DEI-Inspired Holidays and Observances 2024: April Showers Bring Inclusive Flowers
Three people sitting together having a conversation.
We all know April showers bring May flowers, but first, let’s take some time to highlight all of the holidays and observances happening this month! April is a time of change, the ice starts to thaw and the sun stays out later and later each day; the world is waking up and it’s time for you to wake up to the beautifully diverse world around you!
April’s celebrations and observed holidays remind us all to acknowledge, learn about, and celebrate those with different religious beliefs, passions, and abilities than our own to better understand and appreciate each other.
Read on for more details about some of the upcoming holidays and celebrations this month!
List of April Observances
Monthly Observances:
National Arab American Heritage Month
April is National Arab American Heritage Month in the United States! The month celebrates the rich cultures, heritages, achievements, and contributions of Arab Americans in communities across the country.
Join us in celebrating Arab Americans throughout April and learn how our communities can take further action to be more inclusive, welcoming, and knowledgeable about the many groups of this demographic:
National Arab American Heritage Month
A Proclamation on Arab American Heritage Month 2024, by President Joe Biden
World Autism Acceptance Month
Two people talking at a table.
Every year, communities around the world observe World Autism Acceptance Month, also called World Autism Awareness Month. World Autism Acceptance Day is officially April 2nd, but we acknowledge and try to teach more people about this important disability for the whole month of April.
Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is an invisible disability that impacts individuals' day-to-day lives and can show up in several ways: difficulty in communication, social interactions, expressing themselves, and many unique and personalized ways. Autistic spectrum disorder falls under neurodiversity, which describes the difference in the way the brain functions in people. No two brains function the same, especially for people who have invisible disabilities like Autism, ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, etc. People who are neurodivergent have a brain that works differently from the average or “neurotypical” person.
This month, learn more about the importance of autism acceptance and neurodiversity in the resources provided below:
Language in the Age of Neurodiversity Acceptance
By learning more about this disability and neurodiversity, companies can do more to ensure their workplace is inclusive and accessible; regardless of what disability an employee may have. Learn more about disabilities and how to support those living with disabilities. Whether they're a part of your team or are outside of the office, consider booking the following with The Rise Journey as an educational session(s) built to complement this observance in your workplace:
Understanding Invisible Disabilities
Celebrating and Tapping into Neurodiversity
Diversity Month
The people behind your team do not lose their identities when they step into the workplace. We offer a number of workshops to help your workplace celebrate and learn more about the people on your team.
Consider booking the following sessions to learn how you can support your team in and outside of the office:
Neurodiversity 101: The Next Chapter in Your Diversity Story
Cultivating Workplace Belonging
Weekly Observances:
Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (pay-saak), is an eight-day Jewish holiday that takes place every spring in the Hebrew month of Nisan and commemorates the emancipation of the Jewish people from slavery in ancient Egypt. During Passover, practicing Jewish communities gather with families and loved ones to celebrate with a traditional Passover meal called a Seder (say-dr). The holiday lasts from sundown on April 22nd and ends sundown on April 30th.
Learn more about Passover and how Jewish communities celebrate in the resources below:
Passover honors resilience amid adversity
Are you a workplace leader interested in bringing educational opportunities to your workplace? Consider exploring our Lunch and Learn session(s):
Tips and Strategies to Tackle Antisemitism
Special Observances:
The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP)
Founded in the UK, April 6th marks the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), which aims to celebrate the ways physical activity enables positive growth and plays an important role in communities around the world. The global theme for IDSDP 2024 is, “Sports for the Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive Societies."
Join us in celebrating this important day by getting active and participating in sports. Learn more about the observance by clicking here.
Laylat al-Qadr, Night of Power (Ramadan ends on April 10th)
April 6th also marks Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night of Ramadan, which includes a festival commemorating the date God revealed the Qurʾān to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel (Jabril). This annual observance holds additional significance as a night in which angels descended to earth with a myriad of tasks. Thus leading to a night of peace, blessings, and divine guidance (qadar) until dawn. It is now commemorated with solemnity, devotion, and prayer.
Consider booking a lunch and learn session focused on learning the principles and traditions of Islamic people:
Earth Day
Earth Day is here to support efforts for sustainability and climate solutions, as well as bring awareness to environmental justice. The environmental issues that we are currently facing can be compared to many of the systems of discrimination, racism, and oppression that are present within historically marginalized communities. This is due to the lack of support for positive environmental efforts. Governments, businesses, and citizens alike are essential in harnessing the revolutionary progress needed to save the Earth from this climate crisis. The 2024 Earth Day theme is "Planet Vs. Plastics".
Learn more about Earth Day, ecological apartheid, DEI in environmental work, and how to spread awareness in the list of resources below:
Environmental Racism: What it is and how you can fight it
How Marginalized Groups are Disproportionately Affected by Climate Change
Inclusion and Diversity Resources
Looking for further resources to better support your diverse workforce?
The Rise Journey is here to provide you with the tools, resources, and subject matter experts on the topics covered above and many more! Browse our full Lunch & Learn offerings here or take a closer look at our incredible team of advisors and speakers here. If there is a subject you are looking to bring into the workplace and need some inspiration or advice, we will be more than happy to partner with your organization and get the conversations going.
Use this month as an opportunity to further educate your employees by allowing them to experience other cultures and see the world through a different lens. This can help them grow as individuals and give them the opportunity to implement and create a larger sense of community within the workplace, which helps lead to higher levels of collaboration and success.
Want helpful tips, links, and reminders like this one every month? Sign up for this newsletter and ensure you don’t forget a major celebration or observance at work!
