OEI Newsletter - October 2025
By Jess Dillard-Wright
Associate Dean of Equity & Inclusion
Elaine Marieb College of Nursing
Falling into October
October is the best time of year in Western Massachusetts by my estimation! The second half of Hispanic Heritage Month wraps up on Oct. 15. This month is also:
- LGBTQ+ History Month. Explore queer organizing in nursing through this article about the Gay Nurses Alliance.
- Filipino American History Month. Connect with the achievements of Philippine nurses via the Philippine Nurses Association of America, or delve into Catherine Ceniza Choy’s history of Filipino nurses in diaspora in Empire of Care.
October also brings three important day-long observances:
- World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10). Designed to raise awareness of and support for mental health.
- National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11). A day celebrating the queer joy of living authentically and out loud.
- Indigenous Peoples' Day (Oct. 13). A day of refusal and remembrance to honor the first peoples living in what is now the United States.
Upcoming Events
The 11th annual 2025 New England Minority Nurse Leadership Conference will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25, in downtown Springfield. EMCON is a platinum sponsor.
Be sure to check out the UMass Office of Equity and Inclusion events page for offerings honoring these dates and many others! The UMass Events Calendar also has much to offer.
Connect with EMCON OEI
Please reach out if I can assist support, brainstorm, or connect. jdillardwrig [at] umass [dot] edu (Email me) or feel free to drop by my office in Skinner Hall, rm. 130. You can also share your feedback through this form. And don’t forget— Community + Connection + Conversation meets every Monday from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom. All are welcome— simply email me for the Zoom link.