Check your holiday calendar.

Bookstores, as retail operations, place a lot of importance on fourth quarter holiday sales. So much so that the American Booksellers Association regularly creates major marketing campaigns for their members, and regional associations like SIBA create special gift catalogs for their members to provide their customers. And while these things are presented as non-denominational celebrations, the industry's investment in the traditions of a Christian holiday remains.

It is easy to downplay, or ignore, other traditions at this time of year. Traditions that are nevertheless important to some of your customers. That is why it is important for an anti-racist bookstore to be mindful of all the major holidays and festivals your customers and employees may celebrate, and to create a calendar the store can follow throughout the year.

One of the best of such calendars comes from Cultures Connecting -- the organization that often provides DEI training at SIBA events. Designed with the school year in mind, it is an invaluable resource for business owners whose diverse staff may require the same consideration and respect for their celebrations and traditions that we currently offer without question for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

"The purpose of this calendar," says the Cultures Connecting mission statement, "is to address and support the diversity of students, staff, and families in K-12 education settings and beyond. We recognize that by increasing our understanding of diverse cultures, group experiences, traditions, values and beliefs, we can enhance our relationships with one another and hence, create culturally responsive environments where everyone feels valued and respected."

Download the Cultures Connecting Diversity Calendar 2022-2023