Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15 marks the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month which runs from September 15 to October 15. Hispanic Heritage Month commemorates the enduring presence of diverse Latinx and Hispanic communities from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain in the United States. As of 2023, the Latinx/Hispanic population exceeds 65 million and constitutes nearly 20% of the US population, according to the Pew Research Center. While it is important to recognize the growing demographic presence of this group, Hispanic Heritage Month also prompts us to reflect on the inclusive nature of the term, which encompasses communities from diverse national, racial, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, each with a unique relationship to umbrella labels like Latinx or Hispanic. Rather than honoring a singular heritage, this month serves as an invitation to learn about and celebrate the myriad ways Latinidad and Hispanidad manifest in the United States.

Events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month have already begun, with a Sazón y Tradición picnic organized by affinity clubs Unidos and Women of Color Voices this past Sunday. The Whitman Events Board has a Hispanic Heritage Month open mic event scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 4–6 p.m. in the Reid Campus Center Coffee House. (Flyer attached.) And the third annual Festival de Cultura Viva community celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will be held on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Gesa Power House Theatre. (Flyer attached.)

To learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and Latino Diversity in the United States, visit the National Museum of the American Latino website, explore the Whitman Hispanic Studies webpage or check out Paul Ortiz’s book “An African American and Latinx History of the United States.”