May 2019

The Month of May Marks…

Mobility Awareness Month

National Mobility Awareness Month is an annual celebration each May in the United States and Canada. The awareness month encourages people with disabilities to embody the spirit of Life Moving Forward by raising awareness of the mobility solutions available in your community.

Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. A rather broad term, Asian/Pacific encompasses all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island).

The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

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The Month of May Diversity Observance Calendar

Date Observance Origin 1 Beltane (May Day) Neo-Pagan

1 May Day International

1 Labor Day Mexico

2 National Day of Prayer / Holocaust Remembrance Day International

2 Twelfth Day of Ridvan Baha’i

5 Cinco de Mayo USA/Mexico

5 Ramadan begins Islamic

9 Pentecost Christian

12 Mother’s Day Greek/Roman

18 Armed Forces Day USA

20 Victoria Day Canada

23 – 24 Declaration of the Bab Baha’i

27 Memorial Day USA

28 – 29 Ascension of Baha’u’llah Baha’i

Did you know…

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May 1st – Beltane

Beltane, also spelled Beltine, Irish Beltaine or Belltaine, also known as Cétamain, festival held on the first day of May in Ireland and Scotland, celebrating the beginning of summer and open pasturing. Beltane is first mentioned in a glossary attributed to Cormac, bishop of Cashel and king of Munster, who was killed in 908. Cormac describes how cattle were driven between two bonfires on Beltane as a magical means of protecting them from disease before they were led into summer pastures—a custom still observed in Ireland in the 19th century. Other festivities included Maypole dances and cutting of green boughs and flowers. In early Irish lore a number of significant events took place on Beltane, which long remained the focus of folk traditions and tales in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. As did other pre-Christian Celtic peoples, the Irish divided the year into two main seasons. Winter and the beginning of the year fell on November 1 (Irish: Samain) and midyear and summer on May 1 (Irish: Beltaine). These two junctures were thought to be critical periods when the bounds between the human and supernatural worlds were temporarily erased; on May Eve witches and fairies roamed freely, and measures had to be taken against their enchantments. For more information, go to: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Beltane

May 1st – May Day

May Day marks the halfway point between the first day of spring and the summer solstice. May Day dates back to the days of the Romans and involved many pagan rituals and ancient customs which were slowly phased out with the arrival of Christianity. Festivals, dances, and rituals related to agriculture and fertility were practiced by many Germanic and European countries. May Day also commemorates the struggle for fair labor practices and the Haymarket Affair of 1886. It is observed on May 1st each year. For more information, go to: https://www.wincalendar.com/May-Day

Did you know…

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May 2nd – National Day of Prayer

Although celebrated throughout various countries, in the United States, the National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. Because of the faith of many of our founding fathers, public prayer and national days of prayer have a long-standing and significant history in American tradition. The Supreme Court affirmed the right of state legislatures to open their sessions with prayer in Marsh vs. Chambers (1983). In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May.

For more information, go to: https://nationaldayofprayer.org/about

May 2nd – Holocaust Remembrance Day

The Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust (DRVH) is an annual 8-day period designated by the United States Congress for civic commemorations and special educational programs that help citizens remember and draw lessons from the Holocaust. The annual DRVH period normally begins on the Sunday before the Israeli observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Memorial Day, and continues through the following Sunday, usually in April or May. A National Civic Commemoration is held in Washington, D.C., with state, city, and local ceremonies and programs held in most of the fifty states, and on U.S. military ships and stations around the world. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum designates a theme for each year's programs, and provides materials to help support remembrance efforts.

Did you know…

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May 2nd – Twelfth Day of Ridvan

April 20th marks the first day of Ridván which is a twelve-

day festival in the Bahá'í Faith. The word Ridván is an

Arabic word meaning “paradise” and the twelve day

festival is a commemorating Bahá'u'lláh's , the founder of

the Bahá'í Faith announcement of his claim to prophet

hood. The symbolic significance is richer than the simple

celebration of Bahá'u'lláh's announcement. The First,

Ninth (April 20), and Twelfth (May 2nd) days of Ridván

are major holy days in which work and school is typically

suspended. They represent the arrival of Bahá'u'lláh at

the Ridván Garden, the arrival of his family and his departure. The festival is very spiritual and marked

with special linens being displayed, prayer, and flowers to represent Bahá'u'lláh arrival at the garden

paradise.

Bahá’u’lláh stated during his announcement "all the names of God were fully manifest in all things".

This statement is taken by Bahá'ís to mean that the world had been mystically transformed and that

there was now a new relationship between God and humanity.

For more information, go to https://bahai-library.com/walbridge_encyclopedia_ridvan

May 5th – Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day, which falls on Sunday, May 5 in 2019, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While it is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. To learn more about Cinco de Mayo: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo

Did you know…

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May 5th – Ramadan Begins

Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year in Islamic culture. Muslims observe the month of Ramadan, to mark that Allah, or God, gave the first chapters of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad in 610. During Ramadan, Muslims fast, abstain from pleasures and pray to become closer to God. It is also a time for families to gather and celebrate. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon. Observances begin the morning after the crescent moon is visibly sighted, marking the beginning of the new month. Traditionally, people searched for the slight crescent using the naked eye, which has led to the declaration of different starting times for Ramadan, due to weather or geography. In order to have a more consistent start time for Muslims around the world, however, astronomical calculations are now sometimes used. Using science to mark the beginning of the month is controversial, however, and in many parts of the world, Ramadan still does not begin until religious leaders announce that they have personally seen the crescent moon. The observance of Ramadan is very personal and individual and is a time for "sacrifice and renunciation as well as a period of reflection and spiritual growth. Ramadan is also a powerful symbol of unity, with Muslims around the world fasting simultaneously while bringing family and friends together. Fasting during Ramadan is the fourth of the Five Pillars of Islam. These pillars, or duties, form the basis of how Muslims practice their religion. The Pillars of Islam are: • Shahada: faith in the Islam religion, • Salat: pray five times per day facing the direction of Mecca, • Zakat: give support to the needy, • Sawm: fast during Ramadan, and • Hajj: make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during one's lifetime. At the end of Ramadan, a three-day spiritual celebration known as Eid al-Fitr occurs. During this time, Muslims rejoice in the completion of the fast. Family members and friends gather to share in feasts and prayers. During Eid al-Fitr, it is customary to donate to the poor and disadvantaged. During the three days, Muslims attend prayers in the morning, and then visit family, friends, neighbors, the sick and the elderly. Feasts are shared with family and friends and small gifts are given; it's socially similar to Christmas in the United States. For more information on Ramadan: https://www.livescience.com/61815-what-is-ramadan.html

Did you know…

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May 9th – Pentecost

The Christian holy day of Pentecost, which is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31). In Christian tradition, this event represents the birth of the early Church.

May 12th – Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a holiday honoring motherhood that is observed in different forms throughout the world. Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.” Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service. Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more secular holiday, and children would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of appreciation. This custom eventually faded in popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day. The American incarnation of Mother’s Day was created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 and became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. For more information, go to: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day

Did you know…

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Did you know…

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May 17th, 1954 – Brown v. Board of Education is decided

In a major civil rights victory, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision on this day in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, ruling that racial segregation in public education facilities was unconstitutional. The historic decision, which brought an end to federal tolerance of racial segregation, specifically dealt with Linda Brown, a young African American girl who had been denied admission to her local elementary school in Topeka, Kansas, because of the color of her skin. – History Channel 2019.

Did you know…

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May 18th – Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. Thanks to President Harry S. Truman, it’s a day to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces. President Truman led the effort to establish a holiday in order for citizens to unite and to honor our military heroes for their patriotic service in support of the United States of America. In 1961, John F. Kennedy declared Armed Forces Day a national holiday. It’s celebrated on the third Saturday of every May and is exhibited by exercises, parades, and receptions that highlight and honor our amazing military and all of its strength. Originally there were single day celebrations for each branch of the military, the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force; this format changed on August 21, 1949, when Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of Armed Forces Day. Stemming from the unification of the Armed Forces under the Department of Defense, the annual celebration now commemorates all branches of the military during one solitary day. The first Armed Forces Day played an essential part in educating society and expanding public knowledge of the military and the role they play in the community. Therefore, it wasn’t only a means to honor those who serve or who have served in the military, but also a way to showcase its top of the line equipment and abilities used to protect those in our country. Interestingly, the marked celebration isn’t just limited to the United States. Other countries who honor this victorious day include Armenia, Australia and New Zealand, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Mali, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, North Korea, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, and Vietnam. The importance of this day should always be evident. It is a day that our military members rightly deserve and it’s essential that we celebrate it accordingly. To learn more, go to: https://militarybenefits.info/armed-forces-day/

Did you know…

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May 23rd / 24th – Declaration of the Bab

The Bab, the young Herald of the Baha’i Faith and the Founder of its revolutionary predecessor the Babi Faith, declared his mission on May 22, 1844. Baha’is all around the world believe that The Bab—a title which means The Gate–delivered a new message destined to result in the eventual establishment of the unity of humanity. The Bab was a title bestowed on a young man named Siyyid Ali Muhammad, from Shiraz, in the province of Fars, Persia. Born in 1819 into a family of merchants and traders, raised by his maternal uncle after the premature death of his father in 1826, a mystic descended from many generations of mystical Sufis, known from childhood for his wisdom, intelligence and humility, The Bab would start a religious movement unparalleled in history.

During the early evening of May 22, 1844, Siyyid Ali Muhammad declared his mission as The Bab to an ardent seeker named Mulla Husayn. Younger than Jesus when he declared His revelation, The Bab started, on that day, a new era of faith–and the renewal of the eternal promise of religion itself. Soon many thousands of people became followers of The Bab. He upended the corrupt practices of the Persian clergy, challenged tradition by abrogating the laws of the past and declared that He had come, like John the Baptist, as the herald for another Manifestation of God, the Promised One of All Ages, the founder of a universal and unifying world religion—Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith. To learn more, go to: https://bahaiteachings.org/declaration-of-the-bab-how-religion-begins

May 27th – Memorial Day

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, which originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. During World War I, the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season. For more information, go to: https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history

Did you know…

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May 28th / 29th – Ascension of Maha’u’llah

The Baha’i Faith only has nine days throughout the calendar year which are considered holy, but May 29, Ascension of Baha’u’llah, is one of the most important. It commemorates the anniversary of the day that the founder of the Baha’i Faith, called Baha’u’llah by his followers, passed away from this life in 1892 and will be celebrated by Baha’is in almost two hundred countries throughout the world. During this holiday, celebrants abstain from attending work and school, and celebrate the amazing life that formed their faith. The exact moment of Baha’u’llah’s death at The Mansion of Bahjí is remembered at 3am, and his sufferings are reflected on during the whole day. This day is seen as a time to read through Baha’u’llah’s writings, to better understand his vision for the world. Remembering the day that Baha’u’llah died is incredibly important for those of Baha’i faith, especially those that are currently living under persecution for their beliefs, just as Baha’u’llah did. By gaining a better understanding of how Baha’u’llah was able to love those that treated him badly, and remained at peace throughout all of his sufferings, Baha’is attempt themselves to reach this peaceful state. For more information, go to: https://www.worldreligionnews.com/religion-news/bahai-faith/bahais-celebrate-ascension-bahaullah

Letters to the Editor or Stories from Staff

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Mother’s Day in India

by Suhkwinder Kaur

Letters to the Editor or Stories from Staff

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Honoring Mothers by Robin Greene

In my African American culture Mothers are often celebrated with their children attending the mother’s church services, going out for a restaurant meal or having a home cooked meal prepared for them. The mother’s children also my treat their Mom to an entertainment show of some kind as well or treat them with a gift, flowers, and a card. It is also definitely a time of cherished family gathering especially if there are grandchildren / great children. I hope this was helpful.

Mother’s Day – German American Celebration by Heidi (Reinheimer) Klewicki My family on Long Island has adopted some of the Mother’s Day traditions I grew up with, passed down to our German-American family in New Jersey. Some of these traditions include celebrating our mom with warm sentiments in homemade greeting cards and a pretty bouquet of flowers with breakfast. We attended a Lutheran Church service together in our best attire. After church our family ate our large meal of the day; usually at a local restaurant to give our mom a reprieve from cooking and dishes. In this area of the United States annuals can safely be planted around May 8. Following lunch we would purchase flats of colorful annuals from a local nursery and place them in planters to beautify the back yard.

Diversity Happenings around the agency…

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BROOKVILLE MANSION “SPRING INTO SPRING”

For its April diversity activity, the mansion had a “Spring into Spring” tasting of Easter and Passover treats on April 17. Staff enjoyed various Easter sweets and several flavors of macaroons. A great time was had by all.

Diversity Happenings around the agency…

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Join us for the next Diversity Hobby Fair on October 9th in the Brookville Mansion.

If interested in being a part of this event as a presenter showcasing your talent or hobby please reach

out to Shaun Weathers or Roberta Romano (AHRC-Citizens Diversity Committee Co-Chairs) to reserve

your table. More details and media to follow. Stay Tuned!!

Food for Thought…

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Guacamole

Ingredients 3 avocados – peeled, pitted and masked

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup diced onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions 1. In a medium bowl, mash together the

avocados, lime juice and salt

2. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes and garlic 3. Stir in cayenne pepper (optional) 4. Refrigerate for 1 hour for best flavor or serve

immediately

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A Message from the Diversity Newsletter Committee

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of the Diversity Newsletter and have found the contents to be

informative. Please remember that this is your newsletter and we would like to include items of interest

and importance to you.

In celebration of Father’s Day, please send us any stories you have about how fathers are celebrated in

your culture so we can include them in the June newsletter.

Please forward any ideas, recipes, and news about events you may have held or suggestions you may

have for future editions to:

Linda Rosen 516-626-1000 ext. 1105 lirosen@ahrc.org

Thank You

The Diversity Newsletter Committee