Below you’ll find a small sampling of our November diversity calendar events – to see all 100+ events this year, see our interactive online DEI Calendar.
With Fall in full swing, November has even more exciting days to celebrate at home or in the workplace. Here’s a sampling of the many different religious holidays, cultural celebrations, and awareness months on our Diversity Calendar 2023.
In our monthly samples, we aim to share November awareness days, November diversity days, November heritage months, November high holy days, November religious holidays, and religious festivals.
Celebrated Themes
Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month where the voices of the oppressed and marginalized Indigenous people are heard all month long, and hopefully all year long too. Take some time this month to learn about the traditions and cultures, including the music and dance of local tribes in your area.
National Veterans and Military Families Month
November is also National Veterans and Military Families Month, where we show appreciation to all those serving in our military and veterans who have served. Give our service members and all veterans the appreciation they deserve for the sacrifices they and their families make for our freedoms.
Movember
Movember is an annual campaign that takes place in November to raise awareness for men’s health issues, particularly prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health. During this month, men are encouraged to grow mustaches to spark conversations about these important topics and raise funds for research and support programs.
Monthly Standouts
November 11 – Veterans Day
It’s also known as Armistice Day, which celebrates the one-year anniversary of the end of fighting and the start of peace negotiation for World War I. It was later renamed Remembrance Day and then Veterans Day to honor veterans from every war in American history. It is celebrated on November 11 as it went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th day in 1918.
November 12 – Diwali
Diwali acknowledges the life battle between good and evil or darkness and light. The victory of good over evil is celebrated during Diwali or the Festival of Lights. This celebration runs for five days in India during the Hindu months of Ashwin and Kartika. A great way to celebrate this in the workplace is to put lights around the breakroom with traditional Indian sweets like Mithai.
It’s important to know that Diwali is also an official holiday in many other countries including Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Singapore, Guyana, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Nepal.
Learn more about Hinduism holy days on our Hindu Religious Observances Calendar.
November 13 – 19 – Transgender Awareness Week / Transgender Day of Remembrance
This one-week hopes to increase awareness about violence and gender identity issues in the transgender community. This week leads up to what is known as the Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors those lost to anti-gay crimes including Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed. Participate in a vigil to honor the lives lost due to anti-gay violence in America and worldwide.
November 27 – Guru Nanak Gurpurab
This festival commemorates the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. This sacred time is celebrated on the 15th day of the month Kartik. One fun fact is that the word gurpurab stands for birthday or the celebration and prayer associated with this day.
Don’t Forget To….
Set aside time to celebrate different holidays and celebrations in your workplace. Not only will it allow your staff to learn about different cultures, but it’ll allow your team to feel accepted too. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace help increase productivity, boosts morale, and will lead to a better rapport.
To gain access to all 100+ events this year, visit our interactive Diversity Calendar. For more information on religious celebrations in 2023, visit our Interfaith Calendar 2023. To get a head start next month, here’s our December 2023 Diversity Calendar blog post.