It's Hispanic Heritage Month, And We Have You Covered

Note: This blog was co-authored by Natally Rodriguez and Jackson Faber

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off on September 15th, and recognizes the contributions made by the Hispanic and Latinx community to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

The United States is home to over 60 million Hispanics and Latinos! The influence of Hispanic and Latinx culture on America’s history and culture cannot be overstated. This month, we take time to celebrate Hispanic heritage and recognize all of its incredible contributions to our communities.

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15th to October 15th and began in 1968. Why do we celebrate it during this month? Well, September is an incredibly important month for Latin America, because, in September of 1810, Mexico and Central American Countries became independent from Spain. This made September a fitting month to celebrate Hispanic heritage, and in 1968 President Lyndon Johnson started its observance. Originally it was only 1 week, but President Reagan expanded it into a Federally recognized month-long celebration of Hispanic culture. Today, millions of Americans engage in cultural celebrations at their schools and in their communities to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic and Latinx culture in the United States.

“Hispanics are not just a significant part of our Nation’s origin; they are essential to America’s future.”

US Senators Orrin G. Hatch and Paul Simon, on the creation of National Hispanic Heritage Month, April 15, 1988

How can we support and acknowledge Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month?

We’re big supporters of the idea that students and teachers should be able to bring their whole selves to the school environment, and that includes acknowledging and celebrating their ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds.

So, let’s talk about Hispanic Heritage Month and what we can do to recognize Hispanic/Latinx-Americans and their cultures at the workplace, school, and your community. After all, people of Hispanic descent make up 18.5% of the U.S. population. It’s a great opportunity to acknowledge the rich histories of our peers and friends. Embrace your differences, and be open to learning!

Get community input

If you know Hispanic/Latinx, you can try to get them involved. You’re celebrating them, after all! This is a great time to talk about family history, personal experiences, and learning opportunities for cultural exchanges.

Avoid overburdening anyone

On the flip side, don’t assume that just because someone is Hispanic/Latinx, that they’d want to take on the responsibility or the need to plan an event or celebrate. That places the burden of responsibility on them, and if they’re a visible minority at your school, workplace, or community, they might feel tokenized.

Heighten Hispanic and Latinx Creatives

Social media lets creatives share their content and message to the masses. And if you want to support Hispanic Heritage Month on social media this year, consider using your platform to amplify or feature their voices. It can be as simple as a series on Instagram Stories spotlighting talented Latinx painters, a carousel collection of your favorite content creators, or an IGTV series that includes Latinx creatives.

Read together

Reading nonfiction or fiction is an excellent way to understand new perspectives, and there are so many beautiful books by Hispanic and Latinx authors out there. Why not gather a group of friends, family members, or colleagues and start a book club? Or just solo reading for your enjoyment! Here’s just a few that we recommend:

Fiction

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
• The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
• The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
• Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
• The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Nonfiction

• Assimilation: An Alternative History by Catherine S. Ramírez
• The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
• Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldúa
• The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú
• The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography by Miriam Pawel
• Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera
• Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

Here you can also find great recommendations for Hispanic Multicultural Children’s and Young adults’ books: Colours of Us

Support Hispanic/Latinx Business

Hispanic Heritage is found in generations of resilience, reinvention and hope. It’s found in local businesses and the friends, family and neighbors who support them. This is the most obvious thing you can do to help Hispanic/Latino businesses. Consume products and services from Latino businesses. Have you seen those ads and memes that say “buy local”? Well, that’s the idea! “Buy Latino”. You can also look up your local Hispanic Chambers of Commerce for featured members and businesses you can support.

Oh! And What’s the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino, Latine, or Latinx?

Language is ever-evolving and the term Hispanic is used to describe many groups of people. Here is a breakdown of individual preferences to consider:

Hispanic is defined as relating to Spain, or Spanish-speaking countries. The word was first widely popularized through its use in the U.S. Census of 1970. It typically classifies people based on language.

Latino or Latina refers to the geographical location of a person’s country of origin or their ancestors, typically with cultural ties to Latin America.

Latinx and Latine are gender-neutral forms of the word Latino and Latina.

Hispanic Heritage is more than a month; it’s a community that keeps those who are close, as close as they’ve always been. You can view this blog in Spanish by clicking here.