Highland Park Human Relations Commission

06/17/2025

In June we celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month, which recognizes the many contributions to the United States by people with roots in the countries of the Caribbean subregion of the Americas.

For more information on Caribbean American Heritage Month, please see:

https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/caribbean-american-heritage-month #:~:text=Every%20June%2C%20we%20celebrate%20Caribbean,Caribbean%20subregion%20of%20the%20Americas.

A collection of learning resources, including suggested reading, videos, exhibits, and more, connected to Caribbean American Heritage Month.

05/06/2025

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. During this time, we celebrate the culture, history, and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.

AAPI Heritage Month first received federal recognition in 1978 from then-President Jimmy Carter. That year, he signed a proclamation first introduced to Congress by Representative Frank Horton of Rochester, New York to establish Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week to take place in early May.

Representative Horton credited Jeanie Jew with the original idea for the resolution. She approached Horton after being disappointed that AAPI communities had been largely ignored during the nation’s bicentennial celebrations in 1976. She was also inspired by the memory of her grandfather, who was one of the laborers working on the transcontinental railroad before he was tragically killed in an act of anti-Chinese violence.

In fact, the reason the month of May was chosen was to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, in recognition of the Chinese immigrants who made up a majority of laborers completing the work on the project. In addition, it commemorates the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant to the United States on May 7, 1843.

Later, the week-long celebration established by President Carter was extended to last for the entire month of May in 1990. In 1992, Congress passed a law that officially designated an annual celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May.

AAPI Heritage Month celebrates communities with roots throughout the Asia-Pacific region, encompassing the entirety of the Asian continent, as well as the countries and territories that make up the Pacific Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Coming from such a wide geographical area, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has a rich and varied history and culture to learn more about all month long.

Source:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month

05/01/2025

May is Jewish American Heritage Month, a great opportunity to celebrate the important contributions Jewish Americans have made to America since the first group of Jews arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654.

The United States has many heritage months that celebrate the various communities that form the mosaic of our country, including Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and more. By celebrating heritage months, we learn about one another, we honor the richness of our diverse nation, and we strengthen the fabric of American society.

Jewish American Heritage Month originated in 1980 when Congress passed a resolution, which authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating April 21-28, 1980 as Jewish Heritage Week. Following a series of annual presidential proclamations designating a week in April or May of each year as Jewish Heritage Week, President George W. Bush proclaimed May as Jewish American Heritage Month on April 20, 2006.

The proclamation began with efforts by the Jewish Museum of Florida and South Florida Jewish community leaders that resulted in resolutions introduced by Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. These resolutions urged the president to proclaim a month that would recognize the rich history of Jews in America and the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American society. The resolutions passed unanimously, first in the House of Representatives in December 2005 and in the Senate in February 2006.

Since 2007, Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden have all issued proclamations for Jewish American Heritage Month, which celebrate Jewish Americans and encourage all Americans to learn more about Jewish heritage and contributions to the United States.

Over the past 371 years, Jewish Americans have given to their communities and this nation as loyal and patriotic citizens, always grateful for the safe harbor that America provided for them. Jewish Americans have served in government and the military, have won Nobel prizes, headed universities and corporations, advanced medicine, created and performed in enduring works of performing and visual art, written great American novels, and become emblems of justice as members of the Supreme Court, and so much more. Perhaps most importantly, American Jews have always pushed America to live up to its promise as a nation that upholds freedom and justice for all.

Source:
https://www.ajc.org/news/what-is-jewish-american-heritage-month

See also these Federal Government resources:
https://www.jewishheritagemonth.gov/

Image source:
https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/jewish-american-heritage-month

04/29/2025

April is Arab American Heritage Month! This celebration honors Arab Americans’ achievements throughout the past and present, in addition to serving as a time to challenge Anti-Arab stereotypes and prejudices.

First celebrated in 2017 as an initiative that only involved a few states and cities, Arab American Heritage Month first gained national recognition in April 2021, when then-President Biden became the first U.S. president to issue a proclamation making the celebration official.

The Arab American community, which today numbers roughly 3.7 million people, has deep historical roots. The first known Arab immigrants arrived in 1527, before the United States was even its own country, and there have been several waves of immigration into the United States since then.

For more information on this celebration, please see: https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/subjects/social-studies/arab-american-heritage-month

04/23/2025

The Highland Park Human Relations Commission has learned that Middlesex College will present one of the last living survivors of the Auschwitz death camp, at a free event tomorrow afternoon. Hear firsthand from Michael Bornstein about his extraordinary survival against unimaginable odds and how this childhood trauma has impacted his life and career path.

In a time of increasing antisemitism and hate, we need to make sure that the horrors of the Holocaust are not repeated. This is a unique opportunity for the entire community to directly engage with history.

Date: Thursday, April 24th
Time: 2-3pm with a book signing to follow.
Location: West Hall, Middlesex College Campus

Please Register In Advance: tinyurl.com/HolocaustandHumanRights

01/07/2025

12/02/2024

Every December the Irving Primary School PTO partners with school admin for Operation Snowflake to provide gift cards to Irving School families in need. You can help sponsor a family with a donation of any amount. If interested, please visit the PTO donation page or send cash/checks to the main office by 12/19. Please contact Ms. Caminiti if you have any questions, or if your family is in need of a gift card donation.
https://sites.google.com/view/irvingschoolpto/donate?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0nu5MrE_zVVFGLqtirnnOj0KnRV_xg4B_RBZA3RBMr4IA8cQav0APOrn0_aem_oB9F4OHJeB9PzruLkHKIcg

12/02/2024

On Tuesday, December 3, starting at 4:00 PM in the Parkview Room of the West Hall at Middlesex College, you are invited to join the students of a Social Psychology (PSY 222-CEL) class, taught by Highland Park's own Nikki Mantarro-Gonzalez, as they host Edgar Aquino, a film director and Interfaith-RISE volunteer. Edgar will be screening his short, 15-minute film, Made in America, which tells the story of growing up in this country as undocumented individuals The film explores the challenges in finding employment, gaining an education, and, most importantly, achieve visibility and respect within the community. Following the screening, you’ll have the chance to participate in a Q&A led by Edgar and the students.

Throughout the semester, these students partnered with the incredible Interfaith RISE Recycled Wood Shop, an experience that profoundly influenced them. Recognizing the urgency of discussing the realities faced by undocumented individuals, the students unanimously decided to champion this important conversation.

The questions raised won’t be easy, but they will be essential. Now more than ever, as colleges—including in our state—receive countless calls and emails from students fearful about their future, this dialogue is vital.

Your voice and perspective are welcome as we come together to foster understanding, empathy, and solutions.

See flyer below for more details.

12/01/2024

🌟 Opportunity Alert! 🌟 Passionate about justice? Want to ignite change in your community? Take part in our No Hate in the Garden State Youth Competition for students grades 7-12. Connect with students across NJ around civil rights and elevate your leadership skills. Apply here: https://ow.ly/XHgq50Ug77w

12/01/2024

How do you know when something is a microaggression? And what are best practices for responding to a microaggression? Learn how to Recognize and Respond to Microaggressions at our upcoming training on December 3.

Register here: https://bit.ly/3YxVA6H.