2023 December Community Newsletter
Community Engagement and Belonging (Community)
So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.
- Bahá’u’lláh
The end of the year is upon us, and the Winter Solstice is around the corner. This month, take time to learn more about celebrations. In this monthly sample, we aim to share: awareness days, diversity days, heritage celebrations, holidays, and festivals. Our 2nd Annual Dr. King Program will take place in January, please see the flyer below for more details.
Thank you to all the wonderful families that contributed to our Community Engagement and Belonging (CEB) November Indigenous Peoples' Exhibit in the lobby (Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, and Envisioning the future).
Our very own Dean of Pedagogy and Innovation, Mike Medvinsky, gives us a glimpse into his family's Hanukkah traditions. Please read his beautiful contribution below. We are so grateful to him for sharing his family's story. Happy Hanukkah!
Our Upper School students have been engaged in learning ways to be proactive and reflective of their words and actions through our "Activating Change: Creating Compassionate Communities" advisory programming. Our Upper School and Middle School Affinity Groups and Clubs are up and running. Our Lower School Changemakers are hard at work planning a "Kinder than Kind" day and discussing ways to incorporate diversity and kindness in school every day. The fore mentioned are just a peek at some of the activities taking place through CEB. Please follow the CEB Instagram page (@ulsceb) and watch the CEB webpage (https://uls.org/ceb/) for updates.
As always, if you would like to add to this newsletter or have any questions, please contact me.
I wish you warm thoughts and wonderful moments this month.
Sincerely,
Michelle Cureton
Director of Community Engagement and Belonging
Medvinsky Family's Hanukkah Traditions
The Medvinskys celebrate the light and love of Hanukkah this time of year. Each evening, for eight nights, our family gathers around a menorah to light candles. Our tradition of lighting the menorah comes from a time when light was needed to survive. The story told is that a light that was meant to last one night, lasted eight. This helps our family remember that on cold winter nights, and at times when things seem difficult, light can be there to brighten the darkness. Each night of Hanukkah is illuminated by one candle, beginning with one dimly lit flame and ending with all nine brightly lit candles. The menorah actually holds nine candles, with the shammash, or helper, carrying the responsibility to light all of the other candles. Our family takes turns with the responsibility to light the candles each night. This celebration of lighting the menorah begins our family’s activities of gathering around food, family and friends, and gifts. For eight nights we cook with a lot of oil…so much oil. We fry latkes and enjoy them with applesauce and sour cream and often eat brisket alongside. On special nights, we make home-made sufganiyot which are yeast donuts. Our favorite is filling them with raspberry jelly. When we have friends and family over to celebrate, we enjoy spinning the dreidel, putting in and taking out chocolate coins depending on which side of the dreidel you land on. Everyone hopes to land on Gimel which gets you the whole pot of gold coins! There are many celebrations and traditions happening this time of year. The Medvinskys celebrate Hanukkah and we hope that you find yourselves around light, love, friends, and family this time of year too.
Please see the flyer below and save the date for our 2nd Annual Dr. King Celebration on Wednesday, January 10th at 6:30-8 in the Auditorium. There will be a contest and performers are needed. Click on this link:https://forms.gle/HurXZ1XRVocUfFvY6 , if Students or Classes are interested in performing. Click on the Flyer below to see an enlarged image of the flyer.
UKnight DEI Council Corner
This is a new addition to the newsletter. The UKnight DEI Leadership Council has started a monthly Corner in which they will share information and/or recommendations.
Our UKnight Leadership Council’s purpose is to support the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging mission statements and goals of University Liggett School and the DEI (CEB) Council through: community education, community building, and elevating students experience, voice, and identity. The Council is made up of parents and guardians of Liggett students.
For the first contribution, one of the members, Dr. K. Dara Hill has shared, A Critical Examination of African-American Youth Athletes in the Track Series, Lessons About Intraracial Diversity & Bullying Reduction. Below is a synopsis and the link contains the article.
Thank you, Dr. Hill for your valuable contribution and participation on the UKnight Leadership Council.
Jason Reynolds’s critically acclaimed The Track Series is highly recommended for secondary school administrators , teachers, youth, and families across the nation who are grappling with how to mitigate bullying and to support a deeper understanding of intraracial diversity in school communities. Each novel in the series chronicles the experiences of the Defenders who are economically diverse African American elite track runners and is titled after its protagonist, Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu. Throughout the series, the protagonists inform about the challenges and rewards of being a student athlete, on and off the track. With the support of their coach, they unlearn stereotypes about each other on the basis of where they live and what they look like. Through this process, the protagonists narrate their stories in first person point-of- view, become a family, and experience self-discovery, particularly as they are featured in each others’ stories. The end of each novel additionally includes strategies for bullying reduction. I invite you to read my recently published article in Multicultural Education Magazine, entitled A Critical Examination of African-American Youth Athletes in the Track Series: Lessons About Intraracial Diversity and Bullying Reduction.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1laABRpmQCRQWuOFvf-8qpU8wcYrvQymG/view?usp=sharing
Students and Faculty attended the NAIS People of Color Conference (POCC) and Student Diversity Leadership Conference held in St. Louis, MO. The Conference brings together student leaders and educators from various Independent Schools nationwide and abroad.
Student Community Engagement and Belonging (SCEBC)
Spread Holiday Cheer
DECEMBER MONTH LONG/DAILY CELEBRATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS
Month - Long Observances:
- HIV/AIDS Awareness Month
- Universal Human Rights Month
Daily Celebrations and Recognitions:
12/1 – World AIDS Day: helps raise awareness of HIV/AIDs and money to cure it
12/3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations): raises awareness for the rights and well-being of those with disabilities
12/5 - International volunteer Day
12/7 - Hanukkah begins
12/8 - Bodhi Day
12/10 – International Human Rights Day (United Nations): adopted by the UN in 1948, celebrates the day it the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
12/15- Hanukkah ends
12/16-24 – Las Posadas (Mexican): religious festival in Mexico and some parts of the U.S. (primarily those with Mexican-Americans) of the Christmas season
12/21– Winter Solstice/Yule: the winter sabbats according to the Pagan and Wiccan faiths
12/25 – Christmas (Christian): holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ
12/26 – Kwanzaa (Black): 8-day holiday inspired by African harvest celebrations
12/26 - Boxing Day
12/31 - New Year's Eve
December is National Human Rights Month
"Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December — the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The UDHR is a milestone document, which proclaims the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status." United Nations
“If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don't see.”
–James Baldwin
December Mantras and Quotes by Upper School French Teacher Alan Rivera
"In December, the world holds its breath, as if nature is exhaling the year that was just born and inhaling the new year that is yet to come." - John Steinbeck
"The cold air makes us want to stay close to those we love." - Mario Benedetti
"The new year is a time to be grateful for the blessings we have, and to share our blessings with others." - Gautama Buddha
"Winter is the season of rest and reflection, a time to draw inward and nurture our inner selves." - Signe Eklund
"The new year is a time to start fresh, to let go of the past and embrace the future. It is a time to set new goals and dreams, and to work towards making them a reality." - Nelson Mandela
"The winter solstice is the pause between the dying and the rising of the sun."
- John Harriman
"December is the season of anticipation, the season of remembering, the season of joy." - Norman Rockwell
"December brings the winter's hush, and shorter days, and darker nights."
- John Greenleaf Whittier
"Winter is an etching, monochrome and stark, where all the delicate details emerge." - Annie Dillard
"New year—a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours." - Alex Morritt
"Winter is the time for comfort, for good company, for the warmth of a fire and the sound of laughter."- Thomas Fuller
"Winter is not a time of death but of rebirth, a time of rest and reflection, a time of preparation for the new life that will emerge in the spring." - Dee Hock
"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for talk beside the fire." - Edith Sitwell
"The cold never bothered me anyway." - Elsa, Frozen
"The cold air can be harsh, but it also has a beauty of its own."
- Gabriel García Márquez
"Winter is the time for rest, the time to gather your inner strength. The time to hibernate as a bear does, and then come out refreshed in the spring."
- Caroline Myss
"The new year is a time to forgive others, and to let go of our anger and resentment."
- Mahatma Gandhi
"The new year stands before us, like a fresh notebook, each page blank and full of potential."
- Sarah Ban Breathnach
"Let this winter come. Let it be cold and dark and dreary. Let it be covered in frost and snow. For in the midst of winter, I find my heart is warm."
- Anne Shirley
"The new year is a time to be hopeful, to believe that the future can be better than the past. It is a time to make a difference in the world, and to make it a better place for all." - Kofi Annan
“There is nothing quite so cozy as a fire in the hearth.” - Harriet Beecher Stowe
"And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been."
- Rainer Maria Rilke
"In the midst of life's challenges, family gatherings are a beacon of hope, a reminder that we are never truly alone." - H. Jackson Brown Jr.
"Family gatherings are a time to appreciate the blessings of family, to cherish the moments we share, and to create memories that will last a lifetime."
- Barbara Bush
"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you're not going to stay where you are."
- J.P. Morgan
"Winter is a time for magic, a time to believe in the impossible." - Julio Cortázar
"Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success."
- Henry Ford
"The beauty which is in unity is an eternal wonder." - Heraclitus
"Winter is the only season that does not have its own color." - Jorge Luis Borges
"Winter is a time to reflect on the year that has passed and to make plans for the year ahead." - Isabel Allende
International Human Right's Day
International Human Right's Day
Human Rights Day is a special day that celebrates the fundamental human rights that every person is entitled to. It’s observed every year on December 10th and is a time to reflect on the progress that has been made in protecting human rights around the world. It is also a time to recommit to making sure that all people are treated with dignity and respect.
Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All
Las Posadas
Las Posadas is a December holiday celebrated in Mexico and many other Latin American countries. It commemorates the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.
International Human Solidarity Day
International Human Solidarity Day is a global holiday on December 20 that celebrates the idea of human brotherhood and cooperation. It was created by the United Nations in 2007 and is celebrated every year on December 20th. The goal of this holiday is to promote peace, understanding, and cooperation between all people. This day is also used to raise awareness about global issues such as poverty, hunger, and disease.
Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is celebrated for eight days and nights, usually beginning on the 25th of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar. Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah or Chanukkah) is a Jewish holiday that lasts for eight nights and usually occurs in December. It is also known as the Festival of Lights.
Christmas
Christmas is a holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated by Christians all around the world and is considered one of the most important holidays of the year. Christmas celebrates the day that Jesus Christ was born to Joseph and Mary in the city of Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas in Different Languages
Arabic: Milad Majid
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese (Mandarin): Sheng Dan Kuai Le
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Danish: Glædelig Jul
French: Joyeux Noel
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Portuguese: Feliz Natal
Swedish: God Jul
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa is a winter holiday that celebrates African-American heritage. It was founded in 1966. The name Kwanzaa comes from the words matunda ya kwanza, which means “first fruit” in Swahili, referring to the first crops of the harvest. In Africa, the first fruit festivals are celebrated in accordance with the summer solstice (winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere). Although many people might consider Kwanzaa as an alternative to Christmas, Maulana Karenga, its founder, believed that Kwanzaa is not created with the purpose to give black people their own religious holiday as an alternative to Christmas, which is why many African-American families celebrate Kwanzaa in addition to Christmas. Maulana Karenga defined the seven principles of Kwanzaa, calling them “Nguzo Saba” (the seven principles of African heritage). Together, the seven principles make up Kawaida (meaning tradition). Each of the seven days during Kwanzaa celebrations symbolically represents one of the seven principles on which the holiday builds. These principles are:
Umoja (Unity).
Kujichagulia (Self-determination).
Ujima (Collective work and responsibility).
Ujamaa (Cooperative economics).
Nia (Purpose).
Kuumba (Creativity).
Imani (Faith).
Kwanzaa is also distinguished by seven symbols including:
Makka (mat), a traditional straw or woven textile. It represents the base or the foundation on which the other symbols are placed.
Kinara (candle holder) holds seven candles.
Mishumaa Saba (the seven candles).
Mazao (crops).
Mahindi (corn).
Kikombe cha Umoja (unity cup).
Zawadi (gifts).
Winter Solstice/Yule
The winter solstice is a holiday that celebrates the shortest day of the year. It is observed on December 21st in most countries, but some celebrate it on other dates. The word “solstice” means “sun stands still,” and this name reflects the that on the winter solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky. After the winter solstice, the days begin to get longer again.
Yule is a winter holiday that celebrates the rebirth of the sun. It is celebrated by many different people around the world, including Pagans, Wiccans, and Druids. Yule usually takes place in late December or early January and is often marked by special celebrations, gift-giving, and family gatherings.
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a public holiday originally celebrated in the middle-ages in the United Kingdom, today it’s celebrated in many countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Observed annually on December 26 in Canada, the U.K. and Commonwealth countries around the world, Boxing Day was traditionally the day employers would give their staff Christmas presents, called "boxes," to celebrate the season. But since the day after Christmas is now usually a statutory holiday, in our modern society, we now often give those boxes to ourselves. Or at least that's one way of looking at this longtime tradition, which has been noted for centuries. There's no exact definition of Boxing Day, though some tie it to British servants who helped their lords and ladies with Christmas dinner and literally took home boxes (and got a day off) the next day.
New Year's Eve/Omisoka
New Year’s Eve, people around the globe celebrate the coming of the New Year on this last day in the gregorian calendar.
Omisoka is the last of the December global holidays as the Japanese celebrate it on December 31st. It is a day to celebrate the coming of the New Year, and people typically exchange gifts, eat special foods, and participate in traditional ceremonies.
New Year's Traditions From Around the World
- United States: Watching the ball drop. ...
- Brazil: Heading to the beach. ...
- Spain: Eating 12 grapes. ...
- India: Building a sculpture of an old man and burning it down. ...
- Japan: Eating soba noodles. ...
- France: Feasting with Champagne. ...
- Haiti: Sharing soup joumou. ...
- Denmark: Throwing old plates.