Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

By Diaka Burke, marketing and events associate

The Latinx community is visible more than ever before, yet there is still so much left to be understood. Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to learn about or remind ourselves about the community’s past and what it means today to contribute to further change and progress.

September 15 kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month. Every year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the various cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from the Caribbean, Central and South America and Spain.

This effort was initially spearheaded in 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown, who was compelled to raise awareness of the multicultural identities of Americans during the peak of the Civil Rights Movement. The observation started as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson, then, on August 17, 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded it to cover 30 days beginning on September 15 and ending on October 15. Making this effort a part of Public Law 100-402. 

September 15 is significant because it’s also the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Our DEI commitment as a Foundation is embracing differences of ethnic backgrounds, our team members’ cultures, and the community we serve. We encourage you to use this time to immerse yourselves and reflect on the history and the work that the Latinx community has contributed to America and the world.

Here are a few fun resources to get you started or to spark your research:

It’s Time To Rethink The Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Listening to AOC’s Flawed Spanish Gave Me the Courage to Embrace My Own
Meet the Hero: Guy Gabaldon
10 Inspiring Latinas Who’ve Made History

Sources:
Congress, T. L. of, Administration, N. A. and R., Humanities, N. E. for the, Art, N. G. of, Service, N. P., Institution, U. S. S., & Museum, U. S. H. M. (n.d.). National Hispanic American Heritage month 2021. National Hispanic American Heritage Month 2021. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/.

Photo credit: https://www.hfcc.edu/news/2019/what-hispanic-heritage-month-means