The Department of Energy observes special emphasis months as reflected in the list below.  Observances are held annually and are designed for the purpose of providing cultural awareness to the Department. Commemorative activities conducted for these observances are educational and employment-related.

To watch the most recent DOE special observances, please click on the video links below.

Month Special Emphasis Program Videos Program Manager Program Materials
January FY '23 Video: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Collette Bankins FY '23 Video: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Program Booklet
February FY '23 Video: Black History Month Lisa Frehill FY '23 Video: Black History Month Program Booklet
March FY '23 Video: Women's History Month Program Agata Gluszek FY '23 Video: Women's History Month Program Booklet
May FY '22 Video: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Program Collette Bankins  
June FY '21 Video: Pride Month Program  Charlie Carrasco  
October FY '23 Video: National Hispanic Heritage Month Collette Bankins FY '23 Video: National Hispanic Heritage Month Program Booklet
October FY '22 Video: National Disability Employment Awareness Month Brad Shaff  
November  FY '23 Video: National Native American Heritage Month Collette Bankins FY '23 Video: National Native American Heritage Month Program Booklet

 

Photo Gallery: Selected Photos from Recent Special Observance Events

Special Emphasis Observances - Photogallery

Kim Graham Lee
1/18 Women's History Month Program 2023
Kim Graham Lee, CEO of Integrating Women Leaders, delivering presentation on allyship during FY’23 Women’s History Month Program
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Shalanda Baker
2/18 Women's History Month Program 2023
Shalanda Baker, Director of the Office of Diversity and Economic Impact and Secretarial Advisor on Equity, delivering opening remarks during FY’23 Women’s History Month Program
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Dr. Geraldine Richmond
3/18 Women's History Month Program 2023
Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, delivering a keynote speech FY’23 Women’s History Month Program
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Bullard
4/18 Black History Month 2023
Dr. Robert Bullard, guest speaker
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Carthern
5/18 Black History Month 2023
Patrice Carthern, performer from the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Zarate
6/18 Black History Month 2023
Patricia Zarate
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Group Photo
7/18 Black History Month 2023
From left to right: Dr. Tony Reames (Deputy Director Office of Energy Justice Policy and Analysis), Jenene Lee (First Vice President, Blacks In Government Energy Chapter), Brenda Mallory (Chair, Council of Environmental Quality, Executive Office of the President) , Dr. Robert Bullard (Dr. Robert D. Bullard, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning, Texas Southern University), Tara Fuller (President, Blacks In Government Energy Chapter), Patrice Carthern (Administrative Specialist, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity)
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
audience1
8/18 Black History Month 2023
Audience members
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
Secretary
9/18 Black History Month 2023
Secretary Granholm
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
speakers
10/18 Black History Month 2023
Photo of several speakers as audience members
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
National Hispanic Heritage Month 2023
11/18 National Hispanic Heritage Month 2023
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
12/18 LGBTQ Pride Month Celebration on June 19, 2019
Panelists Neil Schuldenfrei, Russell Ames, Jocelyn Richards, Colette Broussard and moderator Michael Kopalek.
Photo courtesy of
13/18 Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month on May 7, 2019
Marilyn Madarang, an attorney in the Litigation and Enforcement Division at the Department of Energy’s Office of General Counsel, served as host.
Photo courtesy of
14/18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 23, 2019
Keynote speaker Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Harris Country, Texas.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
15/18 Native American Heritage Month celebration on Nov. 29, 2018
Jody TallBear, attorney advisor, Office of Civil Rights, introduces the keynote speaker.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
16/18 Native American Heritage Month celebration on Nov. 29, 2018
Carrie L. Billy, president and CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), delivers the keynote address.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
17/18 Veterans Day Special Observance program on Nov. 13, 2018
Rizwan Shah, organizational culture advisor, the Office of Health, Safety and Security.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
18/18 Disability Employment Awareness Month in 2018
Keynote speaker Jennifer Sheehy, U.S. Department of Labor, and John Walsh, director of Talent Management, U.S. Department of Energy.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy