sexual orientation, and language.

Equity is the principle that every person deserves fair and impartial treat-ment.

Calling All Writers! The Diversifieds are an extension of the GHC campus and our sur-rounding community. We would like to welcome and encourage students and staff to submit arti-cles for publication in The Diversifieds. This is a monthly publication. Please submit articles to Erin Frasier at efrasier@ghc.edu

Welcome to the first edi-tion of The Diversifieds, a publication of the Eq-uity and Diversity Re-source Center (EDRC) here at Grays Harbor College. Our intention is to provide GHC students and staff with a height-ened level of awareness of the many issues and events that highlight diversity on our campus and in our community. We hope that The Diver-sifieds will help to keep you more informed of upcoming events as well as give you a little direc-tion in finding out more information about is-sues of diversity.

A Look At Diversity

We would like to broaden your view of what diver-sity means. Our intention is to bring awareness of the many views individu-als have of our world as a result of life experiences. The EDRC is founded on the following definitions of equity and diversity:

Diversity refers to social inclusiveness. This ex-tends beyond ethnic dif-ferences and also in-cludes, but is not limited to, differences of socio-economic status, per-sonal beliefs and values, gender, physical appear-ance and abilities, relig-ion, political views, age,

Help Us Diversify

Campus Happenings

There never were in the world two

opinions alike, no more than two

hairs or two grains; the most

universal quality is diversity.

~Michel de Montaigne

4th Annual GHC Human Services Toy Drive

Donations are needed for this year’s toy drive. Dona-tions need to be new, un-wrapped toys and can be dropped off in the toy drive boxes located next to TRIO or in the HUB. Gender and age specific needs are noted on the stars on the tree located in the hub.

Inauguration Day Presentation

The ASGHC, Phi Theta Kappa, and EDRC will be sponsoring an Inauguration Day Presentation on Janu-ary 20th, 2008. The event will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Staff and students are invited to attend. For more informa-tion, please contact Jim Sorensen at 538-4099.

December 2008 Volume 1, Issue 1

The Diversifieds

December is...

• AIDS Awareness Month

• Learn a Foreign Language Month

• Seasonal Depression Awareness Month

Awareness Dates:

World AIDS Day 1

National Tolerance Week 1-7

Bodhi Day (Buddhist) 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic)

8

Eid al-Adha (Islamic) 9

Fiesta de Guadalupe (Mexico) 12

Las Posadas 16-24

Kwanzaa (African) 26

Holy Innocents’ Day (Mexico) 28 Al Hijrah (Islamic) 28-29

Yule (Pagan & Wiccan) 20-21

Christmas (Christian) 25 Hanukah (Jewish) 22-29

Santa Lucia (Sweden) 13

Human Rights Week 9-15 Human Rights Day 10

Rosa Parks Day 1

St. Nicholas Day (Netherlands) 5 The Hajj (Islamic) 7-11 Nat’l Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day 7

The Diversifieds are a publication of the EDRC of Grays Harbor College. The mission of the EDRC is to promote awareness, re-spect, and equitable treatment of the di-verse individuals and groups that exist within our campus and surrounding com-munities. The EDRC is open to all! Please come visit us in the 200 building.

A publication of the EDRC at Grays Harbor College

This December is the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, also known as United Nations World AIDS Day. The origin of this event is the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Pro-grammes for AIDS Preven-tion and it has evolved to be a worldwide campaign.

“Together with its partners, the World AIDS Campaign set this year’s theme for World AIDS Day as ‘Lead—Empower—Deliver,’ build-ing on last years theme of ‘Take the Lead’...

As in previous years, the World AIDS Campaign has produced a wide variety of campaign materials to be used by individuals and or-ganizations that want to cam-paign on World AIDS Day and host commemorative events. These materials are available on the World AIDS Campaign web site at www.worldaidscampaign.org”(Source: UNAIDS)

The current United Nations reports on AIDS epidemics around the world reports that we have made great pro-gress, but there are still many

areas of our world that are threatened.

Even in our own communi-ties there remains a need to bring AIDS awareness. Educating ourselves about AIDS will help to reduce the fear that surrounds it and allow necessary sup-port to be created.

How will you help to bring awareness? Maybe you will gather with others to campaign or maybe you will try to educate yourself through research.

civil, economic, political, and social rights that should be guaranteed to every person.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Univer-sal Declaration of Human Rights. This December, during Human Rights Week, keep in mind all those around the world that are still deprived of the many rights we take for granted.

Human Rights day is cele-brated on December 10th to honor the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly. This declaration was the first such statement of princi-ple by an international body. The document, con-ceived as a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all na-tions,” sets forth the basic

The United Nations has a website dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Uni-versal Declaration of Human Rights were you can view the declaration in its entirety and get campaign materials among much more. Visit http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/udhr60/index.shtml

If nothing else, commit your-self to reading the declara-tion this December.

AIDS Awareness Month

Human Rights Week (Dec. 9-15)

National Tolerance Week (Dec. 1-7)

by Echo Hahn

get people to examine their prejudices, and to try and put a stop to the unthink-ing perpetuation of bully-ing, hate crimes, racism and stereotypes.

How can you celebrate Tolerance Week? You don’t have to make a big produc-tion out of it, just be willing to try new things. Try eating

at a different sort of res-taurant than you usually would; go out for Thai food, or try some sushi. Talk to a person who was raised in another country, or ask someone who’s traveled to tell you about other cul-tures. Be adventurous! Neither knowledge nor Thai food will kill you.

Dedicated to accepting and celebrating other’s differ-ences, Tolerance Week, also known as Acceptance Week, was created in 2003 by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. Originally called “No Name-Calling Week,” it has always been intended to bring the populace infor-mation on diversity and to

Diversity is not about

how we differ.

Diversity is about

embracing one another’s

uniqueness.

Page 2

The Diversifieds

Saint Nicholas Day (Netherlands)

This begins the Christmas season in the Netherlands. On this day Saint Nicholas, “Sinterklaas,” arrives. Cit-ies have parades where he comes riding on a white horse or in a barge or even on a motorcycle wearing a bishop’s hat and a red cape. That evening, adults have parties and exchange gifts, while children set out shoes filled with carrots and hay for Saint Nicholas’ horse. In the morning, they find the shoes filled with gifts.

The Hajj (Islamic)

The Hajj is the annual pil-grimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. All Muslims who are able are required to make the pil-grimage at least once in their lifetime. The Hajj is a time for reflection and celebration.

Eid al-Adha (Islamic)

This religious observance commemorates the story of Abraham and Ishmail as told in the Qur’an. God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son as a proof of his faith. Before Abraham completed the sacrifice, God stopped him and provided a ram for sacrifice in place of Ish-mail .

Bodhi Day (Buddhist)

Among Mahayana Bud-dhists, this holiday cele-brates Buddha’s attaining understanding of the truth of existence, freeing him-self from all human suffer-ing, and finding perfect happiness.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic)

This celebrates the Roman Catholic belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was conceived free from origi-nal sin.

Fiesta de Guadalupe (Mexico)

This is the feast day of the patron saint of Mexico. The shrine of Our Lady of Gua-dalupe is Mexico’s most sacred religious site. Dec. 12 is the anniversary of the day on which Juan Diego, an Aztec peasant, is said to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary, who ordered him to go and tell the Bishop of Mexico to build a church on that spot. This is a day when people go to church for prayers honoring the Vir-gin. Often a procession is formed to the church and a fiesta is held in the eve-ning.

Santa Lucia (Sweden)

This holiday honors an Italian martyr named Saint Lucia. This festival features lights and a young girl wearing a white robe and a crown of seven lighted candles serving special buns and coffee.

Las Posadas (Mexico)

Commemorates Mary and Joseph’s effort to find an inn and events associated with the birth of Jesus. A candlelight procession represents the star in heaven that guided the three wise men on their way. There is a traditional celebration centering on the piñata.

Hanukkah (Jewish)

This holiday, often misun-derstood as the “Jewish Christmas,” commemo-rates the victory of the Jewish people, led by the Maccabee family, over the Syrian Greeks in 165 B.C. This victory marked the end of a three-year period of religious persecution. According to legend, when the Jews returned to cleanse their Temple they discovered only enough consecrated oil to keep the holy lamp burning for one day. However, the oil mi-raculously lasted for eight days. Hanukkah is cele-brated by lighting a candle on each of the eight days of celebration. Family members exchange gifts and children play with a dreidel, a four-sided top inscribed with the Hebrew letters for “a great miracle happened here.” Potato pancakes, or latkes, are a traditional food treat.

Christmas (Christians)

Most Christians observe Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas is a family-oriented holiday with special foods, colorful decorations, and exchang-ing of gifts. Families often have their own traditions, especially concerning when gifts are exchanged and what foods are served. Christmas tradition also varies around the world. (Search “Christmas tradi-tions” on the internet to see various traditions)

Holy Innocents’ Day (Mexico)

In an attempt to find the infant Jesus and kill him, King Herod ordered the killing of children in Bethle-hem.

December Religious Observances

December

Awareness Trivia

1. What does AIDS stand for? 2. What is the estimate number of

people in the world with HIV according to the World Health Organization?

3. Why is Kwanzaa not listed under December Religious Observances?

4. What is stated in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

5. What does the logo for the 60th Anniv. of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights represent?

Stop by the EDRC to see if you have the correct answers to this month’s trivia. For each correct answer your name will be put in the EDRC’s monthly drawing.

Page 3

Volume 1, Issue 1

SYMBOLS OF CHRISTMAS

SYMBOLS OF HANUKKAH

On Eid al-Adha, families that can afford

it sacrifice an animal such as a sheep,

goat, camel, or cow, and then divide

the meat among themselves, the poor,

friends and neighbors. The sacrifice is

called Qurban. During the sacrifice,

the following prayer is recited: In the name of Allah

And Allah is the greatest O Allah, indeed this is from you and for you

O Allah accept it from me.

Source: www. religionfacts.com

Source: Diversity Resources, Inc.

Committee Chair: Brian Shook

The Diversifieds Staff:

Erin Frasier Amy Murray Echo Hahn

Deadline for submission in next months newsletter is Dec. 19th.

DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

Equity & Diversity Resource Center

360-538-4247

Room 219

1620 Edward P. Smith Drive

Aberdeen, WA 98520

edrc@ghc.edu

http://www.ghc.edu/edrc/brochure.pdf

Further Information:

AIDS

The Body: The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource http://www.thebody.com

Washington HIV/AIDS Resources and Statistics http://aids.about.com/od/governmentprograms/qt/washington.htm

AIDS Housing of Washington: Building Homes, Opening Doors http://www.aidshousing.com Lifelong AIDS Alliance: The PNW's Leading AIDS Service Organization http://www.lifelongaidsalliance.org/

Tolerance

Lambda 10 Project: National Clearinghouse for LGBT Fraternity & Sorority Issues

http://www.lambda10.org/

Teaching Tolerance: A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center

http://www.tolerance.org/index.jsp

Anti-Defamation League: Fighting Anti-Semetism, Bigotry and Extremism

http://www.adl.org/

Every Victim Counts: Reform Hate Crime Reporting

http://www.tolerance.org/evc/

Connecting Cultures: Raising Awareness And Promoting Understanding Across Cultures and Faiths

http://www.connecting-cultures.net/new/index.html

International Penpals - Email Exchange of Language and Cultures (Pen-pals)

http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/penpals.asp

Human Rights

Washington State Human Rights Commission http://www.hum.wa.gov/generalInfo/links.htm

Center for the Study of Human Rights http://hrcolumbia.org/

Human Rights Campaign | Home http://www.hrc.org/index.htm

Every Human Has Rights: Declaration of Human Rights 60th Anniversary http://www.everyhumanhasrights.org/

AFJN: Africa Faith and Justice Network - Education and Advocation for a Transfor-mation of U.S. Policies Towards Africa http://www.afjn.org/

Other Public Holidays: Independence Day—Portugal (1)

Independence Day—Laos (2) Discovery Day—Haiti (5) Farmers Day—Ghana (5)

National Day—Thailand (5) Independence Day—Finland (6)

Constitution Day—Spain (6) Independence of Quito—Ecuador (6)

Independence Day—Tanzania (9) Mother’s Day—Panama (9)

Constitution Day—Thailand (9) Independence Day—Kenya (12)

Reconciliation Day—South Africa (16) Victory Day—Bangladesh (16)

Emperor’s Birthday—Japan (23) Victory Day—Egypt (23)

Qaid-i-Azam’s Birthday—Pakistan (25) Boxing Day—United Kingdom (26) Day of Goodwill—South Africa (26)

Rizal Day—Philippines (30)