Caltech Center for Inclusion & Diversity

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a significant Hindu festival celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm. It symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. During Diwali, people decorate their homes with oil lamps and colorful lights, burst fireworks, exchange gifts, and share delicious sweets. It's a time for family gatherings, feasting, and spreading joy and positivity.

This year, the Graduate Club, OASIS (Organization of the Associated Students of the Indian Subcontinent), will host their annual Diwali Celebration.
Date: Friday, November 8th
Time: 6 PM - Midnight
Location: Chen Gardens

🌼✨ Día de los Mu***os ✨🌼

This week, we honor and remember our loved ones who have passed away. This beautiful tradition reminds us that those we cherish are never truly gone, as long as we keep their memories alive. 💀❤️

Share your ofrendas and stories with us! Let’s celebrate the lives of those who came before us and the love that connects us all. 🌟

DEC Created by CCID Student Assistant, Wendy Granados Razo

***os

Are you going to contribute to our community ofrenda?

Happy International Pronouns Day

Today, we celebrate the importance of respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns. Using the correct pronouns is a simple yet powerful way to affirm someone's identity and show respect. Let's create a world where everyone feels seen and valued for who they are.

Learn more from CCID's Pronouns Guide



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Leave it to CCID to have Portos available!

Do not miss another opportunity to spill the tea with us.

See you Thursday, Oct 10th for World Mental Health Day at 12pm near Red Door.

Because our values are Education, Advocacy, Cultural Exchange, Leadership Development, and Coalition Building, we at the Caltech Center for Inclusion & Diversity (CCID) will highlight Women's Equality Day, honor Women's rights, commemorate women's right to vote and provide key areas systemic inequalities still exist for Black women, Indigenous women, and women of color.

"Nobody's free until everybody's free."
-Fannie Lou Hamer

Happy Learning! Happy Advocating!!

Celebrating Disability Pride Month

Disability Pride Month is a time to amplify voices, share stories, and uplift the achievements of disabled individuals who have made a profound impact in their communities and beyond.

We are solidarity to advocate for a world that is accessible and inclusive. Let's embrace the power of diversity and inclusion, recognizing that our differences should be celebrated, not stigmatized.

✨ Disability Pride Month is an opportunity for education and awareness. It's a time to challenge misconceptions, break down barriers, and promote understanding and equity.

Congratulations to all of our 2024 Celebration of Excellence Award Recipients:

The IDEA Allyship & Advocacy Award was presented to Tsam Mang Melinda Chan, and Marva Tariq, celebrating their significant contributions to promoting allyship and advocacy within DICI and the Houses.

The IDEA Outreach & Education Award honored Joy Shi for her exceptional efforts in outreach through her non-profit, INTEGIRLS.

Natasha Reich received The CCID Activist Scholar Award for breaking barriers within the scientific community and advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights.

The CCID Agent of Change Award was given to The LEAP Project and Dilichi Nwankwo for their outstanding work driving positive change at Caltech and beyond.

Ellen Rothenberg was honored with the Candace Rypisi Outstanding Mentor Award, celebrating her over 40 years of exemplary mentorship at Caltech, which has shaped the careers and lives of countless students.

Our new Award, The Houses and Residences Award, recognized Emily Choe, Suchitra Dara, Cameron 'Cami' Scantlin, and Lauren Pryor for their significant contributions to enhancing the residential community at Caltech.

On May 17th, the CCID hosted our annual Celebration of Excellence (COE), where we recognize and award community members who have been identified as agents of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) on campus. This year was special as it was also a celebration of the CCID's 15th anniversary and featured some new awards to capture more of the Caltech community's contributions to IDEA.

Our 15th anniversary was a Quinceañera. Like a Quinceañera, this year represented a coming of age as we reflected on our past 15 years as a department while imagining our future.

The ceremony began with a vibrant musical performance from

This year, we celebrated several Caltech community members and one Pasadena community member, Sheldon Epps, in collaboration with the Pasadena Human Relations Commission.

Highlighting our other vendors who helped make this event special 🧡🩵💜
Disc Jockey:
Decor:
Photography: .imagery
Photobooth:

During the Spring 2024 term, your active participation made a significant difference.

We hosted over 27 programs (including five FSRI Programs, three MMUF Programs, and four QuestBridge programs), 12 educational sessions/workshops/trainings, and five outreach opportunities with over 1100 attendees.

We also facilitated 16 student group meetings and collaborations and provided seven digital education
campaigns and posts focused on inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and social justice.

We hope you enjoy captured moments from some of our programs this past term: Transgender Day of Visibility, Denim Day, Earth Day, and Gearing Up for Pride.

We hope to see you at our Summer 2024 Affinity Spaces!

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 from the CCID! Special shoutout to our FSRI, Questbridge, first-gen and CCID community 🧡

Also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day, Juneteenth commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation, issued on January 1,1863, freed enslaved people, the news and enforcement of freedom relied upon the presence of Union troops. The troops did not reach those in Galveston, Texas until June 19, 1865.

In 2021, the U.S. President signed into law Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, S. 475, to create a federal holiday to commemorate Juneteenth. However, many Black Americans traditionally celebrated this holiday long before it was signed into law.

Swipe to learn more about opportunities to celebrate Juneteenth at Caltech and the surrounding community.

Digital Education campaign was created by CCID Student Assistant, Dilichi Nwankwo. Reading List was curated by the CCID Director, Dr. Tash. We also recommend that community members check out the documentary "13th" by Ava Duvernay

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Origins of Pride Month:
Pride Month, observed every June, pays tribute to the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. This event was a pivotal moment for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States and holds great significance in LGBTQIA+ history. The month-long celebration honors the contributions of le***an, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals to history, both locally and globally. Today, Pride Month celebrations encompass a wide range of events, including parades, parties, workshops, symposia, and concerts. These diverse activities attract participants from all over the world, showcasing the inclusivity and diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community. The month also includes solemn memorials to honor community members who lost their lives to hate crimes and HIV/AIDS. (Loc.gov).

🖤🤎🩵🩷🤍❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Digital Education Campaign by CCID Student Assistant, ChiChi Ifebi

Dear Esteemed Community Member,

We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming Celebration of Excellence awards reception.

The Caltech Center for Inclusion & Diversity(CCID) is celebrating fifteen years at the Institute.

We are also honoring eleven members of our community who exemplify leadership and excellence in advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.

The planning committee requests the honor of your presence at Celebration of Excellence if your schedule allows. The information for the event is listed below:

Celebration of Excellence

Friday, May 17, 2024

The Hameetman Center- Multipurpose Room

4:30pm-6:30pm

RSVP to Attend through following link: https://ccid.caltech.edu/events/rsvp

Event Schedule

Grant D. Venerable Portrait Unveiling - 4:00pm (The Athenaeum Lawn)- More Information Here

Sounds from Mariachi Tierra Mia 4:30pm-5:00pm (The Hameetman Center- Multipurpose Room)

Awards Presentation 5:00pm (The Hameetman Center- Multipurpose Room)

Sounds from DJ LEXOS & Dancing from you!- 5:45pm -6:30pm (The Hameetman Center- Multipurpose Room)

We thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Caltech Center for Inclusion and Diversity

"The commercialization of Cinco de Mayo distracts from the historical, geopolitical, and social implications of the Batalla de Puebla in 1862." - Former CCID Associate Director, Yazmin Gonzalez

Learn more by reading "What is Cinco de Mayo? The holiday's origin and why it's celebrated in Mexico, US" by USA Today.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/05/04/what-is-cinco-de-mayo/73526083007/

🌟 Caltech Giving Day! 🌟

Give to Support Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility at Caltech 🎉

Your contribution will help us:

Empower Students: Scholarships, mentorship programs, and leadership opportunities for underrepresented students.

Promote Equity: Workshops, seminars, and initiatives to foster understanding and dismantle barriers.

Build Community: Events, dialogues, and safe spaces where diverse voices thrive.

Let’s make a difference together!

Donate at the following link: https://www.givecampus.com/uxfb40

A reminder of the many Spring Religious and Cultural observances as we continue to support our students and colleagues.

In 2014, President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as Cesar Chávez Day, a U.S. federal commemorative holiday. Chávez was a labor leader and civil rights activists who practiced nonviolent organizing. Chávez arduously fought for labor rights; he marched, fasted, and organized. His legacy is primarily associated with the 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento focused on raising awareness about La Causa of farmworkers. His work extended beyond labor rights, he was also a strong advocate for education, health, and environmental justice. Recent critiques amplified Chavez views on undocumented migrants, but his views on undocumented workers were nuanced. Farm owners employed undocumented migrants as a tactic to break the strikes and halt negotiations. In a 2021 publication, United Farm Workers stated […] “Cesar Chavez strongly opposed strikebreaking by anyone.” As we commemorate what would have been his 97th birthday, we draw attention to one of his powerful statements about education: “Real education should consist of drawing the goodness and the best out of our own students. What better books can there be than the book of humanity?”

🌟 Happy Transgender Day of Visibility! 🌟

On this day, we celebrate the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender people. 🏳️‍⚧️✨

🔹Today is a day to focus on . Transgender people are woven into the fabric of our communities. Whether serving their communities, leading, raising families, or running businesses, they help our communities thrive.

🔹 But let’s acknowledge the challenges they face. Since 2023, anti-LGBTQIA laws targeting transgender kids and their families have been proposed silencing teachers, banning books, and threatening parents, doctors, and nurses.

🔹 No one should have to be brave just to be themselves. Remember, you are seen, valued, and loved. 💙💖💙

Join the CCID on Wednesday, April 3rd for our Transgender Day of Visibility event at 12:00pm PT in the CSS 2nd Floor Common Area. RSVP on the CCID website.

Join the CCID as we wish our community who celebrate Holi, a Happy Holi.

Holi is one of India's most revered and widely celebrated festivals, observed in almost every region. It is also sometimes called the "festival of love" because, on this day, people can forget about all their resentments and come together. The great Indian festival lasts a day and a half and begins on Purnima, or the Full Moon Day, in the Falgun month. On the festival's first evening, it is called Holika Dahan or Choti Holi, and the following day is called Holi. A variety of names across the nation refer to it.

The vibrancy of colors brings positivity into our lives, and Holi, the festival of colors, is a day worth rejoicing in. Holi is a well-known Hindu festival that is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm all over India. The ritual starts by lighting up the bonfire one day before Holi, which symbolizes the triumph of good over bad. On the day of Holi, people play with colors with their friends and families, and in the evening, they show love and respect to their close ones with Abeer.

Source: https://www.holifestival.org/

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Since we are in the beginning of spring, Nowruz festivities are currently in full swing.

Nowruz, which means "new day" in Persian, is celebrated by over 300 million people around the world and is also known as the Persian New Year. The holiday has historically been observed in parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Food, dancing, singing, and poetry are typically included in the roughly two-week festival.

This year, Nowruz and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan will coincide. During Ramadan, people typically fast during daylight hours.

Nowruz goes back more than 3,000 years, marking the new year using the vernal equinox — when the Sun moves above the Earth's equator. It may have started as a Babylonian tradition, but has evolved into a widely celebrated secular holiday.

Hopefully, you were able to attend the Nooroz event at the Institute on March 10th. It was a great opportunity for learning, celebration, and cultural exchange. It was also cosponsored by CCID.

Did you know it is Neurodiversity Celebration Week?

Learn more from this digital ed post by one of our CCID Student Assistants

Founded by Siena Castellon in 2018, Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a global initiative that seeks to dispel common misconceptions and stereotypes regarding neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organizations with the opportunity to recognize the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.

Other Caltech Resources:

Neuro-Uniqueness by By Marisa Demers "Every person has a different brain signature". Nicole Tetreault (PhD ’13) is helping misunderstood communities embrace their neurodiversity." Check out Nicole Tetreault (PhD ’13)'s book "Insight into a Bright Mind" (Gifted Unlimited, LCC, 2020) https://www.nicoletetreault.com/book

Search Caltech Library Resource Display for Neurodiversity Celebration Week online

Save The Date!!!!:
This year's Celebration of Excellence will highlight the 15 years CCID has been at the Institute.

See You May 17th

Nomination link for awards coming very soon!