Days to Know: October 2021
The Touchstone Diversity Initiative is proud to present a busy October calendar for days of celebration, observation, and remembrance:
October – Month of the Holy Rosary (https://www.usccb.org/how-to-pray-the-rosary)
During this month the faithful venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary especially under her title of Our Lady of the Rosary, and make special effort to honor the Holy Rosary with group recitations and rosary processions.
October 2 – International Day of Nonviolence (https://www.un.org/en/
The United Nations promotes the International Day of Nonviolence annually on October 2nd and its purpose is to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness.” More information on the inspiration for, and history of, the event can be found at the link above.
October 7-15 – Navrati – The Hindu festival celebrating the goddess Durga occurs here. It is a major annual festival for Hindu faithful and more information can be found here: https://www.indiatoday.
October 10 – World Mental Health Day – Promoted by the World Health Organization, this annual awareness campaign promotes recognition of mental health conditions, access to mental health services, and dissemination of information related to caring for those with mental health challenges. This year’s theme is “Mental Health in an Unequal World,” in which stakeholders will be discussing the effect inequality has on mental health. More information can be found here: https://wfmh.global/
October 11 – National Coming Out Day – An annual day to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community by supporting those who have recently “come out” as a member of the community and for the promotion of equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals. Resources for coming out as an LGBTQ+ person be found here: https://www.hrc.org/resources/
October 11 – National Indigenous Peoples Day – replacing “columbus day” in several parts of the United States, National Indigenous Peoples Day is a day for celebrating Native American / First Nations peoples along with commemorating their histories and cultures. More information can be found here: https://www.smithsonianmag.
October 15 – White Cane Safety Day – Named after the “white cane laws” that provided protection to blind pedestrians using public roadways, this holiday promotes and honors the contributions of blind individuals to society. Learn more from the Braille Institute: https://
October 17 – Spirit Day – LGBTQ+ youth face bullying and harassment at rates higher than those of their peers. Spirit Day is a day to promote anti-bullying initiatives, particularly bullying targeting sexual minorities, and engage in other activities supportive of LGBTQ+ youth. More information available here: https://www.glaad.org/
October 18-19 – Eid Milad ul-Nabi– an annual holiday celebrating the birth of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad and is celebrated by Muslim individuals throughout the world. However, there is some variation as to the exact date is celebrated in different geographic locations and by different groups of Muslim faithful. More information can be found here: https://www.india.com/
October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day – For more information regarding myths and facts surrounding this communication disorder, please visit: https://westutter.org/