Student California Teachers Association

Ethnic Minority Representative - CSU Dominguez Hills

Hello, my name is Christina M. Turner and I am one of your newly elected Ethnic Minority Representative for the 2002-03 year. I am a senior Liberal Studies major and Sociology minor at California State University, Dominguez Hills.

During my term, one of my goals is to inform members about the holidays and ethnic heritage months that we celebrate in California and the United States. This information will be valuable to you as future teachers. There is much more to diversity than Black History Month and Cinco de Mayo, and as future educators, we must share this information with our families, friends, and students.

While July does not have any national ethnic heritage celebrations we all celebrate Independence Day. As Americans, we cherish this holiday more now than in years past. I am confident that it will be remembered for more than just fireworks in the years to come.

However, during August 15 - September 15, we celebrate National Physically Challenged Month. There is a great children's book about life in a wheelchair that is even valuable for adults called A Very Special Critter by Mercer and Gina Meyer.

On August 26, 1920, the passage of the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. August 26 is declared Women's Equality Day and 82 years later, we definitely have made tremendous progress with much more to come. You go girl!

In conclusion, this is a just a sample of the holidays that can be celebrated in classrooms and the community. Please share this information with others. I urge you to become involved. Check your local listings for activities or events near you. If you should find any holidays or heritage months that deserve mentioning, please contact me, and I will do my best to include the information in the next newsletter.

Websites Worth Surfing:

http://www.diversitystore.com/

http://www.rodenter.com/

National Physically Challenged Month

http://www.mentalhealth.org/highlights/August2000/npc/

Women's Equality Day- August 26, 2002

http://www.nwhp.org/

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