September IDEEA: Caring for Ourselves & Our Communities

Hello WASFAA Members!

The IDEEA Committee wishes you a great start to September! Many of us are celebrating (or stressing over) the start of the new academic year and all that comes with it. Wherever you are at in your academic year, please take a break and part-take in any of the many September celebrations!
September is National Self-Care Awareness Month. Created by Evolve to Live, this is a time for us to focus on ensuring our own needs are met and that we do not stretch ourselves too thin. Taking care of yourself is important in and of itself, but it also empowers us and enables us to do the things we want to do. Consider following these six steps to improving your self-care this September.
  1. Pay attention to your physical health
  2. Get enough sleep
  3. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
  4. Identify and prioritize your valuesIDEEA Logo
  5. Practice gratitude
  6. Learn when to say no
Beginning on September 15th, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM). NHHM begins on September 15th and ends on October 15th, intentionally including several dates when countries in Latin America gained their independence from colonial powers. Take some extra time to learn about historical Hispanic icons like Jovita Idár or Ritchie Valens. There is no better way to practice self-care than by making and/or eating Latin foods like pupusas, arepas, ceviche, and more! However you choose to celebrate, ensure you are also being respectful to the intention of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

September is also host to several other celebrations and observances. If you are looking for more reasons to celebrate, we recommend Random Acts of Kindness Day (9/1), International Literacy Day (9/8), International Talk Like a Pirate Day (9/19), and National Drink a Beer Day (9/28).
 
A Note from an IDEEA member:
September is National Americana Month and given the recent passing of Dolly Parton, the concept of Americana is prominent in my mind. Whether you grew up like me listening to her music and watching her on TV or only know her from her philanthropy and activism, almost everyone agrees that Dolly Parton was a genuinely good person. To me, Dolly Parton is the epitome of what the “American Dream” can and should be. She grew up in poverty in rural Tennessee to become the singer, songwriter, actor, philanthropist, and bedazzled icon we know her as. Most importantly, she was unapologetically herself and defended anyone else’s right to be themselves as well. While the ideas of Americana and the American Dream can include problematic aspects, I encourage us all to try and live up to Dolly’s version: Love yourself, love your neighbors, and do what you can to make the world better than how you found it.
Our work as financial aid administrators is key to this. While education has lost some political priory over the past few decades, it is deeply ingrained in our culture. From the nationwide buy-in to the space race to how invested the public is now with student loans and the cost of college, education is a vital part of who we are. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is likely her most well-known educational initiative, but she also founded several scholarships, helped fund research into COVID-19 vaccines, and quietly covered the costs of school uniforms, supplies, and other necessities for countless impoverished students. So the next time you are having a hard day at work or struggling to find motivation to fight for our students, maybe take it as a sign to add more rhinestones to your workspace.

 -Emory
 
Thank you for taking the time to read the IDEEA Article for September! We appreciate your work every day striving to support students with access to education and other opportunities.
 
In community,
WASFAA IDEEA Committee