What can organizations get right as we approach Diwali?

As we approach the final quarter of the Calendar Year, organizations and staff members start to prepare for the Holidays. As organizations learn to shift larger cultural narratives around what “Holidays” even mean, the conversations are not perfect. However, I can sense that the intention to get “it” right is present.?

Growing up in an immigrant family, it wasn’t a big deal that our schools and parents’ work places didn’t know what Diwali was. I am also talking about the late 80s and early 90s. This was a time where our parents were working so hard to fit in and belong as Americans, they had to water down their own cultural and religious celebrations. Where it became common for my parents, aunts, and uncles to work during Diwali, we would end up celebrating Christmas because of the American Calendar Year. We had many years where we would go to school rather than observing Diwali with our communities or that it would be done after school or work hours to fit everything in. It’s so validating to see Diwali ads on social media, decorations sold at stores, and New York City recognizing it as a public school holiday. A lot has changed to now realize that it was a big deal that we didn’t get to observe Diwali as we should be able to.?

The way in which organizations are centering Equity around holidays to be inclusive and fair is refreshing. It isn’t perfect. But it is happening. So, I thought I could share with you from my perspective what you can do in your organizations as we approach Diwali this weekend.?

Diwali starts on Sunday, November 12, 2023 and it is common to say “Happy Diwali”. Simply wishing someone “Happy Diwali” next week at work can be transformative. You will be telling someone that although you may not understand the holiday, you “see” them. Let’s be real--not all Southeast Asians fully understand Christmas. I would know. When my husband (a white American) and I shared out first Holiday season togehter,11 years ago, I realized how much I didn’t know about Christmas. Despite having parents that didn't understand Christmas, my family still wished people “Merry Christmas”. The exchange of wishing someone to recognize a celebration is a humanizing experience.?

You probably will also want to know why people celebrate Diwali. With India being the most populated country in the world and Indians also being settled in countries beyond India, it could be safe to say that Diwali is the largest celebration in the world by a single population. From my experience, it always feels like an unfair burden to have to explain Diwali to the average citizen. It shouldn’t be laboring for those celebrating Diwali to also have to explain it. I really encourage you to look it up and research if you have Southeast Asian representation in your organizations. I encourage you to not add labor to your teammates or the mental load of having to explain it. Most of us will say “it is the festival of lights”. It’s our elevator pitch.

I continue to refer to those celebrating Diwali as Southeast Asians because the holiday isn’t monotonous across the region. Different religions and communities celebrate it differently. Hindus will celebrate Diwali differently from Sikhs, who also celebrate Bandi Chor Divas which honors our 6th Guru. Diwali unites the region while simultaneously exposing the diversity of the region.?

So what can organizations get right as we approach Diwali? Go ahead and wish your staff “Happy Diwali”, allow them to use it as a personal holiday, ask them how they plan to celebrate at home, and my favorite part of Diwali is sharing it without having the burden to explain it. I think it is crucial to invite your staff members to share a part of their holiday in the way that they want to. The Southeast Asiam community in the United States is starting to recognize how they want to celebrate Diwali. It will never be the same as celebrating in India where the entire nation is exploding with fireworks, sweets and gifts. Those that immigrated and settled here do not expect it to be the same as back home. We are just hopeful to see the narrative shift around the Holiday season being inclusive for all types of cultures. Happy Diwali!