Cultural Resources
Juneteenth was declared a U.S. federal in 2021 by President Joe Biden due to efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway, Pal Lee, and others Governor Baker signed June 19th as a state holiday in 2020. June 19th commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for enslaves African Americans in Texas.
What is Juneteenth and why do we celebrate it?
In June 1999, President Bill Clinton declared June in America as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in recognition to the Gay Liberation Movement. In 2011, President Barack Obama expanded the officially recognized Pride Month to include the whole of the LGBT community. In 2019, President Donald Trump recognized the celebration of LGBT Pride month in a Presidential Proclamation. After taking office in 2021, President Joe Biden recognized Pride Month and vowed to push for LGBT rights in the United States.
This month's Celebrations!
June 1st - June 30th (Boston City Hall Plaza) - Portraits of Pride
June 10 - Road of Rainbows 5K (Boston Common)
June 14 - Embrace Ideas Festival (Celebrate Juneteenth)
- Flag Day Dedham Flag Day Parade
June 16 - Roxbury Community College Block Party (Celebrate Juneteenth)
June 18 - Red Sox Celebrates Juneteenth (vs. Yankees)
June 19 - Explore the MFA (Free) - “Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina,”
June 28 - Eid al-Adha
Pride Celebrations in our Area
Boston Pride Kick-Off - June 1st (Boston City Hall Plaza)
Norwood Pride Picnic - June 1st (Norwood Town Common)
Braintree Pride - June 4th (Watson Park, Braintree)
Quincy Pride Festival - June 4th
Boston Pride Parade & Festival - June 10th (Boston)
Dedham - LGBTQ+ Pride Flag Raising Celebration - June 1st 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm at Dedham Town Hall
Join our equity learning community! Explore some of the books, articles, videos, and websites we have found valuable in building diversity, equity, and integration in Westwood.
Juneteenth
Video about Ms. Opal Lee on Juneteenth
Podcast Episode: The Daily: The History and Meaning of Juneteenth
Article: Juneteenth is now a national holiday. How did it come to pass?
Resources, information and ways to support LGBTQIA+ students:
- Care.org., which has Tips for Talking About Pride
- Trevor Project, an organization that supports LBGQT+ youth and families.
- GLAAD
- Greater Boston PFLAG
Books
All Different Now by, Angela Johnson
Juneteenth for Mazie by, Floyd Cooper
Picture books: 20 picture books to help you raise kind, tolerant kids
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Educators throughout the district have participated in courses and book studies to guide our work and thinking:
Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy by Gholdy Muhammad
Unconscious Bias In Schools: A Developmental Approach to Exploring Race and Racism by Tracey A. Benson and Sarah E. Fiarman
Education Across Borders: Immigration, Race, and Identity in the Classroom by Jalene Tamerat, Marie Lily Cerat, and Patrick Sylvain
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
We work with IDEAS: Initiatives for Developing Equity and Achievement for Students as a M.A.S.S.: Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and professional development partner for DEI.
Westwood works with MPDE: Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education to meet and recruit educators of color as prospective candidates for faculty and staff positions.
Places to go to celebrate with the family
- May 18 (5 - 9 PM)
LIBÈTE: CELEBRATING HAITIAN ART & COMMUNITY - Isabela Stewart Gardner Museum
- May 21 Haitian Flag Day Parade - Mattapan Square
- May 20 - AAPI Boston 5K
- May 22 (6:00 -8:30 PM) - The State of Race: AAPI Heritage Month – The Invisible Becoming Visible (In-person and Virtual) - Buy tickets
- MEMORIAL DAY - May 29 - Ceremonies & Fun Things to Do on Memorial Day Weekend in Boston
- PBS LEARNING MEDIA | Memorial Day | PBS KIDS
- May 30 - Red Sox Celebrates Jewish Heritage - Buy tickets
Walk The Boston Irish Heritage TrailDuring the 18th and 19th centuries, Boston’s free African American community led the nation in the movement to end slavery and achieve equal rights. Their houses of worship, homes, schools, and Underground Railroad sites make up Boston’s Black Heritage Trail. A virtual tour is also available through the National Park Service website.
The Diverse BookFinder is a comprehensive collection of children's picture books featuring Black and Indigenous people and People of Color (BIPOC) and includes trade books published since 2002.https://diversebookfinder.org/
The resources in this section are meant to be a guide, an introduction to something new, or deepen your understanding if you are interested in supporting educational equity."Education broadens our horizons and enables us to confront realities we'd never before anticipated."
Betsy DeVosIncorporating Asian American and Pacific Islander Experiences in the Early Grades
Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Your Classroom
Children's Books Celebrating Haitian Heritage
Jewish American Heritage Month: Children's Books
Women's History Month | PBS Kids - Video that explains the history of Women’s History Month
St. Patrick's Day | PBS Kids - Video that explains the history of St. Patrick's DayRamadan | PBS Learning Media - GBH
Moon’s Ramadan - This picture book captures the meaning of one of the world's most joyful and important celebrations.
Stories Celebrating Black HistoryThis Netflix series features celebrity readers sharing children’s books by Black authors to spark child-centered conversations about empathy, equity, and love.
Magic of Storytelling | Nat Geo Kids: Martin Luther King, Jr.This Disney video features ABC News cast members sharing the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a courageous civil rights leader who inspired millions of people.
The scholastic video explains the Lunar New Year to children and provides visual examples of traditions that celebrate the important holiday.
Students learn best when they are in school communities where their individual perspectives are valued."The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character: that is the goal of education."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
220 Nahatan Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500
Fax:781-326-8154
200 Nahatan Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.3301
Fax:781-461-8561
850 High Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.2336
Fax:781-326-2709
72 Deerfield Avenue
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.8504
Fax:781-320-0189
250 Downey Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.8386
Fax:781-329-7642
790 Gay Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.8424
Fax:781-326-2702
80 Martha Jones Road
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.6321
Fax:781-255-9277
549 Pond Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.7100
Fax:781-769-8046
200 Nahatan Street
Westwood, MA 02090
Phone:781-326-7500 ext.5113
Fax:781-461-9782