Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is the official celebration of American citizens whose ancestry can be traced back to Spain, Mexico, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean. The monthlong festival which begins on September 15th and ends on October 15th originally dates back to 1968 in which it was only celebrated for a week. On September 13, 1988, President Reagan proclaimed Hispanic Heritage Month, and the celebration was expanded to four weeks in order to pay tribute to generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched society. The holiday begins mid-month because the 15th marks the independence days of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile, and Belize follow shortly afterward on the 16th, 18th, and 21st.

Here are some useful resources to learn more:

• What Is Hispanic Heritage Month?http://time.com/4943371/what-is-hispanic-heritage-month/

• The Library of Congress offers Primary Source Sets on Hispanic Exploration in America and Mexican American Migration and Communities.
• The website for National Hispanic Heritage Month contains a comprehensive collection of exhibits, collection, images, videos, and resources. The site also contains links to other relevant websites such as the Smithsonian Institution Hispanic Resources and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Patriot Day

Patriot Day is a United States national observance that honors the memory of those who were killed in the September 11 attacks.

It was first observed in 2002, after the proclamation by President George W. Bush. In 2009, President Barack Obama rededicated it as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. It is not a public holiday therefore government offices, educational institutions and businesses do not close on this day. On Patriot Day, the national flag is flown at half-mast on all United States government buildings and establishments. Individuals are also encouraged to display flags on their homes.

A moment of silence is traditionally observed at 8:46 AM. Many organizations and establishments hold memorial ceremonies to honor the victims of 9/11.

Join The Anti-Racist Table’s 30-day Challenge

Take a stand for humanity! Do you want to be part of the solution? Learn how to be an Anti-Racist with our FREE 30 Day Challenge. The journey to cultivating a life committed to being an Anti-Racist is a lifelong pursuit that starts and ends with you. AntiRacism is an intentional daily practice that requires willpower, truth, love, and patience.

The Anti-Racist Table 30 Day Challenge is specifically curated to educate, to help people face and get past shame, anger, and blame, and to develop empathy–all key elements of creating an Anti-Racist America.

To sign up visit: https://theantiracisttable.com/ 

Did You Know

September in History:

September was the seventh month of the original Roman calendar. This is where it got its name which means seventh. Later, when January and February were added to the calendar it became the ninth month.

Fun Facts about September

• It is the first month of the Autumn or Fall season.
• September is the ninth month and the only month with the same number of letters in its name in English as the number of the month.
• September in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to March in the Southern Hemisphere.
• American college and professional football begins during the month of September.
• The Anglo-Saxons also called this month Gerst Monath meaning barley month. This is because they would harvest their barley crops during this month.
• On an average September day more babies are born in the US than on a day in any other month.
• September is often associated with fire because it was the month of the Roman god Vulcan. Vulcan was the Roman god of fire and the forge.

What We’re Reading

• “Water the flowers in your hair” by Anyrah Shavéh

• “War and Peace,” by Leo Tolstoy
• “Everything Inside” by Edwidge Danticat
• “Together is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration” by Simon Sinek 
• “Build a Happier Brain” by Som Bathla

Vanderbilt Community Wellness Resources

DOS Community Wellness & Self-Care Resources Google Doc
An ongoing list of books, podcasts, movies, shows, fitness opportunities, and more! Please add to this list as you find new resources you want to share!

Peabody Weekly Wellbeing Newsletters
Peabody Office of Student Engagement & Well-Being has created a weakly newsletter with resources for self-care, reflection, and engagement.

Vanderbilt University COVID-19 Updates

You can find the latest return to campus updates here

Check out the Anchor Down, Step Up: Together, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 video and learn more about Vanderbilt’s commitment to safety!

VU Employee COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund

Vanderbilt University Employee COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund has been established to support faculty, staff, and postdocs who are experiencing significant, temporary financial challenges as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  As we enter Phase II+ of Return to Campus, the University recognizes that the current crisis is a hardship to everyone in our community.  The fund is in place to help those in need with costs that are occurring because of the COVID-19 crisis.  To learn more please visit our Employee COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund page.

Contact: VU Human Resources

COVID-19 Leave Bank

Vanderbilt University will provide benefits-eligible staff members access to a one-time bank of up to 2 weeks (up to 80 hours) of pay, for the following instances:

• staff who are working on-campus are unable to work due to the need to quarantine or to self-isolate and recover from COVID-19
• staff working remotely who are unable to work because they are symptomatic and have a diagnosis of COVID-19.

Details of eligibility and when the COVID-19 leave bank is available can be found in the COVID-19 Leave Bank policy.  Eligible staff members must provide documentation and/or complete the online attestation in order to use the COVID-19 Leave Bank.

COVID-19 Leave Bank Attestation Form

Email: fmlaprocessing@vanderbilt.edu

Fax: 615-343-4142 Contact: VU FMLA

Campus Life 

Events happening on campus!

The Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center

The Women’s Center has upcoming Work-Life Workshops for the Vanderbilt Community.

The next workshop will be September 10 and will cover how to talk to your children about COVID-19 and on September 22 the workshop will be about Reducing Zoom Fatigue.

Click here to learn more about upcoming workshops and RSVP,

Office of LGBTQI+ P.R.I.D.E. Training

Join the virtual P.R.I.D.E. (Pursuing Respect, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity) Training on October 28^th and November 10^th.

Get more details and register on their website.

September Diversity Awareness Calendar 

We want to hear from you

If you have any ideas, D&I stories, or updates that you would like to share please send them to yasmine.mukahal@vanderbilt.edu so that we can spotlight them in the newsletter!