SJSU Office of Diversity

🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride Month, Spartans! 🏳️‍🌈
At San Jose State University, Pride Month is more than a celebration—it is an opportunity to honor the history of the LGBTQ+ movement, to acknowledge the vital contributions of our LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff, and to recommit ourselves to creating a truly inclusive campus where all Spartans can thrive.

This year, we invite you to LEARN, ADVOCATE, and CELEBRATE with us.

🎓 Learn: Our Shared History and Ongoing Education
Did you know that the first known LGBTQ+ student group at SJSU, the "Gay Student Union," was formed in the early 1970s? This courageous act of self-organization laid the foundation for the thriving, diverse community we have today. Explore sjsu.edu/pride to learn about key milestones in our journey toward equity and inclusion, including the 1990s establishment of the PRIDE Center and the launch of our Sexuality Studies minor.

✊ Advocate: Take Action for Inclusion
Visit the PRIDE Center: A hub for student support, programming, and advocacy. sjsu.edu/pride

Explore Academic Programs: Consider the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) minor or a variety of LGBTQ+ history and theory courses. https://www.sjsu.edu/siss/Program/ba-wgss/index.php

Join Student Organizations: Get involved with groups like Q***r & Asian, QTIP (Q***rs Thoughtfully Interrupting Prejudice), oSTEM (Out in STEM), or El Proyecto Arco Iris (The Rainbow Project).

🎉 Celebrate: Pride in Community
Throughout June and the year, let's recognize the intersectional identities of our Spartan community. Together, we can build a campus where everyone's unique identity is respected, safe, and valued.

Let's make this Pride Month a moment to reflect and a promise for the future. You belong here.

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To all members of the San Jose State University community, today is a day of recognition for a very special group of people. Happy World Education Support Personnel Day!

While professors and lecturers are the visible faces in the classroom, a massive team works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our university running and ensure student success. World Education Support Personnel Day is a global event dedicated to celebrating these unsung heroes of education.

At SJSU, this includes thousands of dedicated staff across dozens of critical roles:

🍎 Advisors & Counselors: Guiding students on their academic journeys and career paths.

💻 IT Specialists: Keeping our tech infrastructure, classrooms, and online systems running 24/7.

📚 Librarians & Library Staff: Providing essential resources, research support, and quiet study spaces.

🛠️ Facilities & Custodial Teams: Maintaining our beautiful campus buildings, grounds, and ensuring a safe, clean environment.

📝 Administrative Professionals: Managing departments, scheduling, payroll, and all the essential paperwork.

..and so many more, from financial aid officers to laboratory technicians!

They are the backbone of SJSU. Without their dedication, expertise, and daily commitment, our mission to educate and empower students would not be possible.

Today, and every day, we say: THANK YOU!

Let's flood the comments with gratitude. Tag an SJSU support staff member who has made a difference in your experience!

Today we shine a spotlight on the SJSU Administrative Professionals who keep our university running every single day. From managing schedules and coordinating logistics to supporting students, faculty, and staff — your behind-the-scenes work makes everything possible.
You are the backbone of San José State. We see you, we appreciate you, and we celebrate you today and every day. Thank you. 💙💛


Created by Xavier Ward

Happy Earth Day, Spartans! 🌎♥️

Did you know that Earth Day was co-founded by our very own SJSU alumnus, Ga***rd Nelson ('39), back in 1970? This pivotal moment in history sparked a global movement for environmental awareness and action.

Support environmental research through a gift to the College of Science's Dean's Research Excellence Fund. Your gift to the Dean’s Excellence Fund directly supports hands-on research experiences that transform classroom learning into real-world discovery through our Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center in the SJSU Department of Meteorology & Climate Science and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories .

“The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens." - Bahá'u'lláh 🌎✨

Today, we recognize the first day of Ridván, the "Most Great Festival" of the Bahá’í Faith. This 12-day festival— also known as the "King of Festivals"—honors the moment in 1863 when Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, declared his mission in the Garden of Ridván (which means "Paradise") in Baghdad. It’s a powerful story of hope and transformation: a moment that began with a sentence of exile and banishment but became the spiritual "springtime" for humanity. 🌱

Here are three quick facts about these twelve days:
1️⃣ It commemorates the 12 days Baháʼu'lláh spent in the garden before being further exiled to Constantinople.
2️⃣ The 1st, 9th, and 12th days are major Holy Days when work and school are suspended.
3️⃣ This is also when Baháʼís worldwide elect their local, national, and international administrative councils.

We wish our Bahá’í Spartans a joyous celebration! 🌹🕊️

🕯️ Today we honor Yom HaShoah 🕯️

On Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), we remember the six million Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust, along with the millions of other victims of N**i persecution. This day is a time of reflection, remembrance, and education—honoring the resilience of survivors and ensuring that their stories are never forgotten.

As we pause to remember, we also reaffirm our commitment to standing against hatred, antisemitism, and injustice in all forms. At SJSU, we recognize the importance of learning from history to build a more inclusive, compassionate, and equitable future for all.

May we continue to remember, to educate, and to stand together. 🕊️

🌞 Happy Solar New Year! 🌞

Today, April 14, 2026, millions are celebrating a powerful "cosmic reset." As the Sun enters the sign of Aries (Mesha Rashi), we mark the beginning of the Solar New Year—a time of harvest, spiritual renewal, and vibrant cultural festivities. Here is how different communities are welcoming the new dawn:

♈ Mesha Sankranti
The foundational astronomical event. Across India, this marks the Sun’s transit into Aries. It’s a day for holy baths in sacred rivers, offering Surya Arghya (water) to the Sun God, and practicing charity (Daan) to invite prosperity for the year ahead.🌾 Vaisakhi: Sikh New YearIn Punjab and beyond, Vaisakhi is both a joyous harvest festival and a profound spiritual milestone. It commemorates the 1699 creation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh.
Traditions: Nagar Kirtan processions, energetic Bhangra and Giddha dances, and community Seva.
Greeting: "Vaisakhi Di Lakh Lakh Vadhaiyan!"

🥭 Puthandu: Tamil New Year
The first day of the month Chithirai in Tamil Nadu. Families start the year by viewing the "Kanni"—an auspicious tray of gold, fruits, and flowers.
Traditions: Drawing intricate Kolams and eating Mangai-pachadi, a dish blending six tastes to remind us that life is a beautiful mix of joy, sorrow, and surprise.
Greeting: "Puthandu Vazthukal!"

🎨 Pohela Boishakh: Bengali New Year
Celebrated with artistic fervor in West Bengal and Bangladesh. It’s a day of cultural pride and a fresh start for businesses.
Traditions: The vibrant Mangal Shobhajatra street processions and the opening of new accounting ledgers called Halkhata.
Greeting: "Shubho Noboborsho!"

Why the Solar New Year? ☀️Unlike the Lunar New Year, these festivals follow the sidereal solar calendar. It’s a universal moment of connection to the Earth’s cycles, signifying the end of winter and the arrival of abundance. How are you marking this new beginning? Share your traditions or and celebrations below! 👇

Wear pink. Take a stand. Make a difference! 💗

Every year, on the second Wednesday of April, we mark the International Day of Pink. This isn't just about wearing a bright color; it's a worldwide movement to unite against bullying, discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and transmisogyny.

This day started with a simple act of solidarity in Nova Scotia, when students stood up for a peer being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Today, that small gesture has grown into a powerful global message that everyone deserves to feel safe and respected just as they are.

Let’s continue creating a campus culture rooted in respect, empathy, and inclusion.

April is SWANA Heritage Month at SJSU! 🌙✨

We’re excited to kick off a month of celebration, community and culture with a full week of events highlighting Southwest Asian and North African voices and traditions.

Join us for our first featured event:
🍬 SWANA Sweet Treats
🗓 April 9
⏰ 11 AM to 1 PM

Stop by, connect with community and enjoy some delicious sweets as we celebrate together!

Stay tuned for more events throughout the month. You won’t want to miss what’s ahead. 💛