August has always represented a season of transition to me. It begins the countdown to the end of summer, back to school looms over the kids' heads; with simultaneous sighs of relief from parents, and the weather can’t decide if it wants to be stifling hot or reasonably comfortable. For me, my transition to a new journey has already begun. The first week of August I started a new position as the Workforce Development Divisions Senior Advisor within the Field Operations Directorate. With this transition I am excited to continue being part of the mission to integrate and operationalize FEMA's Core Values.

As my scope of implementing Core Values in the field has shifted to the development of our workforce, I reflect on the leaders who mentored me while exhibiting integrity, respect, fairness, and compassion. Without their willingness to be tolerant of my lack of professional experience and understanding that the passing down of institutional knowledge is the deposit into our workforce’s future, I would not be the well-rounded person and professional that I am today. With it being a whopping 13 years after starting my initial internship with the Agency, I am proud to say that I can do the same for others.

In addition to being part of ORRs Core Values Volunteer Team where there are opportunities to learn from coworkers with vast amounts of knowledge, consider how you can connect with your immediate work team and leadership to build momentous relationships. As we start fresh in August and search for ways to make optimistic transitions, I implore you all to consider what being willing to teach and learn from others can do for the advancement of our current workforce culture and its future. I know I am more than excited to do that in my new role!

Janell Pruitt, Senior Advisor | Workforce Development Division | Field Operations Directorate

On June 22, the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) for Florida disasters DR4673, DR4680 and DR4709, Brett Howard, presented the Service Empowers All Leaders (SEAL) award to members of the disaster team.

The honorees are:

• Blas Anes (Voluntary Agency Liaison)
• John Bergin (Public Assistance)
• Charles Caranda (Logistics)
• Julio Rivera Guzman (DRC Manager)
• Donna Joseph (Planning)
• Danielle Refuge (Public Assistance)
• Jaleel Rivera (Voluntary Agency Liaison)
• Violeta Rivera (Individual Assistance)
• Latoya Williams (Individual Assistance)

These service leaders were nominated for this award by their fellow employees. They each demonstrated leadership even though they were not all in managerial roles.

A committee was appointed to analyze the submissions and select the recipients according to the following criteria:

• The individual demonstrated “high trust” in the performance of their assignments.
• They exhibited a high level of informal leadership on their team.
• They exemplified FEMA’s Core Values.
• They embraced inclusivity, diversity and equity in the execution of their duties.

FCO Howard developed this award to find those that have the trust of the staff to be part of an FCO Advisory Committee. The committee meets bi-weekly to make recommendations to the FCO and Chief of Staff about how to take better care of employees. They talk about what they are doing right, what isn’t working well, and what direction they should move in, all to create an atmosphere that promotes a healthy working environment that incentivizes personal and professional growth by building trusting teams.

 “We serve, and in our own ways we lead, no matter what our particular title may be,” said Howard.

FEMA will host a webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 16 in celebration of 2023 FEMA Partnerships Reimagined.

The webinar is a part of a series that celebrates the power of collaborative relationships in emergency management providing an opportunity for FEMA and non-government organization partners to engage with each other and enhance their mutual understanding of disaster assistance resources, capabilities and mechanisms.

The webinar is co-hosted by FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and by the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. It will cover:

• A panel discussion among public, private and nonprofit organizations.
• Resources, tools or examples of practices that highlight different approaches.
• The National Disaster Attorney Guidebook.
• Contact information and how to stay connected.

Webinar Information:

• Topic: Legal Considerations for Achieving Equitable Recovery
• Date: Aug. 16, 2023
• Time: 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: ZOOM
• Meeting ID: 160 872 7359
• Passcode: VOISE
• Closed Captioning ID: 11527

FEMA recently released the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility in Exercises (IDEA) Guide to help exercise developers expand preparedness and planning efforts to mitigate risk across the whole community. Community resilience is enhanced by identifying diversity across dynamic communities and including all stakeholders, particularly those from underserved communities.

The IDEA Guide includes planning considerations and best practices to involve the whole community in exercise development and to conduct feedback processes. Exercise planners and program managers will gain insights and tools around key considerations for exercises to help reflect the full spectrum of stakeholders in any community.

The guide promotes accessible and inclusive exercises by widening exercise planners and program members to include feedback from all levels of government, the private sector and nonprofits.

The inclusion of multiple stakeholder perspectives, concerns and characteristics offers clarity around the concepts of inclusion, accessibility, diversity and accommodation throughout the exercise cycle.

Community profile characteristics, including history, culture, racial composition and economic status, are key to understanding the composition of a community and confirming or establishing the best ways to involve everyone.

The guide provides tools and approaches to build a community profile and identify residents' challenges and cultural sensitivities. The IDEA guide is consistent with the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program which any newly established or mature exercise program can benefit from.

FEMA will host webinars open to all partners that include state, local, tribal and territorial emergency managers, private sector, non-governmental organizations and members of the public interested in learning more about how to increase inclusivity, diversity, equity and accommodations throughout the exercise lifecycle. Exercise practitioners and planners are especially welcome. All webinars will cover the same content.

The webinar dates are:

• Tuesday, Aug. 22 – 10 a.m. ET
• Wednesday, Aug. 30 – 2 p.m. ET
• Thursday, Sept. 7 – 5 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, Sept. 12 – 9 a.m. ET

For more information, see Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Guide Webinars | FEMA.gov or contact HSEEP@fema.dhs.gov.

FEMA always works to improve our programs and ensure they reach everyone, including people with disabilities. The non-discrimination principles of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) reinforce our commitment to these efforts. This month, as we celebrate 33 years of ADA implementation, we also celebrate FEMA team efforts to incorporate the ADA mission every day.

People who have vision, hearing or speech disabilities use different ways to communicate. For example, people who are blind may use screen readers to audibly receive digital content. The ADA protects the rights of people with communication disabilities and requires effective communication from state and local governments as well as businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public. FEMA’s goal is to support our state, local, Tribal and territorial partners in these efforts.

That’s why the agency’s Offices of External Affairs (OEA) and Disability Integration and Coordination (ODIC) are collaborating to make accessibility improvements to the FEMA mobile app.

“We want an accessible and inclusive app experience for everyone,” explains OEA Digital Engagement and Analytics Branch Chief Gloria Huang, “But we understand that one size does not fit all―one size fits one―so we have been looking at inclusive design on a larger spectrum that focuses on ability, language, culture, gender, age and other forms of human experience.”

Late last year, OEA and ODIC laid out a four-step strategy to build an app for everyone:

• Receive more information on how people with disabilities access the FEMA app.
• Identify gaps in the FEMA app for people with disabilities.
• Identify how the FEMA app can be improved for people with disabilities.
• Conduct listening sessions, 1:1 sessions and beta testing with disability stakeholders.

Asking stakeholders questions like “When it comes to accessibility, what are some barriers that you’ve come across on mobile applications?” has helped the team improve usability and performance, interactive design, visual design and context understanding. While there is still more work to be done, the latest version of the FEMA app is more user-friendly and accessible.

Updates include making the app:

• Screen reader compatible on iOS (11.0 and later) and Android (5.0) devices.
• Designed to fit a wider variety of screen sizes making it easier for users to interact with it on their preferred device.
• Available in English and Spanish.
• Follow federal accessibility requirements.
• Compatible with screen reader technology (Voice Over / TalkBack).
• Includes inclusive design principles such as consistent user interfaces, plain language and alternative text (alt text) descriptions.

“FEMA is committed to providing families with the tools and information they need to keep themselves and their loved ones safe from disasters. By advancing our mobile app technology, we are better helping communities plan, protect and recover from disasters through clear, effective and relatable communication,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

Encourage everyone you know to download the FEMA app and share information on the accessibility upgrades for people with disabilities in our communities!

FEMA Disability Coordinator and Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Director Sherman Gillums Jr. shares how FEMA continues to improve how the agency uses guidance from the Americans with Disabilities Act to help survivors before, during and after disasters: 

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed on July 26, 1990, it shaped the course of my life. Barriers, which I would have had to face when I attended graduate school, traveled, or simply moved about my community, were removed.

My career was no exception. Being competitive in the workplace starts with having the opportunity to keep pace with expectations. I knew, as long as I had reasonable accommodations, I could exceed expectations; I could make my situation less about disability and more about my ability to succeed.

I was able to take advantage of the improvements the ADA presented, but I recognize that there is still a lot of work to be done, especially in the emergency management field. As the Disability Coordinator and Office of Disability Integration and Coordination director at FEMA, I am guided by the ADA to improve policies, procedures, operation and support for disaster survivors with disabilities.

The Office of Disability Integration and Coordination is the hub for this work at FEMA. We focus on ensuring the equity and inclusion of people with disabilities into all aspects of disaster preparedness and emergency management.

Here are five ways we are using the guidelines presented in the ADA to improve the way we do things at FEMA.

1. We work closely with our partners. 

We work with our state, local, Tribal and territorial partners to integrate the needs of people with disabilities into FEMA policies, programs and services. 

It’s important that equitable programs not only exist, but that all people have the same access to them. This means getting involved at every level of government and community during all phases of emergency management.

2. We build community resilience. 

One of the biggest ways ADA helps to shape our efforts is by addressing one of the most glaring vulnerabilities a community faces during a disaster: structural barriers to people with access and functional needs. An accessible community that is ADA compliant before it is affected by a disaster has a much greater chance of restoring all lives to normalcy afterwards. 

We use ADA accessible design standards to help make communities more resilient.

3. We continue to assess our efforts.

FEMA assesses the performance of its work by the length of the disaster cycle for people with disabilities and older adults. To accomplish this, we look at 14 potential points along the disaster cycle where inequities may occur. These points begin with the critical step of including people with disabilities in emergency planning and exercises and end with a return to pre-disaster life, work and recreation. We all benefit by designing preparedness plans that are inclusive of people with disabilities. 

4. We improve our resources. 

Guided by ADA effective communication standards, we continue to upgrade the FEMA app to be more accessible. The app is:

• Screen reader compatible on iOS (11.0 and later) and Android (5.0) devices.
• Available in English and Spanish.
• Built to make it easier to implement new technology and features in the future.
• Written using plain language and structured to be easy to use.
• Follows federal accessibility requirements.

5. We look inward. 

We’ve made strides to improve our own capabilities here at FEMA. This in turn helps us to improve how FEMA staff interacts with survivors. For example, we educate our Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams on disability cultural competency when canvassing neighborhoods and engaging people and families.

Recently, we updated the National Response Coordination Center to increase accessibility for the FEMA workforce and federal partners. This center is critical to national security and supports response efforts to major disasters, emergencies and catastrophic incidents. Representatives from federal, state, Tribal, territorial and many other organizations use the center when it is activated to coordinate our response efforts.

Some of the improvements to the center include:

• Updated bathrooms and pantries with touchless paper towels, soap dispensers and automatic water faucets.
• Repositioning the accessible restroom stall from the back of the restroom to the first position.
• A kitchen with a quench machine (easy access to filtered water), garbage disposal switch underneath the sink and new cabinets to accommodate an accessible microwave.
• Addition of a second ramp to access the media studio.
• A new hearing-assisted system for employees who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

Our work at FEMA and in the larger emergency management community to be fully inclusive is ever expanding, but today we celebrate that the ADA makes continued progress possible.

For more information about the Office of Disability and Integration, visit FEMA.gov.

On July 25, FEMA hosted a national summit on “Disaster Preparedness and Older Adults: A Conversation with Partners and Stakeholders.” FEMA and national partners convened at the Region 3 office in Philadelphia to learn about the unique challenges and untapped resources within the older adults and caregivers’ community in preparing for, responding to and recovering from disasters.

Providing a holistic perspective on the experiences of older adults in disaster, the summit featured distinguished panel presentations by FEMA and partner organizations, including:

• Administration for Community Living, Region 2
• Alzheimer’s Association
• Baltimore Police Department
• FEMA Office of Disability Integration and Coordination
• FEMA Ready Campaign
• Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers

Panelists and participants highlighted important considerations for emergency managers assisting older adults in a disaster setting and offered creative solutions for reducing fear and increasing resources in disaster preparedness and response activities. According to the National Council on Aging, older adults are disproportionately vulnerable to a disaster’s immediate and long-term effects.

Among the unique circumstances older adults face that may be exacerbated in a disaster setting are:

• ​​​Medical conditions that impact physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities to care for oneself.
• Dependence on caregivers and medical needs which may become fragmented during disasters.
• Reduced agility and mobility.
• Cognitive impairments that impact the ability to assess risks, plan responses, and execute protective behaviors.

These circumstances require that the needs of older adults and their caregivers be considered well before a disaster strikes and in all emergency response and recovery processes.

In line with the principles and practices contained in FEMA’s “Guide to Community Engagement,” the summit was a collaborative platform for innovation, relationship-building and reciprocal dialogue, to ensure that the needs and circumstances of older adults remain a priority in disaster preparedness efforts.

This summit is one of many local roundtable discussions held by FEMA regions over the past year to advance FEMA’s goal of engaging with vulnerable and underserved communities to improve response and recovery. The focus on older adults will continue to be a priority for FEMA and is the theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month in September. Stay tuned for additional resources and messaging on older adults and disaster preparedness by visiting Older Adults | Ready.gov.

Have you wondered what it takes to be a senior leader at FEMA? Do you have leadership aspirations of your own? Would you like the opportunity to ask questions of a FEMA senior executive in a small setting? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, how about (virtual) lunch?

Sponsored by the Office of Equal Rights (OER), Lunch with a Leader is an opportunity to engage directly with FEMA executives in an informal setting, to learn about the great work being done throughout our organization, and to engage with colleagues.

Each virtual lunch is limited to a small group of employees, to encourage open dialogue. To accommodate as many employees as possible, OER may limit your participation to just one session.

To RSVP, email FEMA-EqualRights@fema.dhs.gov. Please indicate which session you would like to join. Please only email once – we will get back to you IF you are confirmed.

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please include your RA request with your RSVP. The meeting information will be provided if you are confirmed.

Please note, reservist in a non-deployed status will not be compensated for participation.

The FEMA Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Division within the Office of Chief Counsel will host the second of three sessions in its Lunch and Learn Café Series.

This series is intended to help FEMA employees learn skills and tools to help build individual and team readiness and resiliency as well as address some of the obstacles that might impede readiness and resilience. A ready workforce is crucial to fulfill the agency’s mission of helping people before, during and after disasters.

Strategies for Developing Team Resilience: A Ready Team is a Collaborative Team

A ready and resilient team is collaborative and encompasses the FEMA core values. Building on the last Lunch and Learn, which focused on individual resilience, come learn some techniques to support a healthy collaborative work environment to build team resilience. This webinar will include information on how to make the best use of feedback, how to disagree without being adversarial, and how to enhance team relationships by learning to give and accept appreciation.

• Wednesday, August 23, 2023
• 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• You can join via Zoom using meeting ID 160 303 6177 and passcode 08232023.

Episode 119: Supporting Employee Mental Health to Ensure a Strong and Resilient Workforce

Disasters are devastating on multiple levels. Every year, our communities are affected by disasters which disrupt the mental health and wellbeing of millions of Americans. While the psychological effects of disasters on survivors and communities is well documented, the effects on responders can be dramatic. First responders, state and local officials, FEMA and other federal agencies work tirelessly in the aftermath of natural or manmade disasters to support survivors. This work often goes on for weeks, months, and sometimes years. For FEMA, supporting our employees' mental health is critical to creating a strong and resilient workforce. On this episode, we focus on the many ways we are supporting our employees through the stresses of our work as emergency managers. Click to listen to the episode. 

WorkLife4You is a voluntary and confidential employee benefit available to eligible federal employees at no cost. WorkLife4You has tailored tools and guidance to help. You can contact them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for expert support and resources for:

• Organization ideas
• Home improvement services
• Education resources
• Time management tips
• And much more!

Join this month's live webinar to learn strategies to successfully manage your work and personal responsibilities. "Managing Work and Life" will explore causes of work-life stress, ways to assess goals and priorities, and tips for managing personal and professional responsibilities.

• Tuesday, August 15, 2023
• 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EST)
• To register, go to WorkLife4You.com. Once logged in, from the homepage scroll down and look for the Live Webinar tile. Space is limited, so register today. (Registration Code: FEMA)

WorkLife4You August Campaign: Get Organized

Being organized can turn your day from one of chaos to one of focus, effectiveness, and calm. While there are many strategies and tools you might use, here are a few key behaviors that many organized people share:

1. Create a place for everything.

For everything that you own, designate its storage location. Then simply put things back where they belong when you are done using them. It sounds simple, but it takes practice to get this habit down.

2. Do not procrastinate. 

Procrastination is the enemy of organization, and it causes your system to fall apart. Take a few seconds to put information, tasks, appointments, and other things where they belong as soon as you become aware they are out of place. At first you may need to make a very conscious effort to take immediate action until this becomes your routine.

3. Eliminate, often. 

The less you need to organize, the easier it is to maintain your system. Less clutter (whether physical or informational) makes it easier to identify and focus on your priorities. Schedule time regularly to review whether formerly important things are still relevant and get rid of them as needed.

4. Review every morning. 

Make it a habit to review your task list and calendar every morning for 20 minutes (set a timer), so you are clear on your commitments, priorities, and timeframes and have what you need to achieve them. Move things to the appropriate folder/list/task, and so on. Then get out and start doing.

5. Maintain your system.

The behavior is not just getting organized—it’s about staying organized. If a system is too complicated, chances are you won’t use it. Keep it simple — if possible, even fun — and you will be more likely to stick to it!

WorkLife4You can research organization ideas, identify home improvement services, find education resources, and recommend time management tips.

What is Peer Support?

Peer Support volunteers receive training and guidance from FEMA licensed mental health professionals. They serve a valuable role as “just in time” mental health support for the FEMA workforce. They are required to check in with their designated FEMA mental health professional to ensure that they are continuing to exercise their training and skills with guidance and mentorship for any questions or concerns they might have about their contacts. 

Pride FERG Announcement

The intent of the LGBTQIA+ Deployment Toolkit is for every employee to feel prepared, safe, and empowered at every deployment. By providing information and resources on LGBTQIA+ experiences in the field, we hope to build on your existing preparedness and to connect you with community wherever you deploy. The Toolkit covers medical resources, life in the field tips, self-care and entertainment recommendations, and LGBTQIA+ healthcare and business directories. It was built by community members and contains a mix of FEMA and external resources. It is non-comprehensive and will continue to be updated on an ongoing basis.

Disaster Resilience Month

To celebrate Disaster Resilience Month, Administrator Criswell will travel across the country to highlight community mitigation projects nationwide throughout August.

The agency will announce the final project selections for fiscal year 2022 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities and Flood Mitigation Assistance annual grant programs, along with funding allotments for the 2023 funding cycle for both programs. In total, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided $7 billion available for FEMA to help communities build resilience and reduce disaster loss and suffering, including $900 million last funding cycle.

FEMA will also announce the preliminary Community Disaster Resilience Zone designations so federal financial support can target resilience projects that will help communities reduce the impact of climate change and other natural hazards. FEMA regions will host local events highlighting the importance of climate resilience.

Black Business Month 

Black Business Month is celebrated in August — it’s a time to acknowledge and appreciate black-owned businesses across the nation and all that they represent in the country’s continual striving for diversity and equality.

When we celebrate the contribution of black business owners and entrepreneurs, it pays homage to them and their legacies, especially since celebrating this month recognizes the importance of black-owned businesses when it comes to contributing to the nation’s economy as well. 

BLACK BUSINESS MONTH -August 2023 - National Today

August 4 - Coast Guard Day

Coast Guard Day is held every August 4 to commemorate the founding of the United States Coast Guard as the Revenue Marine on August 4, 1790, by then-Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton.

CoastGuardDay (defense.gov)

August 6 - Hiroshima Day

Every year on 6th August, the world observes Hiroshima Day, a solemn occasion dedicated to raising awareness about the horrific consequences of atomic bomb blasts and advocating for peace politics.

On this very day in 1945, during World War II, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a Japanese city. The catastrophic explosion was of unprecedented magnitude, obliterating 90 percent of the city and resulting in the tragic loss of thousands of lives.

HIROSHIMA DAY - August 6, 2023 - National Today

August 7 - Purple Heart Day

Purple Heart Day, on August 7th, commemorates the creation of the oldest American military decoration for military merit. General George Washington created the Badge of Merit in 1782. Washington intended the honor to be presented to soldiers for “any singularly meritorious action.” Until 1944, the Purple Heart recognized service members’ commendable actions as well. Then in 1944, the requirements limited the award to only those wounded or killed in combat.

PURPLE HEART DAY - August 7 - National Day Calendar

August 9 - International Day of the World's Indigenous People

Each year on August 9, people around the globe observe International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Furthermore, people gather on this day to bring awareness to world issues concerning indigenous people, respectively. In addition, this day also recognizes the achievements and contributions of indigenous people in our society.

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People first began by the introduction of a UN Resolution. With intentions to raise awareness about indigenous groups, UN Resolution 49/214 became a reality on December 23, 1994. As a result, August 9 will forever be a reminder of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE - August 9 - National Day Calendar

August 12 - International Youth Day

International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August, bringing youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrating the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.

The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by the young people who were gathered in Vienna, Austria, for the first session of the World Youth Forum of the United Nations System. The Forum recommended that an International Youth Day be declared, especially for fund-raising and promotional purposes, to support the United Nations Youth Fund in partnership with youth organizations.

International Youth Day - Background | United Nations

August 14 - Navajo Code Talkers Day

Navajo Code Talkers Day, celebrated every year on August 14, is a day that holds great importance in the history of the U.S. This is because the day recognizes the contributions of Navajo marines during World War II. Navajo marines encoded and transmitted messages using a complex Navajo language-based code during a time when secret communication was essential to win a war. Ultimately, the code was never broken by Japanese forces in the Pacific and proved to be of great assistance to the U.S. Marines. On this day, celebrate the great American heroes and their service to the nation.

NAVAJO CODE TALKERS DAY - August 14, 2023 - National Today

August 21 - National Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism

On August 21st, International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism honors the lives changed forever by acts of terrorism.

Victims of terrorism often feel neglected and forgotten when the aftermath of a terrorist attack fades. These victims struggle for their voices to be heard and their rights to be upheld. Many of them need financial, physical, and psychological help. Some of them lose loved ones. These terrorist attack victims frequently do not have the resources to recover fully.

NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AND TRIBUTE TO THE VICTIMS OF TERRORISM - August 21 - National Day Calendar

August 22 - International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief

This day is a United Nations-sponsored annual awareness day that takes place on 22 August as part of the UN's efforts to support Human Rights Related to Freedom of Religion or Belief. It was first introduced in 2019. International law rejects any attempt to call on either religion or belief, or freedom of religion or belief, as justification for the destruction of the rights and freedoms of others.

INTERNATIONAL DAY COMMEMORATING THE VICTIMS OF ACTS OF VIOLENCE BASED ON RELIGION OR BELIEF - August 22 - National Day Calendar

August 23 - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

Slavery Remembrance Day, or International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, is observed on August 23 all over the world. The day was chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade. Slavery Remembrance Day is not just about remembering the horrors of slavery and honoring its victims; it is also about working to ensure the system of racism that caused slavery is abolished completely in today’s world.

SLAVERY REMEMBRANCE DAY - August 23, 2023 - National Today

August 26 - Women's Equality Day

Since 1971, Women’s Equality Day has been celebrated annually on August 26. The celebration falls on the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment which granted women the right to vote. On August 26th, 1970, Betty Friedan and the National Organization for Women organized a nationwide Women’s Strike for Equality. Women across the political spectrum joined together to demand equal opportunities in employment and education, as well as 24-hour childcare centers. This was the largest protest for gender equality in United States history. In 1971, Representative Bella Abzug (D-NY) introduced a successful bill designating August 26th of each year as Women’s Equality Day. Part of the bill reads that Women’s Equality Day is a symbol of women’s continued fight for equal rights and that the United States commends and supports them.

Women's Equality Day | National Women's History Museum (womenshistory.org)

The ORR Core Values Team appreciates your participation and feedback. We want our content to be concise, interesting, and useful.

Please send your comments, ideas, and content to the ORR Core Values Team inbox at: FEMA-ORR-CoreValues-Team@fema.dhs.gov.