Every month, there are hundreds of national and international celebrations dedicated to raising awareness and support for meaningful causes.
For those working to bring attention to important topics, it can be challenging to keep track of the next relevant awareness event. We’re here to help.
At Good Good Good, we aim to help people feel more hopeful and do more good. For years we’ve privately curated a comprehensive list of important cause-themed holidays that we’ve used for creating content on our good news Instagram, our Goodnewsletter, our Goodnewspaper, and on this very website.
We’ve organized this list of observances and events by month — and are making them public for the first time. Our hope is that this will help you or your organization bring attention to important issues.
Where applicable, we’ve included resources (usually good news around particular topics, action steps on how to make a difference, or relevant quotes) — and encourage you to share them if you find them helpful.
The main days and months you should know about for May are:
May is the fifth month in the Gregorian calendar and has 31 days. It is the final month of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere and was named for the Greek goddess Maia.
Explore our comprehensive list of national and international months, weeks, days, and birthdays for the month of May:
May Celebrations:
Awareness Months
There are several awareness months celebrated in May — though the five that often get the most attention include Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, National Clean Air Month, and No Mow May.
ALS Awareness Month
American Stroke Awareness Month
Apraxia Awareness Month
Arthritis Awareness Month
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Read and share ideas about how to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month
Be Kind to Animals Month
Read and share good news about animals
Better Hearing and Speech Month
Bladder Cancer Awareness Month
Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month
Brain Cancer Awareness Month
Brain Tumor Awareness Month
Celiac Awareness Month
Chemical Injury Awareness Month
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Month
Fibromyalgia Awareness Month
Gardening for Wildlife Month
Read about the water-guzzling yards getting a celebrity makeover
Healthy Vision Month
Hepatitis Awareness Month
High Blood Pressuren Education Month
Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month
Jewish American Heritage Month
Read and share ideas on how to celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month
Lupus Awareness Month
Lyme Disease Awareness Month
Read the good news about the new mRNA vaccine that may offer protection against Lyme
Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
Mental Health Awareness Month
Read about how to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month
Mobility Awareness Month
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Myositis Awareness Month
National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month
National Bike Month
National Cancer Research Month
National Clean Air Month
Learn about the WHO air pollution guidelines aiming to improve health
National Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
National NF (Neurofibromatosis) Month
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
No-Mow May
Learn about creating a low- or no-mow lawn — and more ways to create an eco-friendly home and garden
Older Americans Month
Oncology Nursing Month
Pet Cancer Awareness Month
Learn about the inspiring work being done by the ‘We Rate Dogs’ community to support dogs with cancer and other medical problems
Small Business Success Month
UK Maternal Health Awareness Month
Wildfire Preparedness Month
Read this good news story about the program providing stability for kids after wildfires
Awareness Weeks
National Nurses Week
Week-long event in May
Brain Tumor Action Week
Week-long event in May
Mental Health Awareness Week
Week-long event in May
National Eosinophil Awareness Week
Week-long event in May
Food Allergy Awareness Week
Week-long event in May
National Safe Boating Week
Week leading up to Memorial Day weekend
Teacher Appreciation Week
1st full week of May
Read and share our complete guide on how to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week
Deaf Awareness Week
1st full week of May
National Pet Week
1st week of May
Follow your new favorite pet influencers on social media
Children’s Mental Health Week
1st week of May
Puppy Mill Action Week
Starts the Monday before Mother’s Day
Be Kind To Animals Week
1st week of May
Brain Injury Awareness Week
2nd week of May
Queer and Transgender Asian American/Pacific Islander Week
Last week of May
Awareness Days
Save the Rhino Day - May 1
Melanoma Monday - 1st Monday of May
National Teacher’s Day - 1st Tuesday of May
Follow the most amazing teachers on TikTok and read about famous teachers worth knowing about
World Tuna Day - May 2
World Maternal Mental Health Day - May 3
International Leopard Day - May 3
Wild Koala Day - May 3
World Press Freedom Day - May 3
Greenery Day in Japan - May 4
World Asthma Day - May 5
National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day - May 5
International Day for Osteogenesis Imperfecta - May 6
National Nurses Day - May 6
International Family Equality Day - Every 1st Sunday of May
PPP (Postpartum Psychosis) Awareness Day - 1st Friday of May
Green Up Day in Vermont - 1st Saturday of May
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day - May 7
Fentanyl Awareness Day - May 7
World Donkey Day - May 8
World Ovarian Cancer Day - May 8
World Red Cross & Red Crescent Day - May 8
Fair Trade Day - May 8
John Lewis Day of Action - May 8
Read and share the best quotes from John Lewis
Ependymoma Awareness Day - May 10
World Lupus Day - May 10
Mother’s Day - 2nd Sunday of May
Women’s Check-Up Day - 2nd Monday of May
Fintastic Friday - 2nd Friday of May
World Migratory Bird Day - 2nd Saturday of May
Mother’s Day - 2nd Sunday of May
Learn about the viral Mother's Day campaign encouraging ‘phone calls not flowers’
International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND) Day - May 12
International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day - May 15
International Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) Awareness Day - May 15
National Sea Monkey Day - May 16
National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day - May 16
National Do Something Good For Your Neighbor Day - May 16
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia - May 17
World AIDS Vaccine Day - May 18
Read about the potential good news about an AIDS vaccine
Mental Health Action Day - May 18
Learn about the people working to support mental health around the world
Global Accessibility Awareness Day - 3rd Thursday of May
National Transgender Pride Day - May 19
Hepatitis Testing Day - May 19
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - May 19
Endangered Species Day - 3rd Friday of May
Bike-to-Work Day - 3rd Friday of May
World Bee Day - May 20
Listen to this inspiring podcast with Bee Girl Sarah
International Behcet’s Disease Awareness Day - May 20
International Blue Cone Monochromacy Awareness Day - May 20
World Autoimmune Arthritis Day - May 20
National Rescue Dog Day - May 20
Read and share these reasons to adopt a rescue dog
World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development - May 21
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day - May 21
Find out what fruits and vegetables are in season right now
World Meditation Day - May 21
World Dog Day - May 21
Read good news about dogs
World Fish Migration Day - May 21 (Celebrated every other year)
International Day for Biological Diversity - May 22
Harvey Milk Day - May 22
Read the best quotes from Harvey Milk
World Turtle Day - May 23
Read this good news story about drones protecting turtles
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula - May 23
Mister Rogers’ 143 Day - May 23
In honor of Mister Rogers’ love for the number 143 — learn how to celebrate 143 Day and check out the 143 best quotes from America’s neighbor.
European Day of Parks - May 24
Pansexual and Panromantic Visibility Day - May 24
Meet these celebrities you may not know are pansexual
National Schizophrenia and Psychosis Awareness Day - May 24
Learn more about Schizophrenia and other commonly misunderstood mental disorders
World Otter Day - May 25
World Thyroid Day - May 25
Intersectional Environmentalist Day - May 28
Learn about intersectional environmentalism and the founder of the organization Intersectional Environmentalist, Leah Thomas
Menstrual Hygiene Day - May 28
National Alligator Day - May 29
Learn About Composting Day - May 29
Start by learning about food waste
World Multiple Sclerosis Day - May 30
World Parrot Day - May 31
World No Tobacco Day - May 31
Notable Birthdays
Birthdays of leading activists, nonprofit leaders, and other world-changers born in the month of May:
Dwayne Johnson’s Birthday - May 2
Kumail Nanjiani’s Birthday - May 2
Keith Haring’s Birthday - May 4
Hank Green’s Birthday - May 5
Read all of Hank Green’s best quotes
Willie Mays’ Birthday - May 6
MrBeast’s Birthday - May 7
Read about YouTuber MrBeast’s ‘Team Seas’ initiative
Rosario Dawson’s Birthday - May 9
Bono’s Birthday - May 10
Read and share Bono’s most inspirational quotes
Tony Hawk’s Birthday - May 12
Stephen Colbert’s Birthday - May 13
Madeleine Albright’s Birthday - May 15
Read and share Madeleine Albright’s most inspirational quotes
Malcolm X’s Birthday - May 19
JoJo Siwa’s Birthday - May 19
Harvey Milk’s Birthday - May 22
Read and share Harvey Milk’s most inspirational quotes
Bob Dylan’s Birthday - May 24
Octavia Spencer’s Birthday - May 25
Betty Shabazz’s Birthday - May 28
Laverne Cox’s Birthday - May 29
You might also like: The Best May Quotes
Explore More Events:
Main Awareness Calendars: All Awareness Holidays | Heritage Months | International Days
More Awareness Calendars: Animals | Pets | Environment & Sustainability | LGBTQ+ | Black & African American | Mental Health | Disability | Cancer | HIV/AIDS
Awareness Days & Months: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
Is this list missing a holiday or awareness week/month? Let us know. We want to ensure this list is comprehensive and inclusive.
