Mona Liza Santos
Kindness & Heritage
Through my stories and advocacy, I created two observances that reflect values deeply connected to my work: National Intentional Kindness Day, observed every August 24, and Heritage and Heart Day, observed every October 15.
Neither day was created to be another holiday or simply a reason to mark something on a calendar. I created them as reminders of the simple things that can easily get lost in a busy and constantly changing world: being kind, remembering who we are, appreciating where we come from, and showing up for one another in small but meaningful ways.
For me, kindness and cultural identity are closely connected. I believe children should grow up knowing that their feelings matter, their background matters, and they should feel proud of who they are. At the same time, I want them to learn that someone else’s culture, race, ethnicity, traditions, and experiences are just as worthy of respect.
These observances carry the same message found throughout many of my books: know who you are, value yourself, respect others, and never underestimate what one caring action can mean to another person.
National Intentional Kindness Day
Observed August 24
National Intentional Kindness Day is a reminder that kindness is not something we have to wait for. It is something we can choose through our words, actions, reactions, and everyday decisions.
I chose the word intentional because kindness means more when we make a conscious effort to practice it, especially during moments when being patient, understanding, or compassionate may not be the easiest response.
What This Day Stands For
Kindness may seem small, but the way we treat someone can affect how they feel long after the moment has passed. A kind word, a little patience, or simply letting someone know they matter can have an impact we may never fully see.
National Intentional Kindness Day encourages people to think about kindness as something active. It is not only about being nice when everything is going well. It is also about choosing compassion when we are frustrated, busy, tired, or dealing with someone whose experience we may not fully understand.
What Intentional Kindness Can Look Like
Intentional kindness can be choosing kindness when it would be easier not to, being patient when you feel rushed, checking in on someone without needing a reason, saying thank you and truly meaning it, or taking a moment before reacting when emotions are high.
None of these actions need to be grand. The point is simply to become more aware of how our words and choices affect the people around us.
Why It Matters
People often carry things we know nothing about. Someone may be struggling privately while still going through an ordinary day, which is why a small act of compassion can sometimes mean much more than we realize.
In a world where words and actions can travel quickly and leave lasting effects, I believe being mindful about the way we treat people matters more than ever.
Kindness does not have to be complicated. It begins with small choices and the intention to care.
National Intentional Kindness Day Toolkit
I created the National Intentional Kindness Day toolkit to make participation simple for families, children, classrooms, workplaces, and communities. It offers ideas that can be practiced in everyday life rather than only on August 24.
Download the toolkit below and find your own way to make kindness intentional.
Heritage and Heart Day
Observed October 15
Heritage and Heart Day is a reminder to stay connected to where we come from while making room in our hearts to understand where others come from too.
For me, heritage is not limited to nationality or ethnicity. It includes the family stories we grow up hearing, traditions passed down through generations, languages, food, values, celebrations, memories, and all the little things that help shape our sense of identity.
Although my own Filipino American background helped inspire my passion for cultural identity, Heritage and Heart Day was never created only for Filipinos. It is meant to embrace every race, ethnicity, nationality, and cultural background.
The message is especially important to me when it comes to children. I want young people to grow up knowing that they never have to feel embarrassed about where they come from or believe that their culture makes them less important than anyone else.
Every child deserves to feel proud.
What This Day Stands For
Heritage and Heart Day celebrates the idea that our differences do not have to separate us. They can give us opportunities to listen, learn, and understand each other more deeply.
The observance takes place on October 15, during a season when cultural heritage is already being recognized and discussed, including Hispanic Heritage Month and Filipino American History Month. I see it as an opportunity to expand that conversation and celebrate the beauty of all cultures coming together.
It is not about deciding which culture is more important. It is about creating space for everyone to say, “This is where I come from, and I am proud of it,” while also being able to say to someone else, “I want to learn about where you come from too.”
What Heritage and Heart Can Look Like
Heritage and Heart can mean spending time with family and asking about their memories, learning a recipe that has been passed down, sharing a tradition with a friend, asking someone about their background with genuine curiosity and respect, or helping a child understand the history behind something their family has always done.
It can also be as simple as creating space for another person to feel accepted without asking them to hide the parts of themselves that make them different.
Why It Matters
As the world becomes more connected, it can also become easier for traditions, family stories, and cultural knowledge to fade between generations.
Heritage and Heart Day encourages people to hold on to those connections while remaining open to the experiences of others. Cultural pride does not require exclusion. I believe we can deeply love our own roots while appreciating someone else’s.
For me, that is where the heart comes in.
Heritage tells us something about where we come from. Heart influences what we do with that understanding and how we treat the people around us.
Heritage and Heart Day Toolkit
I created the Heritage and Heart Day toolkit to help children, families, educators, and communities explore identity, culture, family history, and connection in ways that feel approachable and meaningful.
The activities are designed to encourage children to feel pride in who they are while developing curiosity, kindness, and appreciation for people whose experiences may be different from their own.
Download the toolkit below and begin exploring the stories, traditions, and connections that make each of us who we are.
Two Days, One Bigger Message
National Intentional Kindness Day and Heritage and Heart Day may focus on different ideas, but to me, their purpose is closely connected.
One asks us to think more carefully about how we treat people. The other asks us to remember who we are while making room for who others are.
Together, they reflect something I hope children carry with them as they grow: be proud of yourself without putting someone else down, stay connected to your roots without closing yourself off from the world, and remember that kindness can cross every culture, language, race, and background.
These days were never meant to be about getting a day off. I created them to remind us not to lose sight of the things that matter when life becomes busy: kindness, identity, family, understanding, connection, and the way we make other people feel.