Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Office

VISION STATEMENT

To overcome barriers as the model community that accepts, respects, and encourages the value, dignity, belonging, and capabilities of all individuals.

MISSION STATEMENT

To champion a community of diversity, equity & inclusion, and belonging in a spirit of civility.

Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) is committed to providing leadership, guidance, and resources supporting the institution’s commitment to develop, implement, measure, and transform our culture to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all.

The DEI office will partner with forward-facing departments to support programs to empower students to become advocates for DEI to help build community acceptance for all now and in the future.

As a transformative global institution, the office will provide measurable outcomes of success in programs, activities, training, and education related to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to inspire community excellence.

VALUES

CARES graphic with listening and talking icons

CIVILITY

We promote civility in the community as well as empathy and acceptance for all.

ADVOCACY

We advocate for fair and equitable practices and policies that promote and nurture understanding and acceptance.

RESPECT

We respect all individuals’ value of dignity as a foundation for promoting caring, equity, and self-esteem in every community member.

EMPOWERMENT

We empower the underrepresented in the community to be heard and accepted.

SAFETY

We strive to create a safe, inclusive community for all without fear of retaliation or retribution.

Awareness Calendar

June is…

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Featured Awareness

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month, established in June 2006. It honors and celebrates the rich and diverse culture of the Caribbean American population.

June is Immigrant Heritage Month, established in June 2014. It allows people across the United States to explore their heritages and celebrate the shared diversity that forms the unique story of the United States. It celebrates immigrants across the United States and their contributions to their local communities and economy.

June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, established to recognize the impact that gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals have had on the world. LGBTQ+ groups note this time with Pride parades, picnics, parties, memorials for those lost to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS, and other group gatherings. The last Sunday in June is LGBTQ+ Pride Day.

June 19: Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, was established as a federal holiday in 2022. This celebration honors the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas and Louisiana finally heard they were free, two and a half years after the end of the Civil War. 19, therefore, became the day of emancipation for thousands of African Americans.

June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day or First Nations Day, a day that gives recognition to the indigenous populations affected by colonization in Canada.

June 2: Native American Citizenship Day, commemorating the day in 1924 when the US Congress passed legislation recognizing the citizenship of Native Americans

June 4: Trinity Sunday, observed in the Western Christian faith as a feast in honor of the Holy Trinity

June 8: Corpus Christi, a Catholic holiday celebrating the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist

June 14: Flag Day in the United States, observed to celebrate the history and symbolism of the US flag

June 16: Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, observed by members of the Sikh faith. Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh guru and the first Sikh martyr.

June 16: Feast of the Most Sacred Heart, a solemnity in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church

June 19: New Church Day, The nineteenth day of June is celebrated as a holiday by some branches of the New Church. The holiday commemorates events reported by Emanuel Swedenborg in the work True Christian Religion, and it is considered by some to be the “birthday” of the New Church.

June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day or First Nations Day, a day that gives recognition to the indigenous populations affected by colonization in Canada

June 21: Litha, or midsummer, is the summer solstice celebrated by Wiccans and Pagans. It is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, representing the sun’s “annual retreat.”

June 27-28 (sundown to sundown): Waqf al Arafa, the second day of pilgrimage within the Islamic faith

June 28-29 (sundown to sundown): Eid-al-Adha, an Islamic festival to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (also known as Abraham) to follow Allah’s (God’s) command to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. Muslims around the world observe this event.

June 29: Feast Day of Saints Peter and Paul, a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome for the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul in Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Last Sunday in June: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Day in the United States. It commemorates the Stonewall Riots that occurred on June 28, 1969.