by The Justice William J. Murray Jr. Unity Bar Section

Cultural Awareness Brief from The Justice William J. Murray Jr. Unity Bar Section

October is Filipino American History Month, commemorating the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States which occurred on October 18, 1587 when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at what is now Morro Bay, California; the month celebrates and brings awareness to the significant role Filipinos have played in American history. October is also LGBT History Month in recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history and the history of the gay-rights movement, National Disability Employment Awareness Month which draws attention to employment barriers for the disabled, Polish American Heritage Month commemorating the first Polish settlers and celebrating the history and culture of the Polish community in America, and Global Diversity Awareness Month to bring awareness to the diversity of cultures and the positive impact diversity can have on society.

October 2 to 4 (sundown to sundown) is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration marking the creation of the world. October 3 is Latina Equal Pay Day; the aim is to raise awareness about the wider-than-average pay gap between Latinas and White men. October 3 to 12 is Sharad Navratri, the nine-day festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Festival participants worship God in the form of the universal mother commonly referred to as Durga, Devi, or Shakti and the event marks the start of fall. October 4 is St. Francis Day, feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment, celebrated by many Catholic denominations. October 4 is also the Blessing of the Animals; in congruence with St. Francis Day, many Unitarian Universalists have picked up on the Catholic tradition of blessing animals, particularly, pets, as St. Francis was known for his special connection to animals.

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, a day meant to increase public awareness about the importance of mental health, mental health services, and mental health workers worldwide. October 11 is National Coming Out Day; for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, this day celebrates coming out and the recognition of the 1987 march on Washington for gay and lesbian equality.

October 11 to 12 (sundown to sundown) is Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar and a day of atonement marked by fasting and ceremonial repentance. October 12 is Vijayadashami in the eastern and northeastern states of India and Nepal marking the end of Durga Puja and remembering the goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to help restore dharma. October 14 is Canadian Thanksgiving, a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year. October 14 is also National Indigenous Peoples Day, an alternative celebration to Columbus Day, that gives recognition to the indigenous populations affected by colonization. October 16 is International Pronouns Day which seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace.

October 16 to 23 is Sukkot, a seven-day Jewish festival giving thanks for the fall harvest. October 20 is the Birth of Sri Guru Granth Sahib; a Sikh Holy Day, the day Sikhs celebrate their spiritual guide. October 23 to 25 (sundown to sundown) is Shemini Atzeret, a Jewish holiday also known as The Eighth (Day) of Assembly which takes place the day after the Sukkot festival. October 24 to 25 (sundown to sundown) is Simchat Torah, a Jewish holiday marking the end of the weekly readings of the Torah. The Torah is read from chapter one of Genesis to Deuteronomy 34 and then back to chapter one again, in acknowledgement of the words of the Torah being a never-ending cycle.

October 31 is Reformation Day, a Protestant Christian religious holiday celebrated alongside All Hallows’ Eve during the triduum of Allhallowtide in remembrance of the onset of the Reformation; and All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween, a celebration observed in a number of countries on the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. October 31 to November 1 (sundown to sundown) is Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.