Celebrating and learning more about heritage or historical months/days.
Dear Campus Community,
On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, delivering profound news to more than 250,000 enslaved individuals. They were the last to learn of their freedom in the United States, more than two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Granger’s proclamation stated:
“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”
Juneteenth commemorates this pivotal moment, encapsulating the complex relationship African Americans have historically shared with the U.S. government. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation granting freedom, nearly three years passed before Union forces intervened to enforce it, as white plantation owners resisted acknowledging their former slaves’ liberty. This deep-seated distrust between black communities, the government and white power structures in America originates from a deeply traumatic history.
Juneteenth symbolizes both the fulfillment of a promise and a betrayal of unmet expectations. The Reconstruction Era initially brought political advancements, such as citizenship and voting rights through the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, which enabled African Americans to hold positions in state legislatures and Congress. However, these gains were short-lived. Following emancipation, initiatives like Special Field Order No. 15 provided land to thousands of Black families, offering hope during Reconstruction. Regrettably, President Johnson rescinded these promises, returning land to previous owners. By 1877, federal troops withdrew from Southern states, signaling the end of Reconstruction and the onset of discriminatory laws, extrajudicial violence, economic hardship and the emergence of the Ku Klux Klan.
It would take a century for African Americans to regain voting rights, and many decades more before witnessing the election of the first Black president of the United States. Despite enduring racism, adversity, and injustice inflicted in part by the very government that granted their freedom, African Americans have consistently overcome challenges to celebrate their heritage with resilience and joy.
Today, Juneteenth honors the progress made while reminding us of the ongoing journey toward justice, echoing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Last week, the CSU system celebrated Juneteenth, which brought together hundreds of staff, faculty and students in Sacramento for music, academic reflections and community fellowship. Join me now in extending warm wishes to our fellow Warriors for a Happy Juneteenth, celebrating Black history, resilience and the relentless pursuit of freedom.
During Pride Month, we celebrate the diversity of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) Warriors. The “+” allows us to hold space for the many sexual identities that are expanding and evolving, which may not specifically be mentioned here. As a campus community, we look forward to celebrating Pride during the fall semester in October, which is LGBTQ History Month. Still, I also wanted to take some time in June to acknowledge, celebrate and reflect on the struggles and triumphs of the LGBTQIA+ community and to share some information about how far we have come as a nation and how far we still have to go to ensure our queer community members in the United States feel seen, loved, valued and respected by everyone.
The first LGBTQ+ activist known to many is a formerly enslaved person, William Dorsey Swan, who described himself as a drag queen in the 1880s. He was arrested several times in Washington, D.C., as he fought for the right of members of the LGBTQ+ community to assemble.
In 1924, Henry Gerber founded the first gay rights organization in the United States. In 1950, Harry Hay formed the Mattachine Foundation (later the Mattachine Society) to also fight for gay rights in the U.S. But a few years later, the Lavender Scare brought homophobic ideologies into the open, resulting in many gay individuals losing government jobs and appointments.
In 1953, President Eisenhower passed Executive Order 10450, which banned homosexuals from working in the federal government. This law stayed in place until 1993 when the U.S. government moved to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rule, which allowed gay service members to serve as long as they didn’t disclose their sexual orientation.
Two years later, in 1955, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyons, the couple that would later make American history as the first same-sex couple to obtain a marriage license in the United States, formed the Daughters of Bilitis, the first lesbian rights organization in San Francisco.
The 60s and 70s were a critical time for gay and transgender activism as the Compton Cafeteria Riots in 1966 in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco, followed by the Stonewall Riots in 1969 in NYC, are both seen as pivotal for trans and gay liberation in the United States. The riots signified a rebellion against the constant police harassment the gay community faced across the nation.
In 1973, the American Psychiatric Association voted to remove homosexuality as a form of mental illness from its official list.
In 1977, Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician elected in California, became a member of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors. Eleven months later, in 1978, he was assassinated along with the city’s mayor, George Moscone. The first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights occurred a year later, on October 14, 1979.
In the 1980s and 90s, the AIDs epidemic disproportionately impacted the gay community, and the trauma, stigmatization and marginalization of those infected with the disease continues today.
In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act barred the U.S. government from any recognition of same-sex couples and their unions.
However, in 2004, Massachusetts became the first state to make same-sex marriage legal.
Four years later, in 2008, voters in California made same-sex marriage illegal. The fight for marriage equality would continue until June 26, 2015, when the Supreme Court made it illegal to ban same-sex marriage in the United States.
On October 28, 2009, Congress passed the Matthew Shepard Act, which makes any crime caused by a victim’s perceived gender, sexual orientation, identity or disability a federal hate crime.
In 2010, Congress repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and lifted the ban on openly gay individuals serving in the military.
On June 9, 2015, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced the Military Equal Opportunity Policy, allowing openly gay and lesbian military members to serve.
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that no U.S. state can ban same-sex marriage.
On June 24, 2016, President Obama designated the Stonewall National Monument (at the site of the Stonewall Uprising) as the first national monument to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.
On November 6, 2018, Jared Polis became the nation’s first openly gay man elected governor.
On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court extended federal law protection to LGBTQ workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
On February 2, 2021, Pete Buttigieg became the first openly gay member of the Cabinet, and on March 24, 2021, Rachel Levine became the first out transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate.
On June 21, 2021, Carl Bassib, a defensive lineman with the Las Vegas Raiders, became the first active NFL player to announce that he is gay.
On December 13, 2022, President Boden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which gives federal protections for interracial and same-sex couples.
This short review of the LGBTQIA+ community’s struggle for equality is by no means an encapsulation of the complete history of gay rights or struggles. Still, it offers a small window into some of the major events and developments significant to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Today, the tremendous legacy the LGBTQIA+ community gives us on activism, intersectionality and human rights serves as a model for the power of human resilience and personal conviction. Here at Stan State, belonging is a big part of our culture, and we want everyone to feel included and that they belong. Please join me in wishing our fellow LGBTQIA+ Warriors a Happy Pride Month.
During the month of May, we celebrate the rich cultural heritages of Asian Americans, Desi Americans and Pacific Islanders. Each of these groups of immigrants has played important roles in our nation’s development and history, and this month we reflect on the significant impact they have had on American life.
Asian-origin populations have historically been in the territory that would eventually become the United States since the 1500s, when a group of Filipino sailors landed with a Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Esperanza on the West Coast.
After this initial wave, more Filipinos arrived settling primarily in Louisiana and California. Filipino soldiers fought alongside Americans in the Battle of New Orleans and the Civil War.
After the Philippine-American War ended in 1902, the second wave of Filipinos came to the United States as U.S. nationals; many worked on farms as laborers. Filipinos were allowed to enlist in the U.S. Navy and many enlistees brought their wives with them from the Philippines. However, after the Philippines gained independence, the Philippine Independence Act of 1934 reclassified Filipinos as aliens under immigration law. Then, under the Luce-Cellar Act of 1946, the number of Filipinos allowed to emigrate to the U.S. was reduced to 100 per year. The 100 person quota was lifted in 1965, once again allowing Filipinos to emigrate to the United States. Today there are more than 4.5 million Filipino Americans living in the United States.
The Chinese arrived in the U.S. in large numbers on the West Coast in the 1850s and 1860s to work in the gold mines and railroads. But once the railroad was completed in 1869, Chinese Americans faced tremendous racism and prejudice. In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act; an absolute 10-year ban on Chinese laborers immigrating to the United States. For the first time, federal law named a specific ethnic working group as banned from entry in the U.S. The law also deeply impacted Chinese immigrants already living in the U.S. by creating a system of regulation and monitoring, with federal and state courts refusal to grant U.S. citizenship to Chinese immigrants already in the U.S. This practice of limiting immigration based on country of origin marked the beginning of the national origin legacy in U.S. immigration laws and continued until 1990 until congress passed the Immigration Act. Chinese Americans are the largest Asian group in the United States with over 5.4 million Chinese Americans living in the U.S. today.
Japanese and Korean immigrants began to arrive in the U.S. in 1890 and 1903 respectively and mostly lived in Hawaii working on plantations. Koreans migrated primarily through Christian missionary work and when the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese immigration, Korean immigration to the United States increased significantly. When plantation labor contracts expired most of the Korean immigrants moved to the West coast where they established self-employed businesses.
South Asians have also been in the United States for centuries with the first group of South Asians arriving between 1897 and 1924. These immigrants were primarily of Sikh farmers from Punjab, India, alongside some Bengali Muslims. Since then, we have seen immigrants migrate to the United States from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Pacific Islanders first migrated from Oceania to the United States in the last decade of the 18th century. These Native Hawaiians came on British ships as fur traders and arrived in the Pacific Northwest. They would go on to develop the agriculture, fishing and hunting sectors of the economy in that area and build the first infrastructure in the cities of Oregon. The native Hawaiians would be later joined by the Tahitians, Māoris and Samoans.
Significant Thai immigration to the United States began in the 1960s and was largely the result of a U.S. presence in Thailand during the Vietnam war. Most of these immigrants resided in Los Angeles and New York City. However, by the 1980s, most Thai immigrants in the United States lived in close proximity to American military bases. Today there are more than 300,000 Thai people living in the United States.
Vietnamese immigration to the U.S. started in the 1950s, but large scale immigration to the US started after the Vietnam war ended in 1975. South Vietnamese refugees with close ties to America or concern for retribution from the communist ruling party fled to the U.S. and settled primarily in California and Texas. Today there are more than 1.3 million Vietnamese people residing in the United States.
According to the Hmong American Center, “the Hmong migrated from Southern China in the 19th century to the mountainous areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.” During the Vietanam war, the Hmong people worked with the CIA to launch a “secret war” in Laos. The assistance given by the Hmong people to the United States costed them dearly, as the Hmong were directly targeted by the communist governments of Laos and Vietnam. According to the Homong American Center, “The Hmong were hunted down, taken to hard labor concentration camps and persecuted. Their villages were sprayed with chemical weapons and bombed with napalm. It is estimated that more than 10% (35,000) of the entire Hmong population in Laos died as a result of the war and its aftermath. Many who survived suffered physically, mentally and emotionally until this day.” Directly following the war, 1,000 Hmong individuals were brought to the United States and in the subsequent months an additional 30,000 Hmong people immigrated to the U.S. living primarily in Wisconsin, Minnesota and California. Today there are more than 350,000 Hmong people living in the United States.
Similar to Vietnamese and Hmong immigration patterns, Laotian refugees came to the U.S. after the Vietnam war, fleeing a communist government in Laos. A second wave of immigrants arrived in the 1980s and today the largest numbers of Laotian Americans live in California and Texas.
We outlined the various Asian immigrants to the United States to demonstrate the variety and richness of Asian American culture, history, background, language and knowledge. In California, Asian Americans represent the 3rd largest ethnic group in the State.
At Stan State we value our Asian students, staff, faculty, alumni and surrounding community. From Lunar New Year to Chuseok and Diwali, we embrace all of the diversity of our Asian Warriors at both our Turlock and Stockton campuses. I wish you a Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month.
Good evening fellow Warriors, and to our Muslim Warriors, I say, “Eid Mubarak!”
This evening marks the beginning of Eid-al-Fitr (the festival of Breaking the Fast), the culmination of Ramadan; a period of fasting and prayer for Muslims around the world. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, and it is a time when Muslims practice self-restraint and compassion as they aim to grow spiritually and deepen their connection with God. During this month, Muslims show gratitude to Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins while daily fasting from sunrise to sunset. Fasting for Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam as outlined in the Qur’an along with declaration of faith, prayer, almsgiving, and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
According to Islamic tradition, the first Eid was celebrated in Medina in 624 A.D., when the Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) marked the end of a month of fasting. Today, Muslims from around the world participate in this holy day, and here at Stan State we extend warm wishes to all of our Islamic communities as they break bread in Iftar dinners (breaking of fast with family and friends) and spend time with their loved ones whilst celebrating their faith.
It is our goal here at Stan State to encourage an inclusive environment that supports all of our campus community.
We are proud of our diversity, and we revel in the rich tapestry that is our campus community. Please join me in wishing Eid Mubarak to the members of our Muslim community on our two campuses in Turlock and Stockton and to the wider Central Valley at large.
Warmest regards,
Sacha Joseph-Mathews, Ph.D.
Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
April 1, 2024
Good day, fellow Warriors, and to our Assyrian community I say, “Reese Sheeta brikhta!” Today, we are commemorating and reflecting on two significant holidays that hold importance for our community.
On April 1 each year, we celebrate Akitu — an Assyrian holiday often referred to as Kha b’Nissan or Assyrian Day. This is a very important holiday for persons who identify as Assyrian, and it marks the beginning of the Assyrian New Year. Here at Stan State, we are pleased to recognize the importance of this day to our campus and the broader community, as Turlock is home to one of the largest Assyrian populations in the United States.
In Ancient times, the Akitu festival was celebrated for 12 days and marked the beginning of spring. Tens of thousands of people from all over the Assyrian Empire would travel to its capital city, Nineveh, to partake in the festival.
Now, there are Akitu parades and celebrations throughout the United States to commemorate Kha b’Nissan. The holiday symbolizes renewal, revival and a new beginning. We are proud of our diversity here at Stan State, and we revel in the rich tapestry that is our campus community.
As we celebrate the significance of Akitu, we also pause to acknowledge another important day, César Chávez Day. On this day, we celebrate César Chávez’s life of work and service. He was a crusader for social justice, a fighter for worker rights and a relentless voice for the unheard and the forgotten. His work in the Central Valley as the founder of the National Farm Workers Association brought attention to the economic injustices, racism and discrimination that was rampant on farms in the Central Valley and throughout California. But his activism also brought health care, financial services, job training and even daycare to farm workers, thereby transforming the lives of numerous generations to come. Today, we honor the impact of César Chávez not only on the LatinX community but also on all communities in the Central Valley and beyond, and we reflect on the work that lies ahead to build a brighter future for all of us.
To further commemorate and honor our Central Valley farm worker leaders César Chávez, Dolores Huerta and Larry Itliong, our campus will host the 29th annual Sí Se Puede celebration on April 11, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Student Center steps. This year's theme will be “Kapamilya: Honoring Filipino Farmworkers & Families.” The program will include a keynote address by Dr. Sara Cadalig and entertainment by Stan State alumna Liliana Hernandez, Balet Folklorico Los Luceros and a special debut by Mariachi de Stan State.
I hope many of you can join us for this celebration and commemoration on April 11. And today, please join me in wishing Reesh Shato Brikhto to the members of our Assyrian community here on campus and in Turlock at large.
Warmest regards,
Sacha Joseph-Mathews, Ph.D.
Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
March 1, 2024
Women’s History Month is a time when we contemplate and celebrate the history, contributions, struggles and activism of women. We explore all the ways women have enriched our lives, our experiences, our families and our organizations. We lean into woman and girl power to defy the status quo and we explore what femininity was, is and can be in future generations.
Throughout the history of the United States, women have fought for independence, equal access to education, healthcare, the right to vote, the right to control their bodies, their finances, their destinies — and we acknowledge that struggle continues. In 2024, there is still a gender pay gap, reproductive rights are in question and less than 10% of all C-suite positions are held by women.
For centuries, women played critical roles in industry, service, the arts, as innovators, entrepreneurs, scientists and explorers. Women have proven their equality in every aspect and fabric of society.
March is a month where we get to celebrate all that it means to be a woman. We pay tribute to the diversity of gender, identity and sexuality inherent in womanhood, and we acknowledge the myriad ways in which it is perceived and experienced within our campus community.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us recommit ourselves to fostering an inclusive environment where every woman, regardless of background or identity, can thrive. Together, let us honor the past, celebrate the present and pave the way for a future where gender equality is not merely an aspiration, but a lived reality for all.
Go, Warriors!
Sacha Joseph-Mathews, Ph.D.
Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Feb. 1, 2024
Today marks the beginning of the first week of Black History Month. Throughout this month, we will highlight both the sacrifices African Americans have made here in the US, as well as celebrate the amazing richness that Black heritage has added to our American tapestry and our campus community. This February, we will recognize African American accomplishments, whilst celebrating Black culture and history. We know that Black history is American history and commemorating the contributions of the Black community helps to make our community more vibrant. However, while February is the month dedicated to promoting awareness around Black heritage, it is critical that we acknowledge the importance of African American heritage throughout the year and not just in Black History Month.
As we celebrate Black History Month, we must also consider February as a time to reflect upon America’s complex history, including the impact of slavery —a moral stain that we still grapple with today through revisionist ideologies, institutionalized racism, systemic inequalities and historical trauma that is embedded in the DNA of millions of the descendants of slavery. But Black history isn’t only about the trauma of the middle passage and subsequent atrocities Black folk ensured. It is about resilience and pride, it is about the richness of Black culture and it is a celebration of a dynamic and innovative group of people. It is about understanding the role of the African diaspora in African American history and the influence of Black cultures from Africa, South America and the Caribbean on Black heritage today. It is an examination of the survival of Black communities even in the face of great adversity, and a reflection on the cost of such trauma on the human condition. Black History Month serves as a reminder of how far we have come and at the same time how much further we still have to go.
As Warriors, we know that diversity is built into our DNA, and belonging and inclusion are not just goals, but among our most treasured values. I encourage you to spend some time reading up on Black history this February and exploring the richness of Black American heritage. Join us as we celebrate Black history via several events both on the Stockton and Turlock campuses.
I will end with a quote from The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Our goal is to create a beloved community, and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives.”
I look forward to growing this beloved community with you as we celebrate all the heritage months.
Go, Warriors!
Sacha Joseph-Mathews, Ph.D.
Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Updated: June 21, 2024