Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Inclusion Calendar

The UI Health Inclusion Calendar was created to build overall awareness of cultural and heritage months and celebrations. We hope to expand knowledge of American culture as many dates honor anniversaries of events in US history and to promote enhanced communication and compassion when scheduling events on or near cultural and heritage holidays.

March

April

Arab American Heritage Month, Autism Acceptance Month, Celebrate Diversity Month, Minority Health Awareness Week, National Volunteer Month, National Donate Life Month, and Occupational Therapy Month

Patient Access Week
April 3 - 9, 2023

Passover (Pesach - First Two Days)
April 5 - 7, 2023

Passover
April 5 - 13, 2023

An eight-day Jewish holiday in commemoration of the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.

Good Friday
April 7, 2023

A day celebrated by Christians to commemorate the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. It is recognized on the Friday before Easter.

Easter
April 9, 2023

A holiday celebrated by Christians to recognize Jesus’ return from death after the crucifixion.

Black Maternal Health Week
April 11-17, 2023

On April 10th President Biden officially proclaimed April 11th through April 17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health Week to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States. Addressing Black maternal health has been a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration. https://blackmamasmatter.org/2023-black-maternal-health-week/

Vaisakhi (also known as Baisakhi)
April 14, 2023

Commemorates the founding of the Sikh community as the Khalsa (community of the initiated) and the birth of the Khalsa. Celebrates justice and creation of a more equal society.

Press Ganey Engagement Survey
April 17 – May 12, 2023

Confidential survey for all UI Health employees hired prior to December 12, 2022.

Laylat al Qadr
April 18, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

The holiest night of the year for Muslims, and is known as the Night of Power. It commemorates the night the Quran was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad and is traditionally celebrated on the twenty-seventh day of Ramadan.

Eid Al-Fitr
April 21, 2023

Administrative Professionals Week
April 23 - 29, 2023

Medical Laboratory Professionals Week
April 23 - 29, 2023

Last Week in April annually

Patient Experience Week
April 24 - 28, 2023

Patient Experience Week is an annual event designed to honor and celebrate all team members who have an impact on patient experience. UI Health activities will involve themes around quality, safety, collaboration, partnership and the ICARE values.

Administrative Professionals Day
April 26, 2023

May

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Better Speech and Hearing Month, Critical Care Recognition Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, National Nurses Month, Older Americans Month, and Oncology Nurses Month

Nurses Week UI Health Observed
May 1 - 5, 2023

National Day of Prayer
May 4, 2023

A day of observance in the United States when people are asked to “turn to God in prayer and meditation.”

Cinco de Mayo
May 5, 2023

The holiday commemorates the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861–1867).

Nurses Day
May 6, 2023

National Nurses Week
May 6 - 12, 2023

National Hospital Week
May 7 - 13, 2023

Lag BaOmer
May 8 - 9, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

Jewish holiday marking the day of hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.

Healthcare Technology Management Week
May 14 - 20, 2023

Food Allergy Awareness Week
May 14 - 20, 2023

from https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/facts-and-statistics

Speech-Language Pathologists Day
May 18, 2023

Visakha Puja
May 19, 2023

Also known as Buddha Day, this Buddhist festival marks Gautama Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. It falls on the day of the full moon in and is a gazetted holiday in India. Alternative dates of celebration include May 5th and May 19th.

Bike to Work Day
May 19, 2023

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 21, 2023

Established by the United Nations as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity and to learn to live together in harmony. https://www.unesco.org/en/days/cultural-diversity-dialogue-development

EMS Week
May 21 - 27, 2023

Shavuot
May 26 - 27, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

Jewish holiday that has double significance. It marks the wheat harvest in Israel and commemorates the anniversary of the day when the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai.

Pentecost
May 28, 2023

Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles.

Memorial Day^*
May 29, 2023

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces. UI Health Holiday

June

Caribbean American Heritage Month, Immigrant Heritage Month, National Cancer Survivor Month, National Safety Month, and LGBTQ+ Pride Month

HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day
June 5, 2023

Hand Therapy Week
June 5 - 11, 2023

Flag Day
June 14, 2023

Men’s Health Week
June 15 – 21, 2023

Nursing Assistants Week/CNA Week
June 15 – 21, 2023

Health Risk Management Week
June 19 - 23, 2023

Juneteenth^*
June 19, 2023

Also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day. This celebration honors the day in 1865 when slaves in Texas finally learned they were free, two months after the end of the Civil War. June 19, therefore, became the day of emancipation for thousands of African Americans. UI Health Holiday.

Waqf al Arafa
June 27 - 28, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

The second day of pilgrimage within the Islamic faith.

Eid al-Adha
June 28 – 29, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

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.

July

Disability Pride Month

Dharma Day
July 3, 2023

Celebration of Buddha’s first teachings.

Independence Day^*
July 4, 2023

Also known as Fourth of July, this holiday celebrates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. UI Health Holiday

International Nonbinary People’s Day
July 14, 2023

Celebrates the contributions of nonbinary people around the world while also raising awareness and organizing around the many systemic issues they face.

Disability Independence Day
July 26, 2023

Celebrates the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

International Day of Friendship
July 30, 2023

Proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.

August

National Health Center Week
August 6 – 12, 2023

Obon
August 13 – 15, 2023

Buddhist festival and Japanese custom that honors the spirits of ancestors.

Health Unit Coordinator Day
August 23, 2023

Women’s Equality Day
August 26, 2023

Congresswoman Bella Abzug first introduced a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day in 1971. The day commemorates the 1920 certification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution that gave women the right to vote. Every US President since 1971 has published a proclamation recognizing August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.

September

Childhood Cancer Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month September 15 - October 15, National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, National Suicide Prevention Month, and Pain Awareness Month

Labor Day^*
September 4, 2023

A federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the contributions of laborers. UI Health Holiday

Krishna Janmashtami
September 6, 2023

Hindu celebration of Lord Vishnu’s most powerful human incarnation, Krishna, the god of love and compassion. Celebrations include praying and fasting.

Simchat Torah
September 7 - 8, 2023

Physical Therapy Day
September 8, 2023

National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Week
September 10 - 16, 2023

Held annually the second week in September, a weeklong celebration of the vital role HBCUs play in molding Black leaders, encouraging high-school aged youth to enroll into HBCU’s, providing scholarship dollars for matriculation, and sustaining a pipeline for employment from undergraduate to corporate America. https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/hbcu-week-conference/2023-national-hbcu-week-conference/

Housekeeping & Environmental Services Appreciation Week
September 10 - 16, 2023

Mawlid Al-Nabi
September 10 - 16, 2023

Observance of the birthday of Islam’s founder, the prophet Muhammad, celebrated during the month of Rabiulawal, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Shi’a Muslims celebrate it five days later than Sunni Muslims.

Construction Appreciation Week
September 11 - 15, 2023

National Hispanic Serving Institutions Week
September 11 – 17, 2023

Rosh Hashanah
September 15 - 16, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

Jewish New Year celebration, marking the creation of the world.

Ganesh Chaturthi
September 18, 2023

Hindu holiday lasting approximately ten days, in which the Hindu god, Ganesh, is praised and given offerings.

International Equal Pay Day
September 18, 2023

Celebrated for the first time in 2020, represents the long-standing efforts toward the achievement of 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.

International Day of Peace
September 21, 2023

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21st. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

Yom Kippur
September 24 - 25, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

Holiest day on the Jewish calendar, this day of atonement is marked by fasting and ceremonial repentance.

National Food Service Employees Day
September 26 - 27, 2023

Sukkot
September 29 - October 6, 2023

Beginning five days after Yom Kippur, Sukkot celebrates the gathering of the harvest and commemorates the 40 years of Jewish wandering in the desert. Sukkot is named after the booths or huts (sukkot in Hebrew) in which Jews are supposed to dwell during this week-long celebration.

October

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Physical Therapy Month, National Pharmacy Month, Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, and National Hispanic Heritage Month September 15, 2023 - October 15, 2023

Midwifery Week
October 1 - 7, 2023

Healthcare Supply Chain Week
October 1 - 7, 2023

Healthcare Foodservice Workers Week
October 1 - 7, 2023

Pediatric Nurses Week
October 2 - 6, 2023

Shemini Atzeret
October 6 - 7, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

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. Work is traditionally prohibited.

Simchat Torah
October 7 - 8, 2023 (observed from sundown until sundown)

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.

Case Management Week
October 8 - 14, 2023

Emergency Nurses Week
October 8 - 14, 2023

National Indigenous Peoples Day
October 9, 2023

Alternative celebration to Columbus Day, gives recognition to the indigenous populations affected by colonization.

World Mental Health Day
October 10, 2023

National Coming Out Day
October 11, 2023

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.

Bosses Day
October 16, 2023

International Pronouns Day
October 18, 2023

Held annually on the third Wednesday of October. Pronouns Day is celebrated to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns more commonplace.

National Medical Assistant Day
October 18, 2023

National Massage Therapy Awareness Week
October 22 - 28, 2023

National Respiratory Care Week
October 22 - 28, 2023

Pastoral/Spiritual Care Week
October 22 - 28, 2023

November

Home Care & Hospice Month, National Family Caregivers Month, and Native American Heritage Month

International Pathology Day
November 8, 2023

Veterans Day
November 11, 2023

Diwali
November 12, 2023

The Hindu, Jain, and Sikh five-day festival of lights celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

Nurse Practitioner Week
November 12 - 18, 2023

Operating Room Nurse Day
November 14, 2023

America Recycles Day
November 15, 2023

Transgender Awareness Week
November 13 - 19, 2023

Held the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) 11/20. People and organizations work to raise the visibility of transgender people- their contributions and the challenges they face day to day.

International Men’s Day
November 19, 2023

Celebrated in over 70 countries this holiday emphasizes issues impacting males.

Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 20, 2023

Established in 1998 to memorialize those who have been killed as a result of transphobia and raise awareness of the continued violence endured by the transgender community.

Thanksgiving^*
November 23, 2023

An autumn harvest holiday and celebration in the United States. UI Health Holiday

Native American Heritage Day
November 24, 2023

Held annually on the Friday after Thanksgiving, encourages Americans of all backgrounds to observe and honor Native Americans through appropriate ceremonies and activities. The law establishing the day was signed by President George W. Bush in 2008.

December

World AIDS Day
December 1, 2023

National Handwashing Awareness Week
December 3 - 9, 2023

Advent
December 3 - 24, 2023

Christian season of celebration leading up to Christmas.

Hanukkah
December 7 - 15, 2023

Jewish holiday that is celebrated for eight days and nights. Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabean, leaders of the Jewish people, over the Greek Syrian ruler, Antiochus, approximately 2,200 years ago.

Bodhi Day
December 8, 2023

Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni), experienced enlightenment; also known as Bodhi in Sanskrit and Pali.

International Human Rights Day
December 10, 2023

Las Posadas
December 16 - 24, 2023

A Mexican religious celebration lasting nine days. It commemorates the trials Mary and Joseph endured in their journey to Bethlehem.

Christmas Day^*
December 25, 2023

A religious and cultural celebration festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. UI Health Holiday

Kwanzaa
December 26, 2023 – January 1, 2024

Week-long celebration affirming African American heritage, values, community, and culture ending in a communal dinner called Karamu. Kwanzaa was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga.

Please note: This list is NOT all-inclusive of every culture and heritage. In addition, different customs may use a variation of the dates listed.

If you would like to see another holiday or celebration recognized in future UI Health Inclusion Calendars, please share your feedback by emailing UIHealthDiversity@UIC.EDU

^*UI Health Holidays highlighted in blue apply to all employees working in essential units including but not limited to the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics.