April 2024 Newsletter
Visit the Cultural Celebration Page for upcoming events, professional development panels, academic resources, and more!
Events & Happenings
Arab-American Heritage Month
This April the School District of Philadelphia celebrates Arab American Heritage Month. Honoring the rich contributions of the diverse population of Arab Americans, April has been recognized as Arab American Heritage Month since 2017.
An estimated 3.7 million Americans have Arab roots, according to the Arab American Institute, with ancestries traced to 22 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Morocco, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and others.
In a letter to the Arab American Foundation, President Biden wrote, “Diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and it is essential that we continue celebrating, promoting, and educating others about the myriad ways that the Arab people have advanced human civilization and contributed to the well-being of our nation.”
In this month we also acknowledge:
4/2 – World Neurodivergent Day
4/10 – Eid Al-Fitr
4/22-30- Passover, also called Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday, one of the three pilgrimage festivals
4/22 – Earth Day
Events and Happenings this Month
Women’s History Month Recap:
We would like to highlight The Spring Garden school`s 7th graders who participated ‘in creating Women’s History month posters for their school community.
Students highlighted activist within the Civil Rights movement, Judges, Inventors, Entertainers, and more. Some of these women trailblazers include, Michelle Obama, Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, and Sally Ride.
Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: Learning Opportunities
The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion is pleased to host the following learning opportunities to support your development and promote efficacy in serving our minoritized populations:
Tune Up Tuesday (April, 16th and 30th) – 4:30pm – 6:00pm – Linguistic Racism – Impacts on Schools and Communities – VIRTUAL: (Friday, March 22nd, VIRTUAL VIA Cornerstone)
Community Resources & Opportunities
LGBTQIA+ Employee Community Space.
The LGBTQIA+ Employee Community Space is an inclusive and supportive space for LGBTQIA+ employees to network and be in community with one another. This community space is held via Zoom and in-person at the School District of Philadelphia Central Office. Dates include:
April 4th: 12-1PM @RM 1080
May 9th: 12-1PM Via Zoom
June 6th: 12-1PM @RM 1080
In Case You Missed It!
In Case You Missed it: Know Your Worth Girls Inc (KYWG) Equity in Practice presentation
On March 20th, 2024, The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion collaborated with KYW Girls for our March Equity in Practice session. In this Equity in Practice session, KYW Girls gave a background of their organization and outline their services, while also sharing equitable tips on how educators and community members can support young girls in and out of the classroom.
Know Your Worth Girls Inc is a non-profit organization focused on enhancing the quality of life of at-risk girls and underserved families in Philadelphia through community programs and resources. Programs include self empowerment workshops, mentorship for girls & skill development.
In Case You Missed it: Ramadan 2024 Awareness Panel Discussion
On March 21, 2024 at 12:00 pm, The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion collaborated with School District student leaders, staff and community partners to raise awareness about the month of Ramadan. The goal of this panel discussion was to provide insight on how to best support our Muslim students and colleagues during this month
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