Inclusion is a core value of the NCAA, and they believe in and are committed to diversity, inclusion and gender equity among student-athletes, coaches and administrators. The five core areas of DEI focused on by the NCAA are: disability, international, LGBTQ, race/ethnicity and women which is why The Big West has selected the below Heritage Months and holidays to highlight.

If there is a holiday you wish to see reflected on this calendar, please reach out to Assistant Commissioner of Student-Athlete Programming, Leslie Chang at lchang@bigwest.org.
 

JANUARY

 

• Third Monday in January - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Celebration of the life and activism of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the key figures in the Civil Rights movement in the 1950's-60s.

 

FEBRUARY

 

• Black History Month - Black History Month is seen as a celebration of those who’ve impacted both the U.S. and the world with their activism and achievements. Black History Month is an opportunity for people of all racial backgrounds to go beyond discussions of racism and slavery and highlight Black leaders and accomplishments. 

 

MARCH

 

• Women's History Month - A dedicated month to reflect on and celebrate women's contributions to history, culture, and society. 
• March 8 - International Women's Day - A day that marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equity. 

 

MAY

 

• Mental Health Awareness Month - A month to raise awareness around mental health, where we fight the stigma, provide support, education, and advocacy.
   
• Asian Pacific Heritage Month - A dedicated month to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures, history, and community members while coming together to combat hate, racial bias and injustice. 

 

JUNE

 

Pride Month - Dedicated to the celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) pride. Pride Month is currently celebrated in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Riots in Manhattan, which is considered the tipping point of the Gay Liberation movement in the US.  June 19 - Juneteenth - The annual celebration of the end of slavery. Though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on Jan 1, 1893, and the Civil War ended on April 9, 1965, there remained over 250,000 enslaved people in Texas until Union troops arrived on June 19, 1865 to order their emancipation.

Pride & Juneteenth Resources - NCAA Champions of Respect – Inclusion of Student-Athletes and Staff in NCAA Programs NCAA – LGBTQ Terminology NCAA – Five Ways to Have a LGBTQ Inclusive Athletics Department Athlete Ally, the leading non-profit working at the intersection of Sport and LGBTQ+ equality. Listen to music by LGBTQ+ artists, or a LGBTQ+ podcast List of books by LGBTQ+ authors LGBTQ+ History in the United States RISE, a national non-profit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice, and improve race relations has released a Module on Juneteenth which includes a history of the holiday, conversation starters, action steps, and additional resources –check it out here.

 

JULY

 

• July 26 - National Disability Independence Day - Commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act

 

SEPTEMBER

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15 - Oct 15) - Celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of hispanic and latinx communities.

Hispanic Heritage Month Resources - NCAA - Guide for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month U.S. Department of Education - Hispanic Serving Institutions - An HSI have an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25% Hispanic. The whole California State University is a HSI System, as well as CSUF, CSUN, LBSU, UCR, UCI, and UCSB and many of the local community colleges our student-athletes transfer in from. Listen to music by Latinx artists List of books by Latinx authors Learn something new about Latinx history

 

NOVEMBER

 

• National Native American Heritage Month - Celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of the Nation’s First People and acknowledge their important contributions.