Cultural & Heritage Celebrations

g

UIC Law aims to cultivate spaces where all members of our law school community and the broader University can come together to learn, share, and be inspired by the transformative power of solidarity and unity. Through these heritage months and significant days, we aim to build bridges of understanding and empathy, amplifying voices that have often been silenced and nurturing a more inclusive and equitable society.

These heritage months and significant days represent our unwavering commitment to inclusivity, social justice, and fostering a sense of belonging. By recognizing and celebrating diverse communities’ unique voices and experiences, we strive to create an environment that encourages dialogue, embraces differences, and nurtures creativity.

During each designated heritage month, there will be a thought-provoking array of activities that delve into the distinct achievements and cultures of the featured community. These programs catalyze engagement and connection, providing meaningful conversations, artistic expressions, and personal growth opportunities.

Below, you will find many of the heritage months and significant days that will take place during the semester (August 26 – December 13).

August/September 2024 Celebrations

  • August 26: Krishna Janmashtami is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates Krisha, a supreme God in the faith. This celebration includes the reading of religious texts, reenactments of his life, and dance. It is celebrated primarily in India. Also known as Gokulashtami, Janmashtami, or Krishanashtami.
  • Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15. This month corresponds with Mexican Independence Day, celebrated on September 16, and recognizes the revolution in 1810 that ended the Spanish dictatorship.
  • Intergenerational Month is celebrated annually in September to promote intergenerational understanding and connection among people of all ages. It is a time to recognize the importance of bridging the generational gap and fostering meaningful relationships between young and old.
  • September 2:  Labor Day in the United States honors workers’ contributions to the country and is observed on the first Monday of September. The Law School will be closed on this date.
  • September 7:  Ganesh Chaturthi, a Hindu holiday lasting approximately ten days, in which the elephant-headed Hindu god is praised and given offerings.
  • September 15-16:  Mawlid Al-Nabi, the observance of the birthday of Islam’s founder, the Prophet Muhammad, celebrated during  Rabiulawal, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Shi’a Muslims celebrate it five days later than Sunni Muslims.
  • September 18:  International Equal Pay Day, celebrated for the first time in September 2020, represents the long-standing efforts toward achieving equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations’ commitment to human rights and its efforts to eliminate all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.
  • September 23: International Day of Sign Languages was proclaimed by the United Nations to raise awareness about the importance of sign languages in fully realizing the human rights of people who are deaf.

October 2024 Celebrations

  • October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This observance was launched in 1945 when Congress declared the first week in October “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1998, the week was extended to a month and renamed. The annual event draws attention to employment barriers that must be addressed.
  • October is LGBTQ+ History Month, a US observance started in 1994 to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer history and the history of the gay rights movement.
  • October is Global Diversity Awareness Month, a month to celebrate and increase awareness about the diversity of cultures and ethnicities and the positive impact diversity can have on society.
  • October is Polish American Heritage Month, celebrated to commemorate the first Polish settlers, and celebrate the history and culture of the Polish community in America.
  • October is Filipino American History Month, which honors Filipino Americans’ history, culture, and accomplishments, highlighting their significant contributions to American society and recognizing their unique heritage and identity.
  • October 2-4 (sundown to sundown):  Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration, marking the world’s creation.
  • October 3-12: Sharad Navratri, the nine-day Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Festival participants worship God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, Devi, or Shakti, and the event marks the start of fall.
  • October 10:  World Mental Health Day. First celebrated in 1993, this day is meant to increase public awareness about the importance of mental health, mental health services, and mental health workers worldwide.
  • October 11:  National Coming Out Day (United States). For those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, this day celebrates coming out and the recognition of the 1987 march on Washington for gay and lesbian equality.
  • October 11-12 (sundown to sundown):  Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, a day of atonement marked by fasting and ceremonial repentance. It is also known as Atonement for those of the Hebrew Israelite faith.
  • October 14:  National Indigenous Peoples Day, an alternative celebration to Columbus Day, recognizes the indigenous populations affected by colonization.
  • October 16–23:  Sukkot, a seven-day Jewish festival giving thanks for the fall harvest
  • October 16:  International Pronouns Day seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace. Each year, it is held on the third Wednesday of October.
  • October 20:  Birth of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Sikh Holy Day, the day Sikhs celebrate Sri Guru Granth Sahib, their spiritual guide.
  • October 23-24 (sundown to sundown):  Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday also known as The Eighth (Day) of Assembly, takes place the day after the Sukkot festival, where gratitude for the fall harvest is deeply internalized.
  • October 24-25 (sundown to sundown):  Simchat Torah, a Jewish holiday, marks the end of the weekly readings of the Torah. The Torah is read from chapter one of Genesis to Deuteronomy 34 and then back to chapter one again, in acknowledgement of the words of the Torah being a never-ending cycle.

November 2024 Celebrations

  • November is National Native American Heritage Month, which celebrates the history and contributions of Native Americans.
  • November is National Family Caregivers Month, proclaimed in 2012 by former President Barack Obama. It honors the more than forty million caregivers across the country who support aging parents, ill spouses, or other loved ones with disabilities who remain at home.
  • November 1:  Diwali, the Hindu, Jain, and Sikh five-day festival of lights that celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and lightness over darkness.
  • November 1:  All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday commemorating all known and unknown Christian saints (In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the day is observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost).
  • November 2:  All Souls’ Day, a Christian holiday commemorating all faithful Christians who are now dead. In the Mexican tradition, the holiday is celebrated as Dia de los Muertos (October 31–November 2), a time of remembrance for dead ancestors and a celebration of the continuity of life.
  • November 11:  Veterans Day, a U.S. federal holiday honoring military veterans. The date is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world and commemorates the ending of World War I in 1918.
  • November 13–19:  Transgender Awareness Week, the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, in which people and organizations participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise the visibility of transgender people and address issues members of the community face.
  • November 19:  International Men’s Day emphasizes the important issues affecting males, including health issues that affect males, improving the relations between genders, highlighting the importance of male role models, and promoting gender equality. This holiday is celebrated in more than seventy countries.
  • November 20:  Transgender Day of Remembrance, established in 1998, to memorialize those who have been killed because of transphobia and to raise awareness of the continued violence endured by the transgender community.
  • November 24:  Feast of Christ the King, a Catholic holiday established to thank God for the gift of time and a rededication to the Christian faith.
  • November 28: The Ascension of ‘Abdu’lBaha is a holy day in the Bahá’í Faith, commemorating the passing of ‘Abdu’l-Baha.
  • November 28:  Thanksgiving Day in the United States. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and the preceding year. The Law School will be closed on this date.
  • November 29:  Native American Heritage Day, held annually on the Friday after Thanksgiving, encourages Americans of all backgrounds to observe and honor Native Americans through appropriate ceremonies and activities. The day was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2008. The Law School will be closed on this date.

December 2024 Celebrations

  • December 1:  World AIDS Day commemorates those who have died of AIDS and acknowledges the need for continued commitment to all those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
  • December 3:  International Day of Persons with Disabilities, designed to raise awareness regarding persons with disabilities to improve their lives and provide them with equal opportunity.
  • December 8:  Bodhi Day, a Buddhist holiday commemorating the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment; also known as Bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.
  • December 9:  Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the solemn celebration by various Christian denominations of belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
  • December 10:  International Human Rights Day, established by the United Nations in 1948 to commemorate the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • December 12:  Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a religious holiday in Mexico commemorating the appearance of the Virgin Mary near Mexico City in 1531.
  • December 13:  St. Lucia’s Day, a religious festival of light in Scandinavia and Italy commemorating the martyrdom of St. Lucia, a young Christian girl who was killed for her faith in 304 CE. She secretly took food to persecuted Christians in Rome while wearing a wreath of candles on her head so both her hands would be free.