A Message from Wright County Health & Human Services:
April is Celebrate Diversity Month. It presents an ideal time to acknowledge the many differences that make our Wright County community beautiful and dynamic. April also ushers in Deaf History Month as well as the 15th Annual World Autism Awareness Day, which took place April 2.
Deaf History Month celebrates the anniversary of the first School for the Deaf in the United States, which was founded in April 1817. Just more than 200 years after the first school for children who are deaf opened, accommodations for people who are deaf and hard of hearing are becoming standard in workplaces, media and schools. Despite the significant steps society has taken the make the world more inclusive for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, this population still faces disproportionate rates of unemployment.
Fifteen years ago, the United Nations designated April 2 as Autism Awareness Day. Now the date serves as a reminder to recognize and increase acceptance and appreciation of neurodiversity and to celebrate the unique talents and skills of people with autism around the world.
Celebrate Diversity Month started in 2004 and ensures we remember to learn and think about the value that diverse traditions, cultures and backgrounds create. It is a time to recognize and understand our differences – be it gender, race, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation and other factors – while honoring the common essence of humanity.
By appreciating our similarities and differences, the month aims to get people to foster a deeper understanding of others, regardless of who they are, what they are and how they live.
While it’s important to celebrate diversity all year, designating a month to the topic makes for an essential reminder to set aside time in our busy schedules to acknowledge how differences enrich and strengthen our community.