Look up how cultural observances are celebrated

As we wrap up Celebrate Diversity Month, this is a good time to be mindful of how cultural observances are celebrated. We see holidays and observances on our online calendars and we likely scroll right by the ones that aren’t familiar or hold a particular meaning for us. But seeing them is actually a great prompt to expand our awareness.

Consider making it a habit to look up holidays or observances as they pop up on your calendar. Take time to look up not only their significance but the common practices for recognizing them. This is an important distinction because understanding the associated practices could help you understand activities you see around you but don’t typically pay attention to. 

For example, it took me years to make the connection between the surge in restaurants’ fish sandwich commercials in the spring and the traditional Catholic practice of not eating meat on Fridays during Lent. It’s also helpful to understand dietary restrictions associated with some observances to ensure that you offer appropriate options during office gatherings, for example. Other observances may also impact our colleagues’ availability to participate in social activities during certain times of the day or year. 

These oversights have likely had impacts for colleagues you work closely with but you didn’t have the knowledge to pick up on them. All of this information is right at our fingertips - we just have to make good use of it! New information and new considerations can go a long way in making people feel seen and honored. And we all benefit from having a better understanding of the diversity around us.