Ramadan is a month dedicated to fasting, spirituality & worship, and charity & community. Ramadan is expected to begin Saturday, April 2. The last day of Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr, is expected to begin on the evening of May 1. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours and increase in their spiritual devotional acts such as prayer and giving to charity. It is the holiest month of the Muslim year and follows the lunar calendar. During this month, no food or drink (including water) may be taken from dawn to dusk Worshippers eat a pre-dawn light meal, called suhoor. After dusk, Muslims break the fast with an evening meal called iftar.

Given Ramadan's placement during the academic year, this will impact Muslim students, staff, and faculty in various ways. In addition to being aware of this religious observance, you can support members of the Muslim community this month in the following ways:

• Understand that Ramadan is a time of spiritual cleansing and reflection.

• Acknowledge Ramadan and Eid by wishing folks well.

• Be respectful of prayer times - many people are more observant during Ramadan and therefore may need to leave class, meetings, or other obligations to pray for approximately ten minutes.

• Ramadan includes evening programs that will require folks to be out late - be understanding and empathetic.

• Check-in folks' mental health and overall well-being.

For more information on how to support the Muslim community this Ramadan, check out the attached handout from the Islamic Center at New York University and head over to the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Towson, MD!

Ramadan Observance at UMBC

Ramadan Observance is being hosted by the Muslim Student Association. From April 2 through May 2, 2022, the Center for Well-Being hours will be temporarily expanded to 4:30 am - 1:00 am. The Gathering Space corridor (rooms 109 and 105) will be accessible during these times, but the conference rooms and the second floor will not be open. 

Participating students are expected to ensure that the space is left clean and organized, and all materials and supplies are put neatly away so that the space can be ready for use during regular business hours. This includes ensuring that ALL food products have been appropriately disposed of and cleaned. Participating students are expected to follow the student code of conduct, and respect the space and property of i3b and the Center for Well-Being. For more information, please contact the Muslim Student Association at umbcmsa@gmail.com.  

Students can also take advantage of the varied prayer, reflection, and meditation spaces across campus, which can be found here. 

Ramadan Dining at UMBC

Chartwell's has created the following Ramadan-specific dining options. For more information on the below, please contact UMBC Dining.

TRUE GRIT'S: Open Monday-Friday until 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday until 7 pm

• There will be a Halal entree for lunch and dinner. Carryout available during operating hours. Halal items are available for carryout during Sahoor. Assortment of hand fruit will be available.

COMMONS

• Halal Shack will be open Monday- Thursday 11 am- 10 pm; Friday-Saturday 11 am- 11 pm (Closed Sunday). Pre-packaged meals from Halal Shack will be made available in the Retriever & Commons Market. Dates will be available. Pre-packaged Snack Boxes are available at the Market.

RETRIEVER MARKET

• Pre-packaged meals from Halal Shack will be made available in the Retriever Market (at True Grits). Dates will be available. Pre-packaged Snack Boxes are available.

LATE NIGHT AT TRUE GRIT'S

• Halal Chicken Cheesesteak

If you are in need of religious accommodations, please contact the Office of Equity and Inclusion at oei@umbc.edu. For questions about religious and spiritual resources, please contact us at i3b@umbc.edu or contact Dr. Jasmine A. Lee, Director of Inclusive Excellence/Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion & Belonging (i3b) jaslee@umbc.edu.

On March 31st, the world recognizes Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV).

Last year, we wrote this list of resources and started out by saying that "In 2021, TDOV comes at a time of deeply harmful political movements to suppress the trans community's access to health care and sports."

That we continue to see an assault on trans peoples' rights and freedoms demonstrates how far we still need to go--and that we cannot stop at "visibility."

Chase Strangio, deputy director of transgender justice at the ACLU, told CNN, "There have been many existential threats to trans existence, but there's something uniquely dangerous about what's going on right at this moment with the combination of the sports bills and the health care bill... I think the impulse underlying both is to try to establish governmental policy that it's harmful to be trans."

What actions can I take to support trans people in my life?

Typically, we try to see TDOV as a day of celebration--and it is still--but it is also a call to action for all of those who call themselves allies to the trans community. 

On TDOV, we hope you consider taking action and actively fighting against these measures. Some suggestions for next steps include:

• writing the governors of the various states that are considering and passing these bills, 

• donating to trans organizations working to fight against this bigotry, 

• and/or calling your own state and federal representatives to demand they stand up for trans people's right to both healthcare and participation in sports.

Alok Vaid-Menon, author, performer, and artist 

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