At UC Berkeley, we aim to embrace and uplift the vibrance and contributions of each community.
Moving forward, we have decided to pilot a new approach to CalMessages for heritage, history, and prevention months. The pilot approach will provide brief, accessible CalMessage digests that feature information, resources, research, and events related to these important aspects of the communities and cultures on our campus.
We will maintain our current list of heritage/history/prevention months and weeks for these CalMessages and related web pages. This selection is guided by the following criteria: (a) The month or week aligns with a relevant federal, state, or UC-recognized holiday or officially designated heritage/history observance, (b) The focus supports a recognized protected class, and (c) The month or week is aligned with the Division of Equity & Inclusion programs and services. Each community will have one heritage/history month or week.
Identified heritage/history/prevention months/weeks
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September: Latinx Heritage Month
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October 1: Disability Awareness Month
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October 1: Filipino American History Month
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October: Dating/Domestic Violence Prevention Month
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October: National Transfer Student Week (3rd Monday)
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November 1: Native American Heritage Month
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November 1: Transgender and Nonbinary Empowerment Month
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November 11: Veterans Day
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February 1: Black History Month
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March 1: National Women’s History Month
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April 1: National Arab American Heritage Month
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April 1: Sexual Violence Prevention Month
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May 1: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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May 1: Jewish Heritage Month
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June 1: Pride Month
Coordinated efforts for comprehensive coverage
To ensure comprehensive coverage of these heritage/history/prevention months, Equity and Inclusion, Public Affairs, Student Affairs, the Vice Provost for Faculty, People and Culture, and Cal Athletics will coordinate content across the Berkeley News and Berkeley Life Blog platforms. This change is part of our ongoing coordinated commitment to inclusivity and fostering a strong sense of belonging. This collaboration aims to provide a rich and multifaceted portrayal of our communities, highlighting the presence and contributions of different groups on our campus. With the help of our campus leaders and subject matter experts, we will also continue to populate each webpage and amplify the events and resources on E&I social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn. We encourage campus departments and units to consistently incorporate these messages into their local communication mechanisms. Through these joint efforts, we strive to offer our community well-rounded and engaging stories that reflect the vibrance and diversity of UC Berkeley.
Feedback and future adjustments
This decision reflects careful consideration and years of efforts to better serve our campus community. We will review and iterate as needed, and we welcome feedback to ensure we continue to create an environment where everyone feels included and celebrated. A listening session town hall date will be announced later in the 2024-25 academic year to collect additional community feedback.
