A Diversity Message from Neil Meltzer, President and CEO, and Dr. Sybil Pentsil, Chief Diversity Officer – May 2024
Thank you to all our team members for everything you do every day to make LifeBridge Health a safe and welcoming place for all. We are a diverse team that celebrates our individual uniqueness while working collaboratively to care for patients, community and each other. This May, we will be celebrating the observances below.
ALS Awareness Month
ALS Awareness Month, which occurs every May, is a time where numerous organizations and communities get together to spread awareness regarding the disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Haitian Heritage Month
Haitian Heritage Month is a nationally recognized month celebrated in May every year, and it’s a terrific time to celebrate the vibrant culture, distinct art, delectable cuisine and people of Haitian origin.
Jewish-American Heritage Month
Each May, hundreds of organizations and Americans of all backgrounds join together to discover, explore and celebrate the vibrant and varied American Jewish experience from the dawn of our nation to the present day. It’s a time to pay tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who helped form the fabric of American history, culture and society.
Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. The month is observed with media, local events, and film screenings. Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 and was started by Mental Health America.
National Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the cultures and peoples of the Asian continent and Pacific Islands. Asian and Pacific Islander Americans have helped shape the history and culture of the United States and are vital to its future.
Beltane (5/01)
Beltane is a holiday of ancient Gaelic origin celebrated on May 1 which marks the beginning of summer. Today, the holiday is observed by many Wiccans and neopagans and is typically celebrated by lighting bonfires, decorating homes with May flowers, the making of May bushes, visiting holy wells and hosting a celebratory feast.
Cinco De Mayo (5/05)
As the name implies, Cinco De Mayo is celebrated on the fifth of May in commemoration of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France. This holiday is mostly observed in the United States, where it has come to represent a broad celebration of Mexican and Mexican American culture.
Mother’s Day (5/12)
Mother’s Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on different days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May.
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (5/17)
This annual day hopes to raise awareness of issues relating to the LGBTQIA+ community.
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (5/21)
The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, sometimes abbreviated World Day for Cultural Diversity, is a United Nations–sanctioned observance day for the promotion of diversity and intercultural dialogue.
Memorial Day (5/27)
Taking place on May 27, the last Monday of the month, Memorial Day commemorates members of the U.S. military who lost their lives while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who died in service to our nation.
Calls to Action
REFLECT: How familiar are you with the Pan-Asian culture, and what aspects of it resonate with you the most?
RECOGNIZE: Pay attention to stereotypes that exist about particular cultures and consider how they negatively impact that community. How could you interrupt that bias if you hear it?
RESPOND: Intentionally engage with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds to learn more about their unique heritage.