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Message of Welcome

Welcome to the University of Connecticut’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice page!  This site will serve as the University’s central hub for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) information and initiatives.  It will provide resources, opportunities for engagement, and celebrations of the many diverse communities who call UConn “home.”

UConn is committed to diversity, a crucial part of the University's mission.  We also believe that diversity makes our campuses better places to learn and work and positions UConn as a state, regional, and local leader in education, research, and outreach.  Quite simply, we believe that the diversity of our communities makes UConn stronger.

The important transformational work related to DEIJ will only be successful if the University has buy-in and input from our entire community; no singular department or unit can do this work on its own.  This website provides an entry point for every member of the UConn community – whether a student, alumni, staff, faculty, or a member of the surrounding communities, we invite you to join in this important work with us.  Together, we can improve the UConn experience for every member of our community.

Mission Statement

The University of Connecticut is committed to building a safe and inclusive community for all its members through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Under the guidance of the Vice President, Dr. Jeffrey Hines, we as members of the UConn community aim to listen, reflect, learn, and act to make our community safe and a place of belonging for all. We aim to support diversity, equity, and inclusion by offering support for success for people of all backgrounds.

Land Acknowledgement

We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is the territory of the Eastern Pequot, Golden Hill Paugussett, Lenape, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Nipmuc and Schaghticoke Peoples who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. We thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.

Pronunciations: Eastern Pequot (Pea-kwaht); Golden Hill Paugussett (paw-GUS-it); Lenape (Leh-NAH-pay); Mashantucket Pequot (Mash-un-tuck-it Pea-kwaht);  Mohegan (Mo-he-gan); Nipmuc (Nip-muck); Schaghticoke (ska-teh-COKE)

Statements

October 2025 Heritage Celebrations

October 2, 2025

To the UConn Community: The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of October: Heritage Month Celebrations: Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15): Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the many diverse cultures and […]

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September 2025 Heritage Celebrations

September 2, 2025

To the UConn Community: The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of September: Heritage Month Celebrations: National Recovery Month: September is National Recovery Month, which promotes and celebrates the nation’s recovery community, emphasizing that recovery from mental […]

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August 2025 Heritage Celebrations

August 5, 2025

To the UConn Community: The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of August: Heritage Month Celebrations: Purple Heart Month: Observed each August, Purple Heart Month honors U.S. military service members who have been wounded […]

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Religious Holidays:

🌸 Mawlid-al-Nabi (Sept. 4-5): Mawlid al-Nabi, or Milad-un-Nabi, is a significant Islamic religious holiday that marks the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. In 2025, it is expected to begin on the evening of Friday, September 5th & end on the evening of Saturday, September 6th. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on the Prophet`s life & teachings, express love & admiration, & engage in acts of charity & community service.

🌸 Pitru Paksha (Sept. 6-20): A15-day lunar period where members of the Hindu faith pay homage to their departed ancestors through food offerings, prayers, & other rituals. It is a time to pay respects, seek blessings, & help their ancestors’ souls attain peace and salvation.

🌸 Mabon (Sept. 22): Also known as the Autumn Equinox, falls on September 22nd, 2025. It`s a time for celebrating the second harvest, giving thanks for the bounty of the earth, & acknowledging the shift towards the darker half of the year. Mabon is a day of balance & harmony, as day & night are of equal length.  

🌸 Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 22-24): The Jewish New Year & marks the start of the High Holy Days. Orthodox & Conservative Jews observe the traditional two-day holiday, while Reform Jews observe only the first day. Rosh Hashanah is one of three most observed holidays by all Jewish families. It`s a time for reflection, prayer, & considering the past year with the hope of a positive new year ahead. The holiday is observed with special meals, synagogue services, & the symbolic blowing of the shofar (ram`s horn).

🌸 Navaratri (Sept. 22-October 1): Navratri, also known as Shardiya Navratri, is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Northern & Eastern India. This festival symbolizes the nine nights of battle between good & evil, culminating in the victory of good on the tenth day. During this period, Mother Durga is worshipped as the deity of power, energy, & wisdom. 

🌸 Tzom Gedaliah (Sept. 25): A dawn-to-dusk fast observed on the day after Rosh Hashanah (if that day is Shabbat, it is observed on Sunday). Commemorating the tragic death of Gedaliah, governor of Judea, the day begins with special Selichot liturgy.

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Religious Holidays: 🌸 Mawlid-al-Nabi (Sept. 4-5): Mawlid al-Nabi, or Milad-un-Nabi, is a significant Islamic religious holiday that marks the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. In 2025, it is expected to begin on the evening of Friday, September 5th & end on the evening of Saturday, September 6th. It is a time for Muslims to reflect on the Prophet's life & teachings, express love & admiration, & engage in acts of charity & community service. 🌸 Pitru Paksha (Sept. 6-20): A15-day lunar period where members of the Hindu faith pay homage to their departed ancestors through food offerings, prayers, & other rituals. It is a time to pay respects, seek blessings, & help their ancestors’ souls attain peace and salvation. 🌸 Mabon (Sept. 22): Also known as the Autumn Equinox, falls on September 22nd, 2025. It's a time for celebrating the second harvest, giving thanks for the bounty of the earth, & acknowledging the shift towards the darker half of the year. Mabon is a day of balance & harmony, as day & night are of equal length.   🌸 Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 22-24): The Jewish New Year & marks the start of the High Holy Days. Orthodox & Conservative Jews observe the traditional two-day holiday, while Reform Jews observe only the first day. Rosh Hashanah is one of three most observed holidays by all Jewish families. It's a time for reflection, prayer, & considering the past year with the hope of a positive new year ahead. The holiday is observed with special meals, synagogue services, & the symbolic blowing of the shofar (ram's horn). 🌸 Navaratri (Sept. 22-October 1): Navratri, also known as Shardiya Navratri, is celebrated with great enthusiasm across Northern & Eastern India. This festival symbolizes the nine nights of battle between good & evil, culminating in the victory of good on the tenth day. During this period, Mother Durga is worshipped as the deity of power, energy, & wisdom.  🌸 Tzom Gedaliah (Sept. 25): A dawn-to-dusk fast observed on the day after Rosh Hashanah (if that day is Shabbat, it is observed on Sunday). Commemorating the tragic death of Gedaliah, governor of Judea, the day begins with special Selichot liturgy.

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Cultural & Federal Holidays:

🌸 Labor Day (September 9): This federal holiday, held on the first Monday of September, celebrates the American labor movement and pays tribute to American workers. This day is set aside to celebrate improvements made to working conditions in the United States.

🌸 Patriot Day (September 11): This day honors those who perished in or because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including first responders and military service members. Flags are flown at half-staff on this day, and Americans are encouraged to honor the victims through acts of service.  

🌸 National Trail of Tears Remembrance Day (September 16): On this day, we acknowledge the forced displacement of Native and Indigenous peoples from their lands. September 16th is the National Day of Commemoration for the Trail of Tears, when citizens of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek, and Chickasaw Nations and other Eastern tribal nations were violently removed from their homelands by the United States government after the passage of the 1830 Indian Removal Act. Relocated citizens suffered from continual violence, disease, and starvation during and after displacement. 

🌸 International Equal Pay Day (September 18): This day was first established in 2019 to illuminate persistent pay discrimination and wage gaps that disproportionately affect women and people of color across all occupations. The United Nations celebrated International Equal Pay Day on September 18, 2020, to accelerate the realization of the principle of “equal pay for equal work of equal value” and ensure recognition of women’s major contribution to the economy.

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Cultural & Federal Holidays: 🌸 Labor Day (September 9): This federal holiday, held on the first Monday of September, celebrates the American labor movement and pays tribute to American workers. This day is set aside to celebrate improvements made to working conditions in the United States. 🌸 Patriot Day (September 11): This day honors those who perished in or because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, including first responders and military service members. Flags are flown at half-staff on this day, and Americans are encouraged to honor the victims through acts of service.   🌸 National Trail of Tears Remembrance Day (September 16): On this day, we acknowledge the forced displacement of Native and Indigenous peoples from their lands. September 16th is the National Day of Commemoration for the Trail of Tears, when citizens of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek, and Chickasaw Nations and other Eastern tribal nations were violently removed from their homelands by the United States government after the passage of the 1830 Indian Removal Act. Relocated citizens suffered from continual violence, disease, and starvation during and after displacement.  🌸 International Equal Pay Day (September 18): This day was first established in 2019 to illuminate persistent pay discrimination and wage gaps that disproportionately affect women and people of color across all occupations. The United Nations celebrated International Equal Pay Day on September 18, 2020, to accelerate the realization of the principle of “equal pay for equal work of equal value” and ensure recognition of women’s major contribution to the economy.

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Heritage Month Celebrations:

🌸 Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15): Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the many diverse cultures and histories within Hispanic and Latine communities, as well as members of those culture’s achievements and contributions to the United States. First recognized as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, it was expanded to a full month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. This month is observed from September 15th – the anniversary of Guatemalan, Honduran, El Salvadorian, Nicaraguan, and Costa Rican independence – through October 15th. It also includes Día de la Raza on October 12th, an alternative holiday to Columbus Day that celebrates and honors the peoples, traditions, and cultures destroyed by European colonization. 

🌸 National Recovery Month: September is National Recovery Month, which promotes and celebrates the nation`s recovery community, emphasizing that recovery from mental health and substance use disorders is possible. The event, established by SAMHSA in 1989, raises awareness about new recovery practices, supports those in recovery, and encourages more people to seek help by destigmatizing addiction and mental health challenges. Events, including walks, rallies, and seminars, are held to highlight the resilience of those in recovery and the positive impact of treatment.

🌸 Suicide Prevention Month & Week: September is Suicide Prevention Month. Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) host World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 to focus attention on the problem of suicide worldwide. The week leading up to this day is Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is a particular concern in the United States; it is the second leading cause of death for 10- to 34-year-olds. This month creates awareness about suicide and aims to inspire people to learn how to help save lives in their community, and to learn to have authentic and caring conversations about suicide and mental health.

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Open post by uconndiversity with ID 18409047409119292
Heritage Month Celebrations: 🌸 Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15): Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the many diverse cultures and histories within Hispanic and Latine communities, as well as members of those culture’s achievements and contributions to the United States. First recognized as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, it was expanded to a full month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. This month is observed from September 15th – the anniversary of Guatemalan, Honduran, El Salvadorian, Nicaraguan, and Costa Rican independence – through October 15th. It also includes Día de la Raza on October 12th, an alternative holiday to Columbus Day that celebrates and honors the peoples, traditions, and cultures destroyed by European colonization.  🌸 National Recovery Month: September is National Recovery Month, which promotes and celebrates the nation's recovery community, emphasizing that recovery from mental health and substance use disorders is possible. The event, established by SAMHSA in 1989, raises awareness about new recovery practices, supports those in recovery, and encourages more people to seek help by destigmatizing addiction and mental health challenges. Events, including walks, rallies, and seminars, are held to highlight the resilience of those in recovery and the positive impact of treatment. 🌸 Suicide Prevention Month & Week: September is Suicide Prevention Month. Every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) host World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 to focus attention on the problem of suicide worldwide. The week leading up to this day is Suicide Prevention Week. Suicide is a particular concern in the United States; it is the second leading cause of death for 10- to 34-year-olds. This month creates awareness about suicide and aims to inspire people to learn how to help save lives in their community, and to learn to have authentic and caring conversations about suicide and mental health.

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