Equity & Inclusion Newsletter

National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sep 15-Oct 15 and was first observed in 1968 and enacted into federal law as a month-long celebration in 1988. It offers the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the knowledge, richness, experiences, and diversity of Hispanic and LatinX families.

Join us in celebrating by viewing the video below and hearing some of their voices!

No matter your age, we hope you find the monthly read aloud video to be valuable! The intention of the monthly read aloud is to build collective, common experiences across the district amongst students, families, and staff members - one read at a time. So please share with those around you!

Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez and Jaime Kim is read with permission of HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Special thank you to our students, staff, and family member guest readers in this video!

The following months have been designated by Presidential Proclamation, Executive Order, and Public Law:

Sept 15th - Oct 15th National Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month

October National Disability Employment Awareness Month

November National American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

February African American History Month

March National Women's History Month

April Arab American Heritage Month

May Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May Jewish American Heritage Month

May National Mental Health Awareness Month

June Caribbean-American Heritage Month

June LGBT+ Pride Month

We invite students, families, and staff to recognize and participate in a video for each of these months to raise awareness, promote inclusion, celebrate culture and build community. Please email: equity_inclusion@region15.org if you are interested in participating.

Also, if you know a month that has a designation by Presidential Proclamation, Executive Order, and/or Public Law, and you would like to collaborate on a video for the newsletter, please let us know.

In Library Media at MMS and RMS to launch the school year, all students focused on orienting to one another and to their Library Media class with a focus on the importance of names. Students first considered and dialogued with one another about why knowing someone's name and pronunciation is important. After watching video clips including people reflecting on the importance of their names, students then engaged in small-group discussion which yielded impactful reflections and connections. Students then created google slide introductions about themselves, in which they practiced digital media skills such as embedding audio pronunciations of their own names and bulleted points highlighting important information about themselves. They shared their work with their teacher and in small groups. This lesson is one example of the care and connection that staff and students are working to mindfully build in launching a new school year.

• Celebration of Children's and YA Latin American and Latinx Literature (Library of Congress): Oct 11, 6 pm

• Gallery Talk, The Art of Looking: Emilio Sanchez, Cañaverales (National Gallery of Art), October 15, 1 pm

• Calendar of Events from Smithsonian for Heritage & History Months: Dolores Huerta, César Chávez, Carmen Herrera, Día de los Muertos Virtual Family Celebration and more

• Changing the World One Word at a Time: Conversation and Read Aloud with Kelly Yang (ADL): Oct 13, 5pm, author of Front Desk

Background photo credit: Pre-K, Mrs. Kimble-Cusano

Instagram: r15equity_inclusion

The importance of listening to your lived experiences, insights, ideas, and perspectives cannot be overstated. Please feel free to reach out! We'd love to connect.

*Note: Quotation (c) 2019 CLC Collective and Dottir Press

Email: equity_inclusion@region15.org
Website: https://www.region15.org/community/equity-and-inclusion
Twitter: @r15equity