Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and commemorates the revelation of the Qur’an. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. Through fasting, Muslims are drawn closer to God, while also cultivating gratitude and…
I’ve read or listened to about 65 books in 2023, and 17 of those were nonfiction. Most were either memoirs or books about American history. I generally gravitate towards stories about people with diverse backgrounds and experiences. I realized towards…
It has been a great year of reading fiction for me. I started reading romance books for the first time, which has provided some escapism. But after looking at the list of novels I’ve read in 2023, the ones that…
Organized in 1986, the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is recognized by the United Nations on December 2. It is estimated that 50 million people currently live in slavery, and it occurs in almost every country. According to…
November 1 marks the beginning of National Native American Heritage Month, a time to reflect on the significant contributions Native peoples have made and to celebrate the rich diversity of Native traditions. In the United States, there are 574 Indian…
Synopsis It’s 2017, and Olga and her brother, Pedro “Prieto” Acevedo, are bold-faced names in their hometown of New York. Prieto is a popular congressman representing their gentrifying Latinx neighborhood in Brooklyn, while Olga is a wedding planner for Manhattan’s…
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15) celebrates the cultures and histories of all Latin American countries. The observance began as a weeklong celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson. President Ronald Regan expanded to a monthlong commemoration in…
Synopsis We didn’t call the police right away. When Mia’s father doesn’t come home from a walk in the local nature reserve, she doesn’t think much of it. He must’ve turned off his phone. Or his battery died. Or he…
The 19th Amendment was ratified by Congress on August 18, 1920, and provides that the right of citizens of the United States shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex. It’s…
Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. Although President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, enslaved African Americans in Texas were not granted freedom until June 19, 1865. The…