Ramadan Mubarak! This Sunday marks the start of Ramadan, a sacred month observed in Muslim tradition for prayer, self-reflection, and fasting—one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Ramadan takes place during the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, beginning with the first sighting of the crescent moon.

Every single day of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset—abstaining from not only food but water, too. Writer Hanif Abdurraqib says that Ramadan comes from the Arabic word “ramiḍa,” which means dryness. Food and drink—these are such basic needs we have as humans. During Ramadan, Muslims choose to hold off on these as an act of devotion. Think of the way your body appreciates that first sip of water when you haven’t had anything to drink for a long time.

Every night the day’s fast is ended at Iftar, a celebration that includes evening prayers followed by a large shared meal. To feed someone who has been fasting is believed to be greatly rewarded, so Iftar is often a community affair, with guests invited to share in the feast. Imagine a wonderful potluck when you haven’t eaten or had anything to drink for twelve hours. As a time focused on caring for those who are hungry or in need, Ramadan can also inspire gratitude for what we have—the basics of water and food that sustain us.

To all who observe, we wish you a blessed Ramadan. For those who want to learn more about Ramadan or how to support our observing coworkers, here’s a place to start. For giving, the Zakat Foundation of America is a Muslim-based charity organization supporting humanitarian projects across a range of issues worldwide.

✨✨ Last chance to participate in our art book raffle, @channel! On this last day of Black History Month, let’s take a page from the fashion world to celebrate Black excellence in fashion.

🪡👗The fashion industry today owes a great deal to Black artists and makers, who have been working as dressmakers since before the abolition of slavery. The impact of Black culture on fashion remains undeniable today, even as Black representation in the industry continues to face challenges. For a deep dive into the contributions of Black Americans in the luxury fashion industry, check out the Black Fashion History podcast with Taniqua Martin. And let’s give the spotlight 🔦 today to 3 Black designers who have made their mark:

• Jay Jaxon was a pioneering Black designer of French couture, who worked in esteemed Parisian fashion houses like Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior, creating both couture and ready-to-wear for them.

• Ann Lowe was the first African-American to become a fairly renowned fashion designer. From the 1920s to the 1960s, Lowe’s unique designs were worn by high-society women, including the ivory silk taffeta bridal gown worn by Jacqueline Kennedy.

• Patrick Kelly was the first American to be accepted into the prestigious Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode. Kelly’s designs are recognized for being extremely exuberant, humorous, and referential to pop culture and Black traditions.

To enter our raffle, engage with this post now through Monday with a 👗 emoji or reply in thread below and tell us about your favorite Black designer or other artist. Winners will have their pick of one book from this list. Each post you engage with earns you one entry! To be eligible to win, your comment must be a reply in thread to this message, or a 👗 emoji. Stay tuned next week when we announce the winners!

Today, on the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I wanted to highlight one of the stripes of the Disability Pride Flag—the center stripe, representing invisible disabilities and chronic illness.

Of the one in four people who have a disability, many if not most have disabilities that are invisible, presenting different challenges than disabilities that are visible or readily apparent. Mental health challenges, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, endometriosis, and learning and thinking differences such as ADHD and dyslexia all fall under the broad spectrum of invisible disabilities. This list encompasses chronic illnesses as well—including diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, HIV, cancer, Lyme disease and others—a reminder that those wtih chronic illnesses also form part of the disability community. As disability justice movement leaders Aurora Levins Morales and Patty Berne have put it, “we move together, with no body left behind.”

At MycoWorks, our value Be Mycelial means that our differences root and connect us. Today, let’s affirm our #disabilitypride and our #allyship with our disability and chronically ill colleagues and community members.

[image: “Not all disabilities are visible” by Ananya Rao-Middleton]