September Holidays & Observances: Raising Awareness & Uniting for Change
A group of hands uniting.
Don’t panic, but fall is around the corner! The last day of Summer is quickly approaching and that means September holidays and observances celebrations and holidays are about to get their time in the sun (so to speak). This is a great opportunity to raise awareness and make a difference. As the nights get cooler, grab a sweater and join us in celebrating this month's important events. Keep reading to learn how you can get involved and better support meaningful change this September!
List of September Monthly Observances and Holidays
Monthly Observances:
Labor Day
Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day is a significant annual holiday with deep roots in the labor movement. It was established in response to workers' struggles in the 19th century when many were working an exhausting average of 70 hours per week. Labor activists fought for a federal holiday to honor the vital contributions workers have made to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being. While today it’s often seen as a time for barbecues and gatherings with loved ones, Labor Day is truly a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers.
Curious about the history and meaning of Labor Day? Click here to explore the origins and true significance of this holiday.
National Suicide Prevention Month
National Suicide Awareness Month
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month — a crucial time to raise awareness of this urgently important crisis. Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health challenges, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, or background. While it's vital to focus on mental health and suicide prevention year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month serves as a powerful reminder for individuals, organizations, and communities to unite, raise their voices, and reinforce the message that there is always hope, help is accessible, and healing is possible.
If you or someone you know is going through this battle, explore the 988 Lifeline resources to learn how you can support suicide prevention.
Looking to raise mental health awareness at your workplace? Explore these Lunch & Learn topics to discover effective strategies for promoting mental health awareness:
Deaf Awareness Month
Deaf Awareness Month - a time to celebrate and advocate for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Observed every September in the United States, this month highlights the vibrant culture and achievements of the deaf community while raising awareness about the challenges and barriers they encounter in an often inaccessible society. The World Federation of the Deaf celebrates Deaf Awareness Week from September 23-29 and has a different theme for each day. For more details, visit their website here.
To bring education on inclusion and belonging for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, check out the following resources:
National Recovery Month
National Recovery Month
September marks National Recovery Month in the United States, a time to celebrate the progress of individuals on their recovery journey. Just as we recognize milestones in managing health conditions like hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease, Recovery Month highlights the achievements made by those overcoming substance use and mental health challenges. This observance serves as a powerful reminder that behavioral health is integral to overall well-being, that prevention and treatment work, and that recovery is not only possible but happening every day.
If you're a workplace leader looking to become a more supportive ally during Recovery Month, check out these insightful resources below:
How Employee Feedback Can Help You Create A Safer Environment
Learn what it means to survive vs. to thrive with an advisor
Hispanic & Latine/x Heritage Month
Woman wearing traditional hispanic dress.
Hispanic & Latinx/e Heritage Month starts on the 15th of September and is celebrated until the 15th of October in the United States. This Hispanic & Latinx/e Heritage Month, take the opportunity to explore the diverse cultures, stories, and histories of Latinx/e and Hispanic communities. Deepen your understanding of their preferred languages, the unique challenges they face, and the importance of recognizing their distinct identities. Discover how you can better support individuals from these backgrounds in all areas of life, including the workplace.
Looking for ways to spread awareness and celebrate the observance with your workplace? Here's a free email template resource on Hispanic & Latinx/e Heritage Month for you to adapt and share with your colleagues and work teams.
Learn about Latinx and Hispanic Americans by reading more about the observance and sharing educational resources with your workplace:
What You Should Know About Hispanic and Latin American Culture
Latinx Heritage Month: Why celebrating begins with listening
Latinx? Latino? Hispanic? A linguistics expert explains the confusion
Weekly Observances:
Bisexual Awareness Week
Bisexual Awareness Week, also known as Bi-Week, is observed from September 16-23, concluding on Bisexual Visibility Day. The goal of Bi-Week is to promote awareness and celebrate the bisexual community, and advocate for their rights and representation in our communities.
You can learn more about Bisexual Awareness Week in the resources below:
Special Observances:
Ganesh Chaturthi
Beginning on September 7th, Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. This 10-day-long celebration is observed with great enthusiasm and devotion by Hindus across the world, particularly in India. Lord Ganesha, also known by various names (such as Gajanana, Dhoomraketu, Ekdanta, Vakrtunda, and Siddhi Vinayaka) is revered as the god of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune.
Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival or Harvest Moon Festival, is one of the most important traditional holidays in Chinese and Vietnamese communities and is also celebrated in other parts of Asia such as Korea and Japan.
The holiday and festival will see families gathering for a reunion meal, decorating and lighting lanterns, and eating mooncakes.
To spread awareness, acceptance, and celebration with your workplace, consider exploring and sharing the list of educational and media resources on the observance:
The Rise Journey is here to support your workplace DEI needs!
We’re here to support you at every step—whether you’re aiming to build awareness, encourage inclusive teamwork, or help leadership develop effective DEI strategies and workplace culture. The Rise Journey offers practical tools, resources, and experts to guide you on these topics and more. Check out our Lunch & Learn sessions or meet our amazing team of advisors and speakers. If you’re looking to introduce new topics at work and need some fresh ideas or advice, we’d be happy to team up and start the conversation.
This month is a great chance to broaden your employees' perspectives by exploring different cultures. It’s a fantastic way to help them grow personally and create a more connected and collaborative workplace, leading to even greater success.
Want helpful tips, links, and reminders like this one every month? Sign up for this newsletter and ensure you don’t forget a major celebration or observance at work!
