DEI&B Updates for February

Month-Long Observances:

  • Black History Month

  • American Heart Month

  • Library Lovers Month

  • Senior Independence Month


Religious or Cultural Observances:

  • Imbolc, 2/1-2/2, Wiccan/Celtic

  • Valentines Day, 2/14, Secular/Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Christian

  • Parinirvana/Nirvana Day, 2/15, Buddhist

  • Maha Shivaratri, 2/15, Hindu

  • Ramadan, 2/17-3/19, Muslim

Dates of Significance:

  • National Freedom Day, 2/1

  • World Hijab Day, 2/1

  • Rosa Parks Day 2/4

  • National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, 2/7

  • International Epilepsy Day, 2/9

  • International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 2/11

  • International Childhood Cancer Day, 2/15

 

Library Resources: 

Print books:

  • The 1619 Project: A New American Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones

  • A Black Women’s History of the United States by Diana Ramey Berry & Kali Nicole Gross

  • Four Hundred Souls by Ibram X. Kendi & Keisha N. Blain

  • Living with 2020 Vision: The Mental Health Awakening in the Black Community by Tiara Johnson

  • The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae

  • The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers

  • How to be Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

e-books:

EVENTS

Dine-Out NECO – A CommUnity Engagement Committee Event

Please join us for our first CommUnity Engagement Committee event of the year! We invite NECO faculty and staff to join us for lunch during Dine-Out Boston’s 2026 event. 

Lunch will be on February 26. We will plan to meet at noon to walk together to Joe’s on Newbury and enjoy a meal in community. Please indicate whether you will be able to join us by RSVPing here. 


First Annual Staff Retreat

Mark your calendars! On Thursday, March 12, from 12:00–5:15PM, NECO will host its first annual Staff Retreat, an afternoon dedicated to connection, learning, and growth for our staff community. The retreat will feature a shared lunch, opportunities for cross-campus connection, and interactive sessions focused on professional development. 

This new initiative reflects our continued commitment to supporting staff through meaningful learning experiences that strengthen our community. More details and registration information will be shared soon!

DEI&B ANNOUNCEMENTS

We’re excited to share that NECO’s newly reimagined CommUnity Engagement Committee (formerly the Employee Engagement Committee), is back and ready to connect! This enthusiastic group is dedicated to planning and meaningful activities and events for our faculty and staff – creating spaces where we can strengthen connections, explore new interests together, and nurture our relationships across the college. 

If you’d like to get involved, or have ideas for ways we can come together, please reach out to any or all committee members: Simone Jadczak, Elizabeth Perreault, Ryan Hamelin, Rich Kelley. We’d love to hear from you!