Quarterly Newsletter

Aug, Sept, Oct 2024

Hello!

We have some great news to share about the future of our meetings, so keep an eye out for those exciting changes! (And make sure to check out the expanded resources in the SharePoint page!) We have also added a Fun Corner that is new with this issue, so we hope you enjoy!

We are covering the months of August, September and October in this issue, stretching from the heat of summer to the first days of school and Autumn. Be sure to read to the end to stay up to date and reminded of all the ways we can share joy, hope, understanding and tolerance in this coming season!

DEI Advisory Council Updates

We're transforming our meetings!

The DEI Advisory Council is updating the way the DEI meetings are structured - The Co-Chairs have been working on planning a new strategy around restructuring monthly agendas and weekly meetings. We hope the new plans and agendas will help streamline the work, allow for necessary learning and processing opportunities, and provide a stable schedule that everyone can follow.

Stay tuned for updates!

Upcoming Orientations

DEI Co-Chair Edna Muhammad has joined the Orientation team! She has been leading the new DEI portion of the Agency's Orientation virtually, and will be coming to the Rhinebeck campus as Orientation transitions back to in-person sessions in September. We all wish her great success and look forward to seeing her continued impact on the newest members of Astor's community!

Learning Minute

Did you know? For the first time in history, there are 5 generations working together in the workplace all at once! Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen x-ers, Millennials and Gen Y-ers each have been shaped by the times and events they've lived through. Being sensitive to the different needs and learning styles of each generation in your workspace can foster a sense of belonging and job satisfaction.

DEI At Leadership Day

During this year's Leadership Day, we invited our leaders to share a few items about themselves in the form of "Share Cards" to illustrate and celebrate the diversity of our team. One of the topics shared was a book recommendation. We gathered the list and shared with all employees last month.

In The Community

This month, Katie Castell, ECCSI Coordinator and DEI Advisory Council Co-Chair, represented Astor at two community events:

The Brain and Body Coalition's BIPOC Kick Off

and

Mental Wealth in the BIPOC Community: Addressing Disparities and Achieving Wellness

See the events section at the end of this newsletter for future opportunities to engage in your community.

If you are interested in becoming an Astor Ambassador to help table future events like this in your community, please reach out to Sarai Manuel!

The Fun Corner

New in this issue:

The DEI Advisory Council brings you: GAMES!

We have created a crossword puzzle and a word find for you! Take a break (when you can!) and de-stress while keeping your mind sharp.

Both puzzles are available for employees in the agency Sharepoint page, but you can find the word find puzzle here below!

Your DEI Advisory Council Co-Chairs

Carmen Torres

Family Advocate Supervisor HV

Edna Muhammad

CFTS Clinical Supervisor SYNC

Mollie Magarino

HR Coordinator

Kate Bagshaw

Chief Human Resources Officer

Katie Castell

Program Director-Home Based Services

Sarai Manuel

Chief of Strategic Initiatives and Development Officer

Upcoming DEI Training Opportunities

Internal Trainings -

Difficult Conversations about DEI

October 16, 2024 - 11am

External Trainings -

Creating Anti-Racist Solutions: Planting Seeds of Justice

Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT (in-person symposium)

August 7, 2024 - 8:30am-4:30pm

Find more information on these and many other trainings in the link to the Training SharePoint page below!

Contact Briana Johannesen with any questions

Awareness and Heritage Days/Months

August 2024

National Black Business Month

Transgender History Month

Aug 4 - International Day of People of African Descent

Aug 9 - International Day of the World's Indigenous People

Aug 18 - Anniversary of the Ratification of the 19th Amendment

Aug 21 - National Senior Citizens Day

Aug 23 - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

Aug 26 - Women's Equality Day

Aug 28 - Anniversary of the March on Washington

Aug 28 - Emmett Till Day

September 2024

Self-Care Awareness Month

Suicide Prevention Month

Sep 5-11 - Suicide Prevention Week

Sept 12 - National Day of Encouragement

Sept 16-23 - Bisexual Awareness Week

Sept 16 - National Step-Parent Day

Sept 18 - National Equal Pay Day

Sept 19-25 - National Historical Black College/University (HBCU) Week

Sept 21 - International Day of Peace

Sept 23 - Celebrate Bisexuality Day/Bisexual Visibility Day

Sept 29 - National Women's Health and Fitness Day

Sept 15-Oct 15 - Latino Heritage Month

October 2024

Italian American Heritage and Culture Month

LGBTQIA+ History Month

Polish American Heritage Month

Filipino American History Month

German Heritage Month

Oct 4-5 - Yom Kippur

Oct 6 - National German American Day

Oct 10 - Indigenous People's Day

Oct 11 - International Day of the Girl

Oct 11 - National Coming Out Day

Oct 16 - International Pronouns Day

Oct 20-26 - Asexual Awareness Week

Oct 31 - Halloween

Oct 31-Nov 4 - Diwali

Upcoming Community Events

National Night Out

Aug 6

In most cities near you

Here we have included links to the events in Poughkeepsie and locations all over NYC.

National Night Out - Poughkeepsie

National Night Out - Locations in NYC

Latinx Wellness Event

September 21

The Family Partnership

Poughkeepsie - more info to come

Building Bridges Conference

Oct 18th

More Info to come...

Astor Team Hudson Valley

Astor Team Bronx

Out of the Darkness Walk

September 28

Program starts at 10:00am

Walkway Over the Hudson

Highland, NY and

September 22

Program starts at 10:45am

Lehman College

Bronx, NY

To join one of the Astor Teams, use the links to the left <---