Diverse Occasions To Celebrate With Employee Recognition

“Diversity is about all of us and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together.” – Jacqueline Woodson

Birthdays, achievements, and holidays are all great, common things people celebrate at work. However, going a step further to observe diverse special occasions that don’t normally get much attention truly sets a company apart.

It’s a way of acknowledging the differences within your workforce and embracing that diversity. No list of occasions can ever be exhaustive but here are 7 upcoming diverse occasions to start with:  

Rosh Hashanah – September/October
A lot of people celebrate a new year on January 1st with family and friends or a long list of resolutions they never look at beyond the day. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year that’s celebrated over 10 days instead of one.

The date of the commencement of this new year celebration isn’t fixed but usually falls in September or October. The 10-day period is a time of introspection and repentance, leading up to the last day called Yom Kippur (also known as the Day of Atonement).

National Disability Employment Awareness Month – October
Americans observe the National Disability Employment Awareness Month by honoring the accomplishments of people with disabilities within the workplace and their valuable contributions to the economy.

This celebration helps to highlight and refute misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding people with disabilities, hence ensuring they get equal opportunities too at work.

Indigenous Peoples Day – October
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated on the second Monday of October in honor of the cultures and contributions of Native American peoples.

The occasion was first formally recognized by President Joe Biden in 2021 and it commemorates the resilience of Native Americans and their contributions to American society.

National Coming Out Day – October 11
National Coming Out Day is celebrated in support of the LGBTQ+ community “coming out of the closet.” For a lot of people in this community, coming out is a challenging time, especially if they don’t have the support of their loved ones.

The celebration of this occasion, along with others like Pride Month, offers a support system to encourage the LGBTQ+ community to be free to openly express their identity.  

World AIDS Day – December 1st
World AIDS Day was created to raise awareness, unite people in the fight against HIV, support those living with HIV, and remember those who died from AIDS-related illnesses.  

Although HIV was only identified in 1984, there’s still a lot that people don’t know about it or its treatment, leading to discrimination against those diagnosed with HIV. Honoring this occasion helps to increase awareness, debunk harmful myths, and remove that stigma and discrimination.  

Hannukah – November/December
Hannukah means dedication and it is an 8-day celebration that commemorates an event from many centuries ago when the Jewish people rose up against their oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.

Hannukah is also called the Festival of Lights and is celebrated with traditional foods, games, gifts, and the lighting of the menorah.    

Kwanzaa – December 26 to January 1
Kwanzaa (which means first fruits in Swahili) is an annual celebration in honor of African-American heritage and culture. The celebration lasts a week and includes the discussion of seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, purpose, creativity, faith, and cooperative economics.

The celebration ends with gift-giving and a big feast. One of the things that makes Kwanzaa stand out from other occasions is that it’s a social holiday without affiliations to religious or political views.

“We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring.” – Catherine Pulsifier

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