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Diversity & Inclusion

Belonging

Belonging at Rowan-Cabarrus

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2023

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Belonging Newsletter

The Belonging Committee publishes a monthly newsletter for advancing diversity and inclusion to provide Rowan-Cabarrus faculty and staff with college updates and resources related to belonging.  The committee is also working to increase engagement on and off campus, recognizing and supporting faculty and staff who work to make our campus more inclusive.

Read our ​Diversity & Inclusion Newsletter

May Belonging Celebrations

Month-long observances: 

  • ALS Awareness Month
  • Haitian Heritage Month
  • Indian Heritage Month
  • Jewish-American Heritage Month
  • Mental Health Awareness Month
  • National Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
  • National Foster Care Month
  • Older Americans Month
  • South Asian American Heritage Month

Important March calendar dates: 

  • May 2 – National Day of Prayer
  • May 2 – National Day of Reason
  • May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
  • May 5 – National Day for Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
  • May 5 – Day of Remembrance (Yom HaShoah – Jewish)
  • May 6 – Natural Nurses Day

This month, we celebrate ALS Awareness and Haitian and Indian Heritage Month.

ALS

What is ALS?

  • ALS is a progressive disease in which a person’s brain loses connection with the muscles, slowly taking away their ability to walk, talk, eat, and eventually breathe. There is no cure for ALS, but there is hope (https://www.als.org/awareness).

How can we honor ALS Awareness this month?

  • Do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. To learn more about the Ice Bucket Challenge to help raise funding for ALS research, visit the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge website.

Did you know?

  • People may lose the ability to speak, eat, move, and breathe who have ALS.
  • 10 % of ALS cases are inherited through a mutated gene.
  • $2 BILLION is the estimated cost to develop a drug to slow or stop ALS progression.
  • The diagnosis of ALS can take months or even years.

To learn more facts about ALS visit the Facts About ALS website.

Haitian Heritage Month

Haitian Heritage Month is a nationally recognized month and an opportunity for individuals, including Haitians and lovers of the Haitian culture, to celebrate the rich culture, distinctive art, and delicious food, and learn the traditions of Haiti and its people. The celebration is an expansion of the Haitian Flag Day on May 18th, a major patriotic day celebration in Haiti and the Diaspora created to encourage patriotism (https://www.haitianheritagemuseum.org/haitian-heritage-month/).

To learn more about Haiti, watch the History of Haiti or visit the Haitian Heritage Museum, Haitian Art Society, or Hope for Haiti.

How can we celebrate Haitian Heritage Month?

  • Study the Haitian History
  • Attend a flag-raising ceremony or celebration
  • Support local Haitian Businesses
    • Lakou Haitian Restaurant (Charlotte)
    • Bon Fritay Haitian Food Truck (Durham)
    • OZJ Warehouse Haitian Store (Charlotte)
    • Le Creole Haitian Cuisine Food Truck (Raleigh)
  • Donate to an organization

Indian Heritage Month

Each May, thousands of people celebrate Indian Heritage Month in the United States, which is dedicated to honoring the people and country of India and Indian Americans with family roots in this culture (https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/5-ways-to-thoughtfully-celebrate-indian-heritage-month-this-year/). 

How can we celebrate Indian Heritage Month?

  • Learn about the culture and traditions in India.
  • Support Indian-owned businesses.
    • Red Chillez Indian Cuisine (Concord)
    • Biryani Pot Indian Grill (Concord)
    • Sangam Indian Cuisine (Cornelius)
    • Choice Indian Restaurant (Charlotte)
    • Royal Biryani (Charlotte)
    • Oh’ Calcutta (Winston-Salum)
  • Participate in Indian practices.
  • Learn about the contribution of Indians throughout history.

Today is the National Day of Prayer. To learn more, visit the National Day of Prayer website.

What is Cinco de Mayo?

It is a day that commemorates the Mexican army’s victory, on May 5, 1862, over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). In the United States Cinco de Mayo has become associated with the celebration of Mexican-American culture but should not be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day which is celebrated on September 16. To learn more about the history of Cinco de Mayo, visit the HISTORY.COM website.

National Day for Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

Did you know?

  • As the Native Hope site mentions, “While women and girls are the primary victims of violence and human trafficking among Native Americans, they are not alone. People of all ages are victims of these horrific crimes, including men, boys, infants, and the elderly.” (Source: Native Hope)
  • 84.3 % or more than four in five Indigenous women have experienced violence in their lifetime.
  • 5,712 cases of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls were reported in 2016.
  • 81.6% or more than four in five Indigenous men have experienced violence in their lifetime.

To learn more about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day, visit the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs or watch the Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

What is Days of Remembrance?

  • The US Congress established Days of Remembrance as the nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust. The Museum is responsible for leading the nation in observing Days of Remembrance and for encouraging observances throughout the United States.

To learn more about the Holocaust and Days of Remembrance, watch the Why We Remember the Holocaust video.

To learn more about the Holocaust, visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

What can we do to honor the Days of Remembrance?

 

Professional Development Opportunities

 2024 – 2025 Equity Coach Academy Applications are open!

  • The educational segment of the 2023-2024 Equity Coach Academy has concluded, marking the transition into the implementation phase, where coaches will apply their acquired knowledge on their respective campuses. We are thrilled about the impactful initiatives we anticipate accomplishing this semester. As we embrace this progress, it’s time to initiate the 2024-2025 program recruitment process. Applications are currently open for the 2024-2025 Equity Coach Academy, and the deadline has been extended to May 15. Notification of acceptance will be sent out by June 1. With limited spots available, we encourage interested individuals to apply promptly, as we can accommodate 20 participants, and all sessions will be conducted in person. Please visit the Equity Coach Academy marketing page to delve deeper into the details. We look forward to welcoming the next cohort! Apply here – http://tinyurl.com/32vxdcf7

 Upcoming Conferences

 

 

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