WINTER 2021 NEWSLETTER

The month of February provides an opportunity to celebrate all of the world's multicultural identities. There are many different celebrations, and I will talk about a few of them, apologizing in advance for the ones that I have left out unintentionally.

February is Black History Month or African American Heritage Month. It has been celebrated since 1976 and attempts to acknowledge the contributions that Black or African Americans have made in our history.
The month starts with National Freedom Day (February 1), which celebrates the signing of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865. We also celebrate the birthdays of influential black leaders such as Langston Hughes (February 1) and Frederick Douglas (February 14).

This year for me has been a positive and humbling experience as I continue to learn more about Black History. With the events of 2020, I am learning the importance of being an ally and the importance of cultural humility. I have acknowledged my White Privilege and am learning how to use it in positive ways.

In February we celebrate:

February 12.   Chinese New Year

February 14.   Valentines’ Day 

February 15.   Nirvana Day (Buddhist)

February 15.   President's Day

February 16.   Mardi Gras, the last day for Catholics to indulge before Ash Wednesday

February 17    Ash Wednesday, first day of Lent (40 days of fasting before Easter Sunday)

February 20    World Day of Social Justice

Other Important February Celebrations include:

February 3    National Carrot Cake Day

February 6    National Frozen Yogurt Day

February 9.   National Pizza Day

February 17   Random Acts of Kindness Day

February 20   National Love your Pet 

February 22   National Margarita 

As we think about Diversity, it is also important to remember the Importance of Inclusion.  Here is a link to an article from Kazoohr called 15 Tips for Building a More Inclusive Workplace.  I would encourage a review of this article. 

James W. Manock LCSW 

Thanks to James Manock for this informative message!

"NIEAPA members shall seek to develop an awareness of their own personal and cultural values and beliefs as one way of appreciating the importance of multicultural identities in our own lives and in the lives of those we serve.  NIEAPA members shall have and continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about the values, traditions and systems of all employees at the workplaces they serve."

The Resource Directory is a central source of services that fall under the EAP umbrella and is a great tool for all.  We encourage you to use and share with your colleagues.

Please use the Resource Directory if you are looking for up to date information on treatment centers' recent changes, additions or reduction of services. The link also provides contact information for each center's outreach professional.

This list has been provided by the Chicagoland Professional Liaison Association, which is an organization for outreach professionals in the behavioral health field working in the Greater Chicagoland area. We thank the group for sharing this information with their NIEAPA colleagues.