 Welcome back to our monthly observance series on DEI Matters Arlington. I'm Katie Hodgkin, your Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Justice Specialist. Our fearless DEI BJ director, Margaret Cretel Thomas, is defending her thesis for her PhD this month. Please join us in sending good luck her way. We are happy to be joined today by another fearless leader in our community, Tristell Watson, from our Family Engagement and Communications Department. Hi, everyone. I'm Tristell Watson, an Arlington Public Schools Communication Specialist in the Department of Communication and Family Engagement. I'm honored to have the privilege to join our DEI BJ team and offer support for communicating these very special observances with you. Without further ado, let's learn about the three month-long holidays happening in April. Happy World Autism Awareness Day, Arlington community. Every April since 2008, communities around the globe have celebrated Autism Awareness Month, beginning with Autism Awareness Day on April 2. This observance was created by the United Nations to bring awareness and activism to the needs of those with autism, highlighting ways in which we can collectively uplift and support them to lead full lives as integral members of our society. Throughout all of April, many communities, just like ours in Arlington, focus on sharing stories and providing opportunities to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism. Our collective goal has been to foster increased familiarity and support. This year, we're committed to pushing beyond simply promoting awareness by acting fearlessly for change, to move our communities forward in action, to intentionally create safe spaces where people who are autistic feel fully supported, protected, and celebrated. One way you can show your support on April 2 is to go blue. Wear something blue, a color chosen for its calming effect, or something multicolor with puzzle pieces as a visual reminder for all in our community that every piece, just like every person, has their place. We wish a happy Autism Awareness Day and a fruitful Autism Awareness Month to all in our Arlington community and beyond. Ramadan is a time where practicing Muslims seek to steer towards family, spiritual purification, and compassion through fasting, prayer, and community. Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan, which began this year on March 10th with the Ayyid al-Fitr, or the Feast of Fast-Breaking. Ayyid al-Fitr occurs on April 9th and follows Leilat al-Qadar, or the Night of Power, on April 6th. Ayyid al-Fitr celebrations are joyous and often elaborate. Families bake special pastries, exchange gifts, visit the graves of loved ones, and gather for meals and prayer in mosques. We invite you to learn more about Ramadan in our standalone video from March, and we wish a peaceful Ayyid al-Fitr, Ayyid Mubarak, to all who have observed as Ramadan culminates this April. As part of a University of Virginia class assignment on nonviolent protest, students first organized this National Day of Silence in 1996. Every year since, it has become a student-led movement observed annually in April, this year on April 12th, to protest the bullying and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual students and communities who support them. We know that intimidation and bullying are harmful and leave lasting damage. They can also have a silencing effect and therefore traditionally participating students take a day-long vow of silence in honor of this. Often, students have ended the National Day of Silence with breaking the silence rallies to bring attention to the ways in which their schools and communities can become safer and more inclusive. This year, GLSEN, an American education organization working to end discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in K-12 schools, reminds us that with more than 800 anti-LGBTQ-plus bills introduced last year alone, we can no longer afford to stay silent. None binary student, next Benedict's recent death due to bullying in Oklahoma is a somber reminder of this. Instead, we must rise together and take action. GLSEN's new push for a day of no silence invites LGBTQ-plus students and their allies all around the country and the world to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination of LGBTQ-plus people in schools. They encourage us all to share LGBTQ-plus students' stories and resources on social media, teach a lesson from the Rainbow Library, vote to update policies that protect LGBTQ-plus youth, or join a local event. This April, we wish an impactful day of no silence as we advocate for the rights of all students to a safe and bully-free education. Vaisakhi began as a harvest festival in the Punjabi region of northern India and is celebrated today in the Sikh communities around the world. Vaisakhi celebrates the creation of the kalsa, which emerged after a Sikh guru named Guru Gobind Singh Ji tested the courage and faith of his followers. As the story is told, crowds of people gathered around the guru who held a sword high and asked if any volunteers would give their life for their religion. Five men came forward and disappeared with the guru into his tent. When the five men reemerged alive, they became known as the Panj Pyaare or the Beloved Five, the first members of the kalsa who demonstrated devout faith. Today, all Vaisakhi celebrations begin in beautifully decorated gudwaras, a place of worship for Sikhs where they sing hymns, read scripture, meditate, and chant. Then, to celebrate, Sikhs wear colorful, traditional clothes, often yellow and orange to reflect the spirit of rebirth and sacrifice of the Panj Pyaare, as well as joy in the yellow fields ready for harvest. Sikh communities also take part in joyful parades, dance traditional folk dances such as the Bangara, and give out free food, a tradition called langar, where everyone in the community, no matter how wealthy, can come together and share a meal. We wish a joyful Vaisakhi to all who celebrate. Ram Navami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Rama, a revered deity. Lord Rama is known as a brave being who symbolizes truth, peace, and prosperity. The Sanskrit word Ram literally translates to the light of the self, and so the light within us is called Ram. Hindus celebrate Ram Navami to signify the removal of negativity, our divine inner light, and the triumph of good over evil. Ram Navami is celebrated on the ninth day of the Shaitra month, which on the Gregorian calendar typically falls between March and April. In 2024, we observe Ram Navami on April 17th. During Ram Navami, Hindus celebrate by going to temple, fasting, and seeking the blessings of Lord Rama. Many also prepare special dishes like Panakam and Nirmore, which are considered to be Lord Rama's favorite drinks and gathering community to rejoice. We wish a happy Ram Navami to all who celebrate in our Arlington community and beyond. Passover is a sacred and widely observed Jewish holiday occurring over eight days, this year from April 22nd to April 30th. It commemorates the emancipation of Israelites from enslavement in ancient Egypt. As told in the Bible, God saw his people's distress and through Moses sent word to the Egyptian Pharaoh for his people to be freed. When the Pharaoh ignored God's command, God sent 10 plagues to Egypt. During the 10th plague, God spared Jewish children and hence the observance Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover, began. Israelites were then liberated from Egypt as they fled in a momentous Exodus from the land. In modern times, on the first night of Passover, a special meal called the Seder is held. Jewish families gather to consume matzah, bitter herbs, and four cups of wine or grape juice, royal drinks to celebrate newfound freedom, as they retell the powerful story of the Exodus. Over the ensuing days, only unleavened bread called matzah may be eaten. Matzah symbolizes both the suffering of Hebrews while in bondage, as well as how quickly they needed to leave Egypt during the Exodus. They had to take their dough before the yeast was added. For this reason, Passover is sometimes called the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Though some Jewish people observe a strict diet and restricted work during Passover, it is also a time of great rejoicing where children play important roles in reciting passages, playing games, and bringing families together. We wish a kosher and joyous Passover to all who celebrate. Thanks for watching this month's observance video. We hope it inspired a piece of learning, connection, or action for you. We work hard to research and connect with people of diverse identities to ensure accuracy in the details we include here. And we acknowledge our humanity and understand that we can still make mistakes. As we continue to learn alongside you, we invite you to fill out our Google Form if you notice a detail that we can better include or modify for next year. Have a wonderful April, Arlington community, and we'll see you back here in May.