Posts by vlacapra
Dia de los Muertos (Nov. 1–2)
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time to remember, honor, and celebrate loved ones who have died. A holiday in Mexico, the tradition is marked across much of Latin America and the United States. The festivities span at least two days: Nov. 1, known as Día de los Inocentes (“Day of…
Read MoreAmilcar Cabral Centennial Conference (Oct. 25–26)
“Tell no lies, claim no easy victories” was the motto of pan-Africanist freedom fighter and agronomist Amilcar Cabral, who in the 1970s led independence movements in his native Guinea-Bissau (then Portuguese Guinea) and the Cape Verde Islands (where his parents were from). Join Bridgewater State University’s Pedro Pires Institute for Cape Verdean Studies and the…
Read MoreTalk on Wôpanâak language revival (Oct. 24)
The Wampanoag tribes, or “People of the First Light,” were among the first Indigenous Americans to lose their land—and language—to European colonists. But thanks to the efforts of Tribal linguists over the last 30 years, the Wôpanâak language has been revived. On Thursday, Oct. 24 from 5:30-6:30pm at Highfield Hall & Gardens (56 Highfield Drive,…
Read MoreIndigenous People’s Day (Oct. 14)
Indigenous People’s Day celebrates the histories and cultures of the numerous Indigenous peoples who have lived in the Americas for thousands of years. It also recognizes and acknowledges that we still have a long way to go to address the history of erasure, dispossession, and violence against America’s first inhabitants. Unlike Columbus Day, which occurs…
Read MoreLGBT History Month (Oct.) and National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11)
October is LGBT History Month. This annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer history and related civil rights movements recognizes the people who have advanced gender and sexual minority rights throughout time. The observance began in 1994 with Missouri high school teacher Rodney Wilson. He chose October because school would be in session…
Read MoreNational Disability Employment Awareness Month (Oct.)
October marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which honors workers with disabilities and their contributions to our workplaces and economy. This year’s theme, “Access to Good Jobs for All,” highlights the need to ensure that people living with disabilities are supported in access to meaningful employment. If you work at WHOI and have a short-…
Read MoreInternational Day of Peace (Sep. 21)
“…[S]ince wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” Thus begins the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This concept—that a culture of peace needs to be cultivated in children and communities through education—is reflected in…
Read MoreNational Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep. 15 – Oct. 15)
September 15 kicks off National Hispanic Heritage Month, an annual celebration of the history and culture of Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S. Its timing coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (Sept. 15, 1821; from Spain); Mexico (Sept. 16, 1810; from…
Read MoreWorld Suicide Prevention Day (Sep. 10)
Suicide is a major public health challenge with complex social, emotional, and economic causes and effects. This year for World Suicide Prevention Day, the World Health Organization is calling on people to “Start the Conversation” with the goal of “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”—raising awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging open dialog to prevent suicides. If…
Read MoreLabor Day (Sep. 2)
Labor Day has its origins in the late 1800s, when many Americans—including children—worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, often in brutal and dangerous conditions. On September 5, 1882, an estimated 10,000 workers in New York marched in protest, calling for “Less Work and More Pay,” including an eight-hour workday and a ban…
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