges of tribal citizens throughout history past and present and in the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to persevere.
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Winter Holidays
"December is a festive time of the year to focus on and celebrate a range of diverse holidays celebrated by people of different religions, cultures, and races. However, this can be a time of the year – especially in schools whether it’s in-person, online, or hybrid – where some students feel uncomfortable, excluded, insulted, or marginalized." - Learning for Justice
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January Chinese American History Month
Senator Keith Wagoner (R-Sedro-Woolley) has been working on the action for three years before his bill was finally accepted into law. He was joined at a ceremony at the State Capitol by Linda Yand and Asians for Equality to celebrate the historic day. Governor Jay Inslee signed in Spring of 2023 Senate Bill 5000 into law making January dedicated as Americans of Chinese Descent Month. Washington is the first state to celebrate Chinese American history with a month.
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January: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, many teachers may be making plans to teach about him and his legacy. It’s important to seize the opportunity to teach about his activism and students’ own capacity to be change agents. Too often, lesson plans fail to move beyond “I Have a Dream,” to examine King’s status as a “hero” or to acknowledge the depth and complexity of the movement he helped to lead. Instead of doing the “same old, same old,” consider a wider range of approaches to teaching that will deepen students’ understanding of his legacy and his role in a broad, dynamic movement that involved many people, organizations, strategies and events.” - Learning for Justice
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February: Black History Month
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
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March: Women's History Month
March celebrates the contributions of women in our history, society, and culture. This month provides the opportunity to explore and dig deeper into gender stereotypes, biases, and bring awareness of important women's contributions, struggles, and triumphs throughout history.
History: Educators in Santa Rosa, California, first celebrated Women's History Week in 1978 to correspond with International Women's Day on March 8th. Since the first Women’s History Week in 1978, other countries have joined the U.S. in honoring women's history month. In 1980, U.S. President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8th as a national week of observance. Then in 1981 the U.S. Congress passed a resolution declaring this as a monthly observance.
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April: Arab American Heritage Month
In April 2021, President Joe Biden, along with the U.S. State Department, some members of Congress and 37 governors issued proclamations recognizing April as Arab American Heritage Month. In a letter to Arab America and the Arab America Foundation, President Biden
wrote, “The Arab American Community is essential to the fabric of our nation, and I am honored to be part this celebration of Arab American culture, heritage, and contributions to American society. The Arab American community exemplifies so much of what our country stands for: hard work, resilience, compassion and generosity.” This monthly observance was created to “honor the contributions of this diverse community to America." -
May: Asian Pacific islander DESI American Heritage Month
Asian Pacific Islander Heritage month began as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week in 1978. It expanded to be the month of May in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush. The month of May was chosen to “coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in the United States (May 7, 1843) and completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869 (the majority of workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants).” — United States Census Bureau
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May: Jewish American Heritage Month
“Stories of triumph and bravery always get us in the mood for celebrations, and this Jewish American Heritage Month in May is no different. From contributing important scientific discoveries to raising the flag for the abused and neglected, the Jewish population has had a huge role to play in where America stands today on the world stage. The more than 350-year history has given us names like Albert Einstein and Ruth Bader Ginsburg — both of whom fought through hard times to emerge victoriously. In order to honor the Jewish communities’ continued achievements, May was declared as Jewish American Heritage Month by former president George W. Bush back in 2006.”
— National Today -
June: PRIDE Month
The LGBTQIA+ community is integral part of the diversity within our district. Most importantly, national organizations including the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and The Trevor Project have conducted extensive school climate and mental health surveys have revealed the challenges that LGBTQIA+ youth face that directly impact their educational outcomes and wellbeing. For example, statistics show that LGBTQ+ youth have among the highest suicide rates among their peers and 75% of the LGBTQIA+ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination at least once in their lifetime. These tough truths are why we recognize PRIDE month and the importance of personal reflection on how each of us can better support and uplift our students, families, and staff who are a part of this community.
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June: Juneteenth
"Juneteenth, celebrated June 19, marks the day enslaved Texans learned they were free in June of 1865. While the history of the holiday includes the injustice of enslavement, Juneteenth should also be understood in the context of Black people’s fight for justice and freedom." - Learning for Justice
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