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SPOTLIGHT ON DEI

SPOTLIGHT ON DEI
SPOTLIGHT ON DEI

SPOTLIGHT ON DEI - ISSUE 6 SPOTLIGHT ON DEI - ISSUE 6

To Our CCUSD Community:

Thank you for your continuous support and the feedback provided for previous newsletters. Moving forward, newsletters will be released at the beginning of each month and we will do our best to provide a diverse array of topics that will spark interest, curiosity, dialogue and sometimes challenge ways of thinking. Additional announcements of commemorative months may come out earlier or after the standalone newsletters. We are working in the best capacity to provide timely content for our CCUSD community.

Commemorations for the Month of May

Commemorative Days & Weeks

Cinco de Mayo: May 5

Mother’s Day: May 12

Women's Health Care Week: May 12 - 18

Global Accessibility Awareness Day: May 16

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia: May 17

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development: May 21

Vesak / Buddha Day: May 23

Africa Day: May 25

Memorial Day: May 27

World MS Day: May 30

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(AANHPI) Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

We Are Here: 30 Inspiring Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Have Shaped the United States

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Jewish American Heritage Month

Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month with the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

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Mental Health Awareness Month

You Are Not Alone - Facts About Mental Health
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National Women's Health Care Week

Created by the US Department of Health and Human Service's, Office on Women's Health - an observance to highlight women's health issues and the self-prioritization of taking care of physical & mental well-being.
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The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia was created in 2004 to draw attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex people, and all of those with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.
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Haitian Heritage Month

Predominantly celebrated in Florida, (which has the largest population of Haitian people), but nationally recognized, Haitian Heritage Month celebrates the colorful culture of Haitian descendants.. Learn more about the History of Haiti.

Language & Ideas in this Issue Language & Ideas in this Issue

ethnology - the study of the characteristics of various peoples and the differences and relationships between them

Ethnology is a branch of cultural anthropology dealing chiefly with the comparative and analytical study of cultures

Mental Health - is our ability to respond to challenges...

Module 1.3a What is mental health?

Historical Figures to Research Historical Figures to Research

Click on the image to read more about the cause.

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Gertrude Elion

Gertrude "Trudy" Belle Elion was an Jewish American Biochemist & Pharmacologist, who shared the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with two other male colleagues for their use of innovative methods of rational drug design for the development of new drugs.
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Harry Houdini

Erik Weisz, known as Harry Houdini, was a Jewish Hungarian-American escape artist, illusionist, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts.
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Steven Spielberg

An American Jewish filmmaker, major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, considered the most commercially successful director

A Tribute to Director Steven Spielberg | From the DGA Archive
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Larry Itliong

Modesto "Larry" Dulay Itliong, A Filipino American Labor leader and one of the founders of the United Farm Works, most significantly known for his role in the 1965-1966 strike and boycott against CA grape growers.
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Mazie Hirono, Senator

A 76 Japanese-American lawyer and politician serving as a Jr United States senator. She is a voice for Hawaii in the US Senate.
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Kalpana Chawla

Kalpana Chawla, PhD, born in India - became a US citizen in 1991 years after her dedication to NASA in 1988. Aerospace Engineer, pilot and astronaut, served a the mission specialist and the prime robotic arm operator for one successful flight of Space Shuttle Columbia Flight STS-87.

Recommended Literature Relevant to Topics in this Newsletter Recommended Literature Relevant to Topics in this Newsletter

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All This Could Be Different

Author: Sarah Thankam Matthews

ISBN: 9780593489123

Grades: 9-12

Audience Warning: Themes also included of LGBTQ+, and Romance

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The Color of Sound

Author: Isler, Emily Barth,

ISBN: 9781728487779'

Grades: 5 -6

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Two Tribes

Author: Bowen Cohen, Emily,

ISBN: 9780062983596, 9780062983589

Grades: 2 - 5

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Real Americans

Author: Rachel Khong

ISBN: 0593537254, 978-0593537251

Grades: 11+ - Young Adult

Audience Warning: Themes of Sexuality & Violence

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Everyone Loves Lunchtime but Zia

Author: Jenny Liao

ISBN: 978-0593537251

Grades: Preschool - 2

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The Spice Box

Author: Meera Sriram

ISBN: 9780593427132

Grades: Preschool - 2

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The Turtle Boy

Author: M. Evan Wolkenstein

ISBN: 0593121589, 9780593121580

Grades: 5 - 6

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Osnat and Her Dove

Author: Sigal Samuel & Vali Mintzi

ISBN: 1646140516, 9781646140510

Grades: PS-2

Osnat and her Dove by Dreamscape Media

Mental Health Awareness Mental Health Awareness

CCUSD is committed to Mental Wellbeing

CCUSD demonstrates its commitment to the mental well-being of students in many ways.


School counselors are at every school to provide support to CCUSD students in three domains: academic, college and career and social-emotional development. In the 2021-2022 school year, CCUSD established a new school-based mental health counselor position to provide much needed intensive mental health support for our CCUSD students. Today CCUSD’s school-based mental health team is composed of six full-time Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. CCUSD also partners with the Venice Family Clinic to provide mental health interns and licensed staff at the Sandy Segal Youth Health Center for middle school and high school students. In order to support families and staff in accessing local mental health therapeutic services, CCUSD partners with Care Solace to provide confidential concierge services to assist individuals in finding those services. CCUSD has also created a Family Resource webpage that includes mental health resources among other support topics.

Read our 2023-24 Mental Health Awareness Month Proclamation
Looking for Mental Health resources available to CCUSD?

Books & Early Childhood Curriculum About Mental Health Books & Early Childhood Curriculum About Mental Health

Recommended children's books about Mental Health from the Child Mind Institute. A prime resource for books with subjects from Abuse, ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Body Image, bullying, Depression, Dyslexia, Feelings, Trauma, and more...

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Don't Feed the WorryBug

In this whimsical rhyming book, Wince, the monster of worries, learns that the more he worries, the more the pesky WorryBug grows. Eventually, the WorryBug grows so big that it can’t be ignored, and Wince knows he needs to do something. The book does a good job of illustrating how anxiety can become overwhelming and teaches kids how they can take charge of their anxiety.

Topic: Anxiety

Author: Andi Green

Ages: 3-8

(Review by Karen Cicero of Child Mind Institute)

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Red: A Crayon's Story

Your child will pick up on the problem right away: A blue crayon is mistakenly labeled red. He can’t do what everyone expects of him (and other crayons give him all kinds of advice about how to be a better red) until one day he meets a purple crayon who sees his true color. Then he soars. “The message about identity is great,” says an expert at the Child Mind Institute.

Topic: Identity

Author: Michael Hall

Ages: 5-10

(Review by Karen Cicero of Child Mind Institute)

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I Want to Be Mad for A While!

This short rhyming book with expressive cartoon-like illustrations will help validate the big feelings of toddlers and preschoolers. A young cat, who doesn’t want to be cheered up, questions “Why do I have to be happy?” before insisting that he wants to be mad for a while and throwing himself on the floor. “The book includes great analogies, such as describing anger as ‘feeling like a crocodile,’” says an expert from the Child Mind Institute. “I also appreciated that it’s not about getting rid of the emotion, but managing it with strategies like alone time and talking to someone.”

Topic: Feelings

Author: Barney Saltzberg

Ages: 3-5

(Review by Karen Cicero of Child Mind Institute)

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Understanding the Spectrum of Mental Health

The Take Action, for Mental Health Los Angeles organization, explains the relationship of our Mental health and Physical health, and how people undermine the effects of our Mental Health. Understanding where you are on the present scale of the Mental Health Continuum is important, as it can help you to catch problems early and take action to prevent things from getting worse.


Read about Take Action's Mental Health Continuum here...

Mental Health Continumm

Teen Mental Health Resources

Watch a Mental Health Documentary by Real Stories, "Navigating Modern Adolescence: Social Media & Mental Health"

Learn about the warning signs of a crisis with LA Count's Mental Health Tool Kit

The Power of 5 Minutes for Youth Mental Health | Tessa Zimmerman | TEDxCherryCreekWomen

Watch The Power of 5 Minutes for Youth Mental Health a TEDx Talk by Tessa Zimmerman

Community Events to Check-Out! Community Events to Check-Out!

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LA County Library: Author Talk: Yellowface with Rebecca F. Kuang

'Join us for a conversation with Rebecca F. Kuang as she chats with us about her New York Times- bestselling novel, Yellowface, which grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation as well social media alienation. For adults. Register here.

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Skirball Cultural Center: Morocco's Jewish Past

Learn all about the Moroccan Jewish history of the twentieth century.

Dates and Times
Tuesdays, May 14–June 4, 1:00–3:00pm

Register Here

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Skirball Cultural Center: Visions and Values - Jewish Life from Antiquity to America

Ongoing Exhibit

Engage with four thousand years of Jewish history and discover how ancestral visions shape modern values.

Register Here

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AAPI LA MARKET - SMORGASBURG (MAY 19, 2024)

The third annual AAPI LA Market at Smorgasburg is back on Sunday, May 19. Taking place at ROW DTLA from 10am to 4pm, this one-day only fundraising event will feature baked goods, savory bites, packaged goods and merchandise - all prepared by local AAPI chefs and makers. Programming includes a mini-mart showcasing startup CPG brands, a kids corner with Mandarin Arts Studio, book author signing with Teach AAPI and mahjong tutorials with LA Mahjong League.

For More Information Click Here

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What Do I Do with All This Heritage? (May 30th. 2024)

A theater performance, satire, and historical references - Presented in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month and AAPI Heritage Month Register Here

JEWISH LA STUDY

The Jewish Federation of Los Angeles covers the multi-dimensional aspects & ethnology of Jewish Angelenos, illustrating patterns of diversity, of language, identities, denomination, and socio-economic and social service in this study.

Submissions Submissions

If you have any professional development or learning opportunities that you would like to share with the CCUSD community, please click the submission button below:

Submit Opportunities
Antoinette Stewart-Eneh
Curator of Spotlight on DEI, from the DEI Division's Office
Antoinette Stewart-Eneh is the Executive Assistant to the department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
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