Equity & Inclusion Newsletter
February 2024
Honoring Black History Month
Come to a Community Spoken Word Master Class: February 22, 2024 at PHS from 4-6
Read
28 Days of Black History: Sign up for daily emails that will include ways to honor and celebrate Black history. You’ll also receive discussion questions to engage in conversation.
Photo source: 28 Days of Black History
Watch
Black History in 2 minutes (or so): These free videos introduce well-known (and less-well-known) topics in Black history. The episodes are researched and narrated by renowned historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Photo source: Black History in Two Minutes (or so)
Explore
Listen to the 1/17/24 episode of Code Switch, "The women who masterminded the Montgomery Bus Boycott."
Blurb: "The Montgomery bus boycott lasted from December of 1955 through December of 1956. What people often remember of that moment in history is that when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, it sparked a bus boycott that was led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But what that retelling leaves out are all the women who organized for years to make that boycott a reality and who helped sustain it for 13 long months.
On this episode, we're hearing directly from those women, from Parks to Claudette Colvin to Coretta Scott King. They share the behind-the-scenes story of how they organized one of the biggest, most successful boycotts in U.S. history."
Photo Source: NPR
Pomperaug High School Library Media Center: Interactive with QR codes to access more resources about content featured
Calendar of Religious Observances: February 2024
- Saturday 2/10/24: LUNAR NEW YEAR, Confucian, Daoist and Buddhist, Also known as the Spring Festival, an important festival celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. Region (generalized) East Asia: China, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam
- Tuesday 2/13/24: SHROVE TUESDAY, Western Christian, A day of penitence as well as the last chance to feast before Lent begins. Also known as Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday and Carnival Day as this day is observed in many ways worldwide. Region (generalized) Western Europe
- Wednesday 2/14/24: ASH WEDNESDAY, Western Christian, The first day of Lent for Western Christian churches, a 40-day period of spiritual preparation for Easter, not counting Sundays. Region (generalized) Western Europe
- Thursday 2/15/24: NIRVANA DAY, Buddhist, Celebrates the day when the historical Buddha achieved Parinirvana, or complete Nirvana, upon the death of his physical body. Sometimes celebrated on February 8. Region (generalized) Asia
- Saturday 2/24/24: MAGHA PUJA, Buddhist, Also known as Sangha Day, it commemorates the spontaneous assembly of 1,250 disciples, completely enlightened monks, in the historical Buddha's presence. Region (generalized): Asia
- Monday 2/26/24 - 2/29/24 AYYÁM-I-HA OR INTERCALARY DAYS Bahá’í A period of celebration devoted to charity, gift-giving and festivities prior to the annual period of fasting.
February 10: Lunar New Year
Many people call this holiday Chinese New Year, and while it IS celebrated in China, it’s also celebrated by many countries in Asia and around the world- not just in China!
Some countries that celebrate Lunar New Year include Vietnam, Korea, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, and the Okinawan community in Japan.
Are you interested in joining Middlebury & Southbury's Equity & Inclusion Council?
Middlebury and Southbury Equity & Inclusion Council Website
Click here to access the landing page through Region 15's website.
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The importance of listening to your lived experiences, insights, ideas, and perspectives cannot be overstated. Please feel free to reach out! We'd love to connect.
*Note: Quotation (c) 2019 CLC Collective and Dottir Press
Email: equity_inclusion@region15.org
Website: https://www.region15.org/community/equity-and-inclusion
Twitter: @r15equity