To shed light on culture-enriching awareness celebrations and heritage days, students and staff on the Authentic Inclusive Committee at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions will regularly highlight different topics in this Inclusivity Blog.
This post includes stories on the following commemorations happening in August:
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
International Overdose Awareness Day
National Immunization Awareness Month
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (Aug. 9)
By Charli Purser
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is a day to bring attention to concerns that many different Indigenous communities face around the world. This includes “land rights, self-determination, language preservation, health, education, and economic inclusion,” according to awarenessdays.com.
Learn more about the rights of Indigenous people by using this e-learning tool or watching this video on “Lessons from Indigenous Peoples” about the importance of their role in taking care of the earth.
Left-Handed Day (Aug. 13)
By Danika Forsgren
About 10% of our population is left-handed. However, most things that we use in our day-to-day lives are meant for right-handed people, such as door handles, scissors, or even can openers. While those who are left-handed can manage using right-handed items, it can be uncomfortable and sometimes feel awkward. This day has helped bring more attention to these left-handed individuals, leading to an increase in left-handed items being made. These items may not seem like a big deal to some, but it makes these people’s lives much simpler and easier.
One way you can observe this holiday is to try using your left hand for the whole day. It may be trickier than expected and you may have to work a little bit harder than you think.
Women’s Equality Day (Aug. 26)
By Paul Antaby
Women’s Equality Day marks the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. This significant milestone continues to impact women’s health, representation, and advocacy. For healthcare educators, this day highlights the importance of integrating gender equity into curricula, clinical training, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Research indicates that incorporating gender perspectives into health professions education enhances learners’ understanding of gender-based health disparities and strengthens DEI competencies, according to BMC Medical Education. Additionally, DEI interventions in healthcare institutions have been shown to increase minority representation and raise trainees’ awareness of equity issues, per the JAMA Network Open. These findings underscore the importance of integrating gender-aware teaching practices into health sciences programs.
Women remain underrepresented in healthcare leadership roles. Organizations like Women in Medicine emphasize that structured mentorship and leadership development are crucial strategies for enhancing workforce diversity and improving patient outcomes. Highlighting these pathways on Women’s Equality Day encourages institutions to support women in faculty, clinical, and student positions.
Healthcare educators can engage on this day by integrating gender-based case variations into simulations. This can help facilitate reflections on gender bias in communication and diagnosis. Additionally, hosting micro-learning sessions focused on women’s health advocacy can promote awareness.
Women’s Equality Day is more than a historical observance; it serves as a reminder that gender equity is essential for high-quality healthcare education and inclusive learning environments.
National Grief Awareness Day (Aug. 30)
By Bailey Dalton
Every year, National Grief Awareness Day encourages us to pause and recognize a part of the human experience that is often not discussed. Founded by Angie Carwright after losing several of her loved ones, the day was created to highlight the importance of acknowledging loss, supporting those who are grieving, and creating spaces where people can feel safe, heard, and understood.
Here are some tips—from compassus.com, samhsa.gov, and carsonvalleyhealth.org—that can help you support yourself and others through grief:
Take Care of Yourself While Grieving
- Give yourself space to grieve
- Spend time with supportive people who make you feel safe
- Remember that there is no timeline for grief
Supporting Someone Who is Grieving
- Listen without Judgment—allow people to cry, share memories, or sit in silence
- Offer specific help like dropping off a meal or running an errand
- Stay in touch—check in over the next few weeks or months
What You Can Do to Honor National Grief Awareness Day
- Reach out to someone—send a text, make a call, or write a note to someone you know who has experienced a recent loss
- Take a quiet moment to remember someone or something you’ve lost
- Learn more about grief and how to help others who may be grieving
International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31)
By Matthew Hoang
Every year, we recognize International Overdose Awareness Month to honor those lost to overdose, support affected families, raise awareness, and work to reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorders.
Why it Matters
- Nearly 80,000 Americans died from a drug overdose in 2024, with more than 54,000 deaths involving opioids, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- While overdose deaths have recently declined, overdose remains a major public health issue.
Recognize the Signs of an Opioid Overdose
- Difficulty waking or unresponsive
- Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
- Pinpoint pupils
- Blue or gray lips or fingertips
- Pale, clammy skin
- Choking or gurgling sounds
What to Do
- Call 911 immediately.
- Administer naloxone (Narcan) if available.
- Keep the person’s airway open and stay with them until EMS arrives.
- Even if they wake up after naloxone, they still need emergency medical evaluation.
Watch this video on how to respond to an opioid overdose: https://vimeo.com/1110334897/464c173ba8
Black August
By Lakeisa Boykin
Black August is more than a commemorative month; it is a time of remembrance, reflection, discipline, and action. Honored every August, Black August recognizes the sacrifices of Black freedom fighters, commemorates the lives of political prisoners, and calls attention to the ongoing fight against systemic racism, mass incarceration, and injustice. It also serves as a reminder that the struggle for Black liberation is not just part of history; it continues today, according to blackaugust2024.com.
The origins of Black August date back to the late 1970s, when incarcerated Black activists at California’s San Quentin State Prison established the observance to honor the lives of revolutionary brothers Jonathan and George Jackson, along with other Black organizers who lost their lives in the fight for freedom. George Jackson, a political prisoner and influential revolutionary, was killed by prison guards during a prison rebellion on Aug. 21, 1971, as liberationschool.org chronicled. Black August also commemorates other significant moments in Black history, including the Haitian Revolution and the birth of Marcus Garvey, whose vision of Black pride and self-determination inspired generations around the world.
At its core, Black August is rooted in principles of education, unity, self-discipline, self-sacrifice, and resistance. Participants are encouraged to deepen their commitment to personal and collective growth through the guiding principles of “study, fast, train, fight,” the Youth First Justice Company noted. These practices often include political education, fasting or abstaining from certain comforts, physical exercise, and active engagement in movements that promote justice and liberation, according to liberationschool.org.
Black August remains important because it connects the past to the present. It honors those who dedicated, and in many cases gave, their lives to the pursuit of freedom while highlighting the ongoing realities of mass incarceration, prison conditions, and racial inequality. The observance encourages communities to remember that the pursuit of justice requires continued education, organization, and collective action, One DC Organizing Neighborhood Equity pointed out.
There are many meaningful ways to observe Black August. Read books and writings by Black revolutionaries and historians, attend educational events or community discussions, support organizations working to end mass incarceration, and volunteer with local mutual aid efforts. Many participants also choose to practice self-discipline through fasting, daily exercise, journaling, or dedicating time to learning about Black history and contemporary social justice issues. Supporting Black-owned businesses, creating art that celebrates Black resilience, and engaging in community service are also powerful ways to honor the spirit of the month.
Transgender History Month
By Paul Antaby
Every August, Transgender History Month honors the resilience and contributions of transgender and gender-diverse communities. This observance originates from the 1966 Compton’s Cafeteria Riot in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District, where transgender women and drag queens protested police harassment. This event took place three years before the Stonewall uprising, one of the earliest documents to object to anti-trans violence in the United States. In 2021, San Francisco became the first city to officially recognize this month, followed by California, which became the first state to do so in 2023.
For institutions like Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, this month is directly related to healthcare education. Understanding transgender history fosters cultural humility and prepares future healthcare providers to address the disparities and challenges that transgender patients often face.
The month focuses on four key themes: visibility, education, celebration, and advocacy. It encourages individuals to participate in events led by transgender people, learn about the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, and reflect on the importance of more inclusive clinical practices.
Ultimately, this piece frames the month as a remembrance of struggle and a celebration of trans joy and leadership, calling on healthcare communities to embody authenticity, belonging, and inclusive excellence. For more information, refer to the National Center for Transgender Equality.
National Immunization Awareness Month
By Peter Aldana
National Immunization Awareness Month is observed each August to emphasize the importance of vaccination for people of all ages and to encourage individuals to review their vaccination status with a healthcare provider, according to the CDC.
Vaccines protect against more than 30 serious diseases and infections, and immunization prevents an estimated 3.5 to 5 million deaths worldwide each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports. In the United States, routine childhood vaccinations for children born between 1994 and 2023 were projected to prevent approximately 508 million illnesses, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1.13 million premature deaths over their lifetimes, according to a study in the MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. These findings demonstrate why vaccine awareness and access remain essential to protecting individuals, families, and communities.
More vaccine info from the American Medical Association:
What are Vaccines?
Vaccines help protect you from serious—and sometimes deadly—infectious diseases. They work by helping your body build immunity without having to get sick first.
How do Vaccines Work?
Vaccines “train” your immune system to recognize and fight harmful germs. They use a safe form of the virus or bacteria so your body can learn to defend itself—without causing the illness.
Are Vaccines Safe?
Yes. Vaccines are among the most closely monitored medical products in the world, used safely for more than 200 years. Before any vaccine is approved, it goes through years of testing. And scientists and doctors monitor them to make sure they stay safe and effective.
Why Should I Get Vaccinated?
Vaccines protect you from dangerous diseases like measles, polio, and tetanus—and they reduce your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID, and RSV. Getting vaccinated also protects the people around you—like newborns, older adults, and those with weak immune systems.
What Should I Do Next?
Doctors still recommend routine childhood immunizations, annual flu shots, and COVID and RSV vaccines for eligible adults and children. Vaccine availability may vary by location or pharmacy, but your doctor or local clinic can guide you on what’s needed and where to get it.
Still Have Questions?
Talk to your doctor. Your doctor has the training and knowledge to help you make informed decisions about your family’s health. Don’t rely on social media—get answers from someone you trust.Learn more about how to tell fact from fiction online and in social media.
• Matthew Hoang, PA 11
• Paul Antaby, PhD HS 14
• Lakeisa Boykin, OTR/L, PhD HS 10
• Bailey Dalton, CMHC 17
• Danika Forsgren, DPT 25
• Peter Aldana, MOT 2
