In the spring of 2022, Aditi Satish ’24, on the advice of Assistant Director of DEI, Vernette Rucker, requested a meeting with the Upper School administration to discuss a way to raise awareness in the school community of the Diwali holiday. She represented a group of students and went to the meeting with an impressive slideshow explaining the holiday and its importance in Indian and Hindu culture. She also proposed incremental goals: for 2022–23, the students put on the first (to become annual) Diwali assembly, a no-test/no-homework day following the holiday, and the day of Diwali to eventually be recognized as a school holiday. 

“Aditi was extraordinarily well-prepared and a passionate advocate for how the celebration of Diwali in the CLS calendar could raise cultural awareness in new ways for our students and faculty and promote our efforts toward greater Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Mr. Wall, Mrs. Murphy, and I were proud of her that day, and excited about the work she and the Diwali Committee have done,” said Upper School Academic Dean, Abigail Cudabac.

The thoughtful and educational Upper School assembly, held this year on October 24 in Thies Auditorium, was a huge success. Led by Aditi and Pari Hathiram '24, the Diwali Committee spent months planning the program. The team included event and outreach coordinators, social media promoters, a choreographer, and faculty performers. Its goal was to raise awareness about Diwali among the division and the larger school community. “I love my culture so much and just want to share it with people,” Aditi explained. The program was met with tremendous acclaim from fellow Upper School students and faculty. “They knocked it out of the park,” said Assistant Head for Academic Affairs Dr. Sonja Taylor.

“What they do matters, and they are seeing that first-hand,” said co-advisor Nidhie Dhiman.

Back to the school holiday. Aditi’s ultimate goal was for the school to recognize the Indian/Hindu High Holy Day of Diwali as a holiday on the academic calendar, just as it does for Christian and Jewish High Holy Days. “Before now Diwali hasn’t felt like a real holiday, and yet it is THE most important day for us. It is our New Year and embedded in our culture,” Aditi explained. 

Dr. Taylor, who is committed to listening to the voices of all parents, faculty, and students, especially those underrepresented in our community, explained that the administration aims each year for 170 academic days on the calendar. When they planned the 2023–24 calendar, a detailed and lengthy process, she and her team heard the students loud and clear. “These are members of our community who contribute, but we weren’t recognizing the most important day of the Hindu calendar. It’s about honoring the dignity of a population of people who matter. We were able to honor the Diwali holiday without going below that number.”

Alongside the work of Kelly Willis in our Global Studies Department, Parents’ Council’s Global Partners is a dedicated group of volunteers that educates Grades K–5 in Diwali recognition each year. The Upper School students and assembly added significantly to that level of awareness. 

So, on a Sunday morning in January, when the projected calendar — listing that Monday, November 13, 2023, Diwali, is a Charlotte Latin School holiday “No School” — was published in Welcome to the Week, The Diwali Committee was elated. Through their hard work, determination, the successful assembly, and this important decision, “We are helping people be seen,” Pari added. “It’s a change that needed to happen. It’s much more than a day off.”

Pari, whose family is Zoroastrian, not Hindu, grew up in some predominantly white areas — Hong Kong and America — is grateful to her friend. “Aditi taught me to be proud of my culture and who I am.”

“This Diwali, my parents will take the day off from work. Instead of celebrating it on a different day, acquiescing to a calendar that meets the needs of most, Indian families at our school can honor our culture and celebrate in a way that fits this most important day in the Indian year. We will go to temple, wear new clothes, make sweets (laddus, Gulab jamun, Jalebis), decorate our homes, celebrate with friends and family literally all day long. It’s the best day,” Aditi said.

Sharanya Ravi Kumar ’22, a freshman at NC State, who also worked with Aditi and others in 2021–22 to raise awareness of their Indian/Hindu culture, was thrilled to learn of the holiday. “Seeing that Latin has made Diwali an official holiday as well as hearing about the Diwali celebration that occurred, I feel like Latin is becoming more culturally aware and inclusive of the Indian culture. As a Latin Lifer, it is heartening to have witnessed the increasing number of Indian students in the school, and it is great that Latin is recognizing this,” she said proudly. 

Charlotte Country Day School (and NYC public schools) have also added Diwali as an official holiday. 

“It started somewhere,” Aditi said. “This fall, when I am a senior, it is going to be so special to see what my 10th-grade self started with Mrs. Rucker’s help.”

“The assembly, and these girls, set the stage to break down barriers and to continue a path of belonging and inclusiveness,” said Mrs. Rucker. This year, Diwali, according to the lunar calendar is Monday, November 13, 2023. On that day, there will be no school. The Upper School Diwali Assembly is scheduled for Wednesday, November 15. The committee is already starting the planning process for next year's assembly and has recruited rising Grade 9 students to help.

“At the end of the day,” Aditi said, ”every holiday matters. We are one big community. Latin made us feel heard and supported.” 

It is cause for celebration, indeed. 

 

Diwali Committee

Nikhil Ashri

Chanakya Ayinala

Remy Ghosh

Pari Hathiram

Neesa Phadke

Aditi Satish

Aarush Vemuganti

(The 2022 group also included: Neesa Phadke, Nikki Patel, Rohan Nadkarni, Sharanya Ravi Kumar, Vivek Rao)

 

Faculty in the Assembly Dance 

Bilal Butt

Megan Butt

Jennifer Coble

Matt Cosper

Whitney Duquette

Chuck Edwards

Renée Gerden

David Hall

Janis Mishoe

Vernette Rucker

Rob Sharpe

Jessie Sellner

Amy Zinn

 

Advisors

Vernette Rucker, Diwali, Committee Advisor 2022–23

Nidhie Dhiman, Co-advisor in 2022–23; sole advisor moving forward; also Bollywood Dance Choreographer.