Voices Unite - October, 2020

OCTOBER 2020

Incarnate Word Academy's Monthly Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Newsletter

Global Diversity Awareness Month ADDITIONAL OCTOBER October brings Global Diversity Awareness month to pay

CELEBRATIONS

tribute to the diverse minds and beliefs held by all cultures around the world. We live in a multicultural society and embracing the values of various cultures only strengthens our understanding and appreciation of the world. Open your mind to new views and ideas, appreciate cultural differences, and enjoy a fresh perspective you may have been missing. It helps you become a true citizen of the world. Consider the following ways to celebrate the month: Connect with people who are different from you.

Learn about another culture.

Make an effort to stay informed on current events.

Attend a cultural event in-person or online.

Play music from around the world.

Support minority-owned businesses.

Host a multicultural movie night via Zoom.

Filipino-American Heritage Month| All Month Italian- American Heritage Month| All Month Down Syndrome Awareness Month|All month National German Heritage Month| Sept 15-Oct.15 Polish- American Heritage Month| All month Dwarfism Awareness Month| All Month International Day of NonViolence| Oct. 2 Sukkot| Oct. 2-9 White Cane Safety Day| Oct. 15 All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween)| Oct. 31

OCTOBER 2020

Important IWA Announcements Diversity Club Meetings: Lunch Mods 7-10 B day. First meeting, Oct. 16, 2020 Location: Gym Affinity/Alliance Groups: Lunch Mods 7-10 Exploring the Black Student Experience: J Day. First Meeting, Oct. 13, 2020 Location: Ms. Gray's Classroom, Chapel Building Exploring the LatinX Student Experience: K Day. First Meeting: Oct. 14, 2020 Location: Theater, Theater Building Exploring the Asian American Student Experience: PHOTA O BDay. Y M AFirst R T I N Meeting: R . S M I T H Oct. 15, 2020 Location: STUCO Room, Lunchroom Exploring the Religious/Spiritual Student Experience: C Day. First Meeting: Oct. 19, 2020 Location: Ms. Daum's Classroom, Chapel Building Hispanic Heritage Month Morning Announcements: If you would like to read a morning announcement honoring this month, please email Ms. Watson: Jwatson@iwacademy.org Hispanic Heritage Month Cooking Challenge: Create a video in which you make your favorite Latin dish and then film your family or friends trying and rating your cooking skills. All of the videos will be judged on creativity and ratings.

The winner will receive a $10 gift card to the Knight Shop and their video shared on social media. Read your emails from Ms. Clark for more information.

Cultural Definitions Microagressions: Commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory racial slights. These messages may be sent verbally, non-verbally or environmentally.

Sterotype: Blanket beliefs and expectations about members of certain groups that present an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment.

They go beyond necessary and useful categorizations and generalizations in that they are typically negative, are based on little information, and are highly generalized.

Unconscious Bias: Social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness.

THOUGHT OF THE MONTH Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you. Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time...Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg I want to challenge you to reflect on the following questions: 1. What do I care about that is worth fighting for?

2. What do I stand for?

3. How will I empower others to join me in promoting the change that I want to see?