Google has sparked widespread controversy with its decision to remove several cultural observances from its 2025 calendar, including Pride Month, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Indigenous Peoples Month, and Holocaust Remembrance Day. The calendar will now only display public holidays and national observances, ignoring events such as these that have long been used to recognize and honor historically marginalized communities. This change follows an executive order from President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, aimed at dismantling federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, sparking a fierce national debate about the role of DEI policies in American society. While Google confirmed the update, it has not indicated whether these observances will be reinstated. In response, users have expressed their outrage, with many labeling the move as “shameful” and accusing the company of “capitulating to fascism.” As of now, those who wish to observe these events on Google Calendar will need to manually add them (Google spokesperson, 2025).

The removal of these cultural observances has taken on significant meaning depending on one’s perspective on DEI. For local communities that celebrate these events, the removal could feel like a step backward in the fight for visibility and recognition. It might also reflect a deeper political shift that questions the value of diversity initiatives. For others, particularly those who prefer a neutral stance in corporate platforms, this change may be seen as an attempt to keep political and cultural discussions separate from widely-used tools like Google Calendar. This story raises critical questions about how tech companies engage with issues of social justice and whether their policies align with or push back against broader political trends.

To understand the impact of this decision on local communities, I spoke with three individuals from different backgrounds who shared their perspectives. Destiny, a Black student, expressed her disappointment, saying, “It feels like a step backward. Black History Month is a time to reflect on our struggles, achievements, and contributions to this country. To take that away is essentially to ignore our history, and it sends a message that our people aren’t worth recognizing.”

I also spoke with a member of the LGBTQIA+ community who was equally frustrated, telling me, “It’s heartbreaking and infuriating. Pride Month is more than just a celebration—it’s a reminder of how much we’ve fought for our rights and how many lives have been lost in this fight. To remove it is to erase our pain, our victories, and everything we’ve worked so hard to achieve. It seems like we’ve just been accepted and now it feels like the world is telling us we don’t matter.”

Lastly, I interviewed a student of Indigenous heritage who shared his perspective on the removal of Indigenous Peoples Month. John Mesh said, “It’s heartbreaking. For centuries, our people have been pushed aside, our land stolen, and our cultures almost erased. Indigenous Peoples Month is one of the few times we get to share our history, our traditions, and our culture. It’s a painful reminder that, despite everything we’ve endured, we’re still fighting to be seen and respected.”

For local audiences, this decision is not just about an app update; it’s about how we, as a society, choose to recognize, respect, and honor the histories and cultures that have shaped our communities. The removal of these observances sends a powerful message about the future of diversity and inclusion.