April seems to have more than its fair share of awareness-raising observances. I’ve already written about National Poetry Month, the Day of Silence, Global Youth Service Day, and Earth Day.
Coming up, we have:
- April 22-28: the Week of the Young Child, “an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) . . . to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
- April 22-28: Small Business Week, to “celebrate the accomplishments of small business owners and their employees and encourage the development of new small businesses.”
- April 23-29: TV Turnoff Week, “dedicated to the belief that we all have the power to determine the role that television plays in our own lives. Rather than waiting for others to make ‘better’ TV, we can turn it off and reclaim time for our families, our friends, and for ourselves.”
- April 26: the 15th annual Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, “designed to expand opportunities for girls and boys, expose them to what adults in their lives do during the work day, show them the value of their education, and give them an opportunity to share how they envision their future.”
- The entire month is also Cancer Control Month, “an opportunity to educate all Americans about cancer, to raise awareness about treatments, and to renew our commitment to fighting this deadly disease.” (The Cancer Blog, however, points out the irony in President Bush proclaiming this month after he cut millions from the National Cancer Institute budget.)
There are probably a few others I’ve missed.
While there’s some justification for saying these celebrations are merely lip-service—shouldn’t every day be the day of the young child?—I do think they have value as long as we use them as jumping-off points and not as ends unto themselves. I also think any observance that focuses on a specific, visible action, like the Day of Silence or Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day, stands a better chance of raising awareness and driving change than the ones that are more free-form about their activities.
It’s too much for anyone to observe all of these occasions, in any case. I urge you, however, to pick one about which you know little, and read up on it. Follow the links above, or Google the name to find more.