We have created a diversity and inclusion calendar as a resource for students and staff to learn more about the variety of holidays/observances/festivals and more that occur throughout the year, utilizing them as talking points in your daily interactions with one another. We hope that you will find this beneficial in your learning and gives you additional ways to connect with the diverse array of students at Rutgers. The intent was to make this as diverse as possible through showcasing historical, religious and cultural events, however, we want to acknowledge that this is not an exhaustive list. Please send an email to us for additional calendar considerations.

Residence Life’s Five Guiding Tenets
In our continual effort to challenge perpetual and inherent systems of oppression, Residence Life is using a curricular approach with the intention of creating a space for consistent dialogue around all aspects of identity. We are actively engaging in the critique of our processes, practices, and frameworks in order to better serve our students and create a more socially just community. We encourage you to join us on this journey, learn more about our guiding tenets, the how behind our work, and what we stand for.
1: Historical Frameworks
Understanding our histories and providing context to our institutional identity in order to ground the “why” in what we need to change, as we strive for more socially just communities.
2: Engaging and Sitting with Discomfort
Educating on ways to sit with and process levels of fragility. While centering the identities we hold, we recognize how implicit biases can impact how we engage with students, staff and the broader University community.
3: Power, Privilege and Oppression in Organizations
How we engage with, communicate across, and seek to understand systemic issues of oppression and privilege within our institutional systems. Challenging ourselves to expect and promote justice/equity-based decisions in our organization.
4: Equity in Practice
Critiquing current oppressive practices, processes, and frameworks that guide our day to day interactions personally and professionally. Putting a focus on the impact to all that we serve in our work toward equity and justice.
5: Justice as Action
Enacting systems of accountability when inequities are identified. Holding oneself and others accountable for addressing and repairing harm caused. Establishing a commitment to continual learning to advocate for and create change.
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
National Human Trafficking Awareness Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
National Mentoring Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
National Poverty in America Awareness Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
World Braille Day | Find out more here | 4-Jan |
Three Kings Day | Find out more here | 1/6 or 1/19 |
World Religion Day | Find out more here | 18-Jan |
International Day of Education | Find out more here: | 24-Jan |
Pan Lunar New Year | Find out more here | |
Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Find out more here and here | |
International Holocaust Remembrance Day | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Black History Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
American Heart Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
Candlemas Day | Find out more here | 2-Feb |
World Cancer Day | Find out more here | 4-Feb |
International Day of Women and Girls in Science | Find out more here | 11-Feb |
Presidents Day | Find out more here | Observed the third Monday of the month |
Random Act of Kindness Week | Find out more here | |
Lantern Festival | Find out more here | |
National Signing Day | Find out more here | |
Shrove Tuesday | Find out more here | |
Ash Wednesday | Find out more here | |
Mardis Gras | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Women’s History Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
National Nutrition Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
Dr. Seuss Day | Find out more here | 2-Mar |
International Women’s Day | Find out more here | 8-Mar |
Ides of March | Find out more here | 15-Mar |
Saint Patrick’s Day | Find out more here and here | 17-Mar |
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | Find out more here | 21-Mar |
International Transgender Day of Visibility | Find out more here | 31-Mar |
Purim | Find out more here | |
Holi | Find out more here and here | |
Spring Equinox | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Autism Awareness Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
World Health Day | Find out more here | 7-Apr |
Passover | Find out more here | |
Good Friday | Find out more here | |
Palm Sunday | Find out more here | Observed the Sunday before Easter |
Easter | Find out more here | |
Day of Silence | Find out more here | |
Earth Day | Find out more here | |
Yom HaShoah | Find out more here | |
Ramadan | Find out more here and here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Mental Health Awareness Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
Jewish American Heritage Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
National Day of Prayer | Find out more here | Observed the first Thursday of the month |
Cinco De Mayo | Find out more here | 5-May |
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia | Find out more here | 17-May |
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development | Find out more here | 21-May |
Wesak | Find out more here | |
Memorial Day | Find out more here and here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
LGBTQIA+ Pride Month | Find out more here and here | Month theme |
National Donut Day | Find out more here | 5-Jun |
World Environment Day | Find out more here | 5-Jun |
Loving Day | Find out more here | 12-Jun |
Flag Day | Find out more here | 14-Jun |
Juneteenth | Find out more here | 19-Jun |
Saint Jean Baptiste Day | Find out more here | 24-Jun |
National HIV Testing Day | Find out more here | 27-Jun |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Canada Day | Find out more here | 1-Jul |
Independence Day | Find out more here | 4-Jul |
World Population Day | Find out more here | 11-Jul |
Nelson Mandela Day | Find out more here | 18-Jul |
Pioneer Day | Find out more here | 24-Jul |
National Disability Independence Day | Find out more here | 26-Jul |
International Day of Friendship | Find out more here | 30-Jul |
Bastille Day | Find out more here | |
Asalha Puja | Find out more here | |
Eid al-Adha | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
International Youth Day | Find out more here | 12-Aug |
World Humanitarian Day | Find out more here | 19-Aug |
International Day of Remembrance/Tribute to Victims of Terrorism | Find out more here | 21-Aug |
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition | Find out more here | 21-Aug |
International Day Commemorating Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion/Belief | Find out more here | 22-Aug |
Women’s Equality Day | Find out more here | 26-Aug |
Ashura | Find out more here | Observed on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Muslim Calendar |
Purple Heart Day | Find out more here | |
Islamic New Year | Find out more here | |
Hijri New Year | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
National Hispanic Heritage Month | Find out more here | Month theme, observed 9/15-10/15 |
National Suicide Prevention Month | Find out more here and here | Month theme |
Patriot Day | Find out more here and here | 11-Sep |
Mexican Independence Day | Find out more here | 16-Sep |
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day | Find out more here | 17-Sep |
International Day of Peace | Find out more here | 21-Sep |
Labor Day | Find out more here | |
International Literacy Day | Find out more here | |
Rosh Hashana | Find out more here | |
Yom Kippur | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Global Diversity Awareness Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
National Bullying Prevention Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
LGBT History Month | Find out more here and here | Month theme |
Domestic Violence Awareness Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
World Teachers Day | Find out more here | 5-Oct |
National Coming Out Day | Find out more here | 11-Oct |
Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Find out more here and here | 12-Oct |
Halloween | Find out more here | 31-Oct |
Reformation Day | Find out more here | 31-Oct |
Samhain | Find out more here | 31-Oct |
Sukkot | Find out more here | |
Navratri | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
Native American Heritage Month | Find out more here | Month theme |
All Saints’ Day | Find out more here | 1-Nov |
Veterans Day | Find out more here and here | 11-Nov |
Transgender Day of Remembrance | Find out more here | 20-Nov |
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women | Find out more here | 25-Nov |
International Students’ Day | Find out more here | 25-Nov |
Advent | Find out more here | Observed on the Sunday closest to 11/30 |
16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence | Find out more here | Observed 11/25-12/10 |
Thanksgiving | Find out more here | Celebrated the last Thursday of the month |
Diwali | Find out more here |
Name of Holiday/Celebration | Description | Associated Dates |
World Aids Day | Find out more here | 1-Dec |
International Day of Persons with Disabilities | Find out more here | 3-Dec |
International Human Rights Day | Find out more here and here | 10-Dec |
Feast of our Lady of Guadulupe | Find out more here | 12-Dec |
Las Posadas | Find out more here | observed 12/16-12/24 |
Christmas | Find out more here | 25-Dec |
Boxing Day | Find out more here | 26-Dec |
New Years Eve | 31-Dec | |
Hanukkah | Find out more here | |
Kwanzaa | Find out more here |