At the Thursday, Jan. 9 meeting of the Greensboro City Council, the council members officially adopted the city’s “2025 Engagement Calendar,” which is a lineup of events and observances of special days designed to promote awareness, inclusivity and community spirit over the next 12 months.
Approved unanimously by the Council, the calendar is meant to reflect Greensboro’s commitment to equity and belonging.
The special days, weeks and months on the calendar do everything from honor civil rights legacies to celebrate certain cultural heritages. The following are some of the events highlighted in the 2025 engagement center adopted by the City Council.
City leaders are inviting everyone in Greensboro to participate in the upcoming events and be as engaged as possible in this way in 2025.
In the month of January, for instance, the themes will be “service and renewal.”
The calendar of events begins with Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20, which is meant to be a national day of service that encourages residents to roll up their sleeves and give back to the community.
Not long after that, from Wednesday, Jan. 29 to Sunday, Feb. 2, the city will celebrate the Lunar New Year – honoring Greensboro’s Montagnard community—the largest Montagnard group outside of Southeast Asia.
In February, the themes will be about resilience and care.
Black History Month will take center stage that month, spotlighting the contributions of African Americans throughout history.
On Friday, Feb. 21, the City of Greensboro will recognize National Caregivers Day. That day is meant to be a tribute to those who support some of the most vulnerable in the community.
March will be about empowerment – specifically as it pertains to women and workers.
Starting with National Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8, Greensboro will also acknowledge the contributions of its workforce on National Employee Appreciation Day, which actually falls one day earlier on March 7.
“National Employee Appreciation Day on the first Friday in March each year focuses attention on all employees and employers across the country. During this time, many organizations plan employee recognition and celebrations where employee achievements and contributions are acknowledged and honored.
April will be about awareness and heritage. The month is meant to shine a light on hidden disabilities and encouraging solidarity for those with non-visible challenges.
Meanwhile, Cambodian Heritage Month in April will highlight Greensboro’s diverse culture with opportunities to explore the traditions of Cambodian communities. The month concludes with “Take Our Children to Work Day” on April 24, which is meant to inspire kid’s by connecting them to real-world experiences.
This is an annual educational program celebrated across the US and Canada where parents and other adults can take children to work with them for a day. It’s the successor to Take Our Daughters to Work Day. In 2003, that day was expanded to include boys.
The month of May in Greensboro will be all about honoring diverse histories. In May 2025 in Greensboro, there will be celebrations from Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month to Jewish American Heritage Month – showcasing the collective achievements of those communities. Greensboro will also salute its senior citizens during May, which is Older Americans Month as well, and pay tribute to military families with National Military Appreciation Month.
When June rolls around, “Pride and Freedom,” will take center stage.
June kicks off LGBTQIA+ History Month, which will be used as a time to celebrate the milestones of the LGBTQIA+ community. City meeting materials state: “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Americans who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community have made important and lasting contributions to our nation in every field of endeavor. LGBTQIA+ History Month is a month-long annual observance celebrating the history of gay rights and related civil rights movements.”
June also, of course, includes Juneteenth on June 19, the newest national holiday. It commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.
In June, the city will also focus on Caribbean American Heritage Month, which celebrates the contributions of Caribbean immigrants.
July and August will be about independence and equality.
July 26 marks National Disability Independence Day, honoring the signing of the ADA Act in 1990. In August, Women’s Equality Day on August 26 commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote.
City Council meeting materials note, “Women’s Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This day commemorates the certification of the 19th Amendment ratified in 1920 to the US Constitution which officially and finally gave women more freedom through the right to vote.
Congresswoman Bella Abzug first introduced a proclamation for Women’s Equality Day in 1971. Since then, every president has published a proclamation recognizing August 26th as Women’s Equality Day.
Then, in the fall, come the themes or Hispanic heritage and pride.
From September 15 to October 15, Greensboro will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month – recognizing the diverse cultures within the Hispanic community. The city will also host Greensboro Pride as an acknowledgment of LGBTQIA+ contributions and community ties.
“Greensboro Pride,” city officials state, “is an opportunity to celebrate the many ties that the LGBTQIA+ community and their Allies have with people, organizations, businesses and groups… Each year pride events are held nationwide in cities, large and small. For some Americans, it is the only occasion where they can be out and proud in their community.”
In October, there will of course be Halloween; however, for the city’s themes of inclusion and wellness theme. October brings attention in Greensboro to National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 13). World Mental Health Day on October 10 will focus on wellness and self-care.
November highlights Native American Heritage Month and a Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.
The city will also observe International Men’s Day on November 19, celebrating positive male role models and overlooked issues affecting men.
December, the last month of the year, will be about rights and recognition.
The city’s year’s Calendar of Events concludes with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3. That day is meant to emphasize the rights and inclusion of those with disabilities.
International Human Rights Day on December 10, commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the final day on the city’s list for 2025
When is National Entrepreneur’s Month?
Or Small Business Owners Day?
National Entrepreneur’s Day, is celebrated annually on the third Tuesday in November!
Which includes a Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.
THE NUMBER OF CELEBRATIONS OF OUR DIVERSITY IS ASTOUNDING. WHERE IS THE CELEBRATION OF EQUALITY FOR ALL?
Thst would be civil rights day which is also MLK day.
DEI AND WOKE AGENDAS THROUGH OUT. TOO BAD THERE IS NOT A TAXPAYER APPRECIATION DAY HOW ABOUT BRING BACK LOOSE LEAF PICKUP IN NOVEMBER.
Glad they feel they are doing something. A DEI calendar doesn’t cut it. How about spending your time on tax reduction and removal of pet projects and waste?
What happened to July 4?
Used to be Independence Day. Now it’s become Govt Dependence Day, kinda like the farsically named “Independence Center” where they hover up your substance for their feel good bs! Works so well they are killing one another. Even UNC System gave up on DEI BS!
Seven homicides and 14 days… Good start to the year. We are constantly having a fatal traffic accidents in intersections that we should be traveling at 35 miles, and instead people are doing 70 and running lights. The children have three days off from school because can’t clear 3 inches of snow. Our taxes are some of the highest in the state our city Council busies themselves with the DEI calendar. Would it be possible to hire more police? I am surprised there’s no homeless appreciation day or is that every day.
Used to be Independence Day. Now it’s become Govt Dependence Day, kinda like the farsically named “Independence Center” where they hover up your substance for their feel good bs! Works so well they are killing one another. Even UNC System gave up on DEI BS!
How about a white appreciation month, all other groups get one, why don’t we???? Sounds kinda racist not to have one
I strongly agree.
That’s disgusting
Why?
Say you support White Nationalist without saying you support White Nationalists.
The idea of a black history month is to show support and appreciation for the decades of systemic racism that held the black community back and to shine a light on those that fought (and some gave their lives) for civil rights in this country. Are you suggesting a White Appreciation month because white people no longer hang black people from trees? Because white people no longer use the police to beat up people protesting for equal rights? Because white people no longer create dual standards for people of color to register to vote? Or that white people no longer enslave black people outside of prison populations?
But you be you
Chris, would you like to reword your first sentence: The idea of a black history month is to show support and appreciation for the decades of systemic racism… Really. Who knew.
There’s a group of council members who are focused on one thing. . . .race. Just keep our taxes low and stop the incessant targeting of people based on politics. If my wife would agree, we’d be out of here in a heartbeat.
Getting a day now is harder than setting up a password. Everything is already taken.
Words fail but I’ll try:
“Give the people what they think want and they’ll pay little attention to what they really need.”
How many Greensboro employees are paid to setup and administer these programs? I think we would be shocked to learn the answer to that question. There is only one event in the above calendar of events that should be celebrated by the city of Greensboro and all over, July 4. If other groups want to be celebrated, then do it on your own dime. All the alphabet groups common denominator is sex: Gays, Lesbians, Trans; Black History month and Juneteenth give recognition to the same tired, old names that have been mothballed since the year before; if I were American Indian, I don’t think I would want to share my November month with a Transgender Day, just saying. The point is our tax dollars should not be used to orchestrate an entire year of recognition to groups, regardless how worthy those groups may be.
AMEN BROTHER!
What we have here is “a whole lot of nuthin’. Everyone downtown feel better now?
What we need is for everyone to have a day. Eliza Doolittle got a day, why shouldn’t I?
What a waste of time and money. The City Council should spend staff time and their own advancing Greensboro and not every Tom, Dick, Harry and woke initiative. They forgot Chinese New Year, Columbus Day (If they even recognize Columbus anymore) St Patrick’s Day and myriad others. Many more of the year’s 365 days are available. How about an “If you are not otherwise mentioned” day? If I were a Greensboro resident I’d do my best to replace the City Council.