CareNotes

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15, 2022
National Hispanic Heritage Month logo

Hispanic Heritage Month, also known as Latinx or Chicanx Heritage Month, takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latinx community. On September 14, 2021, President Biden issued a presidential proclamation on National Hispanic Heritage Month (Spanish).

Since then, the month has been celebrated nationwide through festivals, art shows, conferences, community gatherings, and much more. The month also celebrates the independence days of several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on September 15th, Mexico on September 16th, and Chile on September 18th. They also include holidays that recognize Hispanic contributions such as Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day which is celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Hispanic or Latinx make up 13 percent of the Oregon long term care workforce (PHI. Workforce Data Center), higher than any other racial and ethnic minority population in the state. This month is an opportunity to remember and honor Hispanic and Latinx residents and staff members and continue bridging the health and long term care equity gap.

Here are a few activities to thoughtfully celebrate and learn about Hispanic Heritage Month.

  1. Take a virtual tour – Explore the Teotihuacan Pyramid (Pyramids of the Sun) of Mexico or the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil from the comfort of your home. If you’re not able to visit these iconic sites in real life, you can learn about their important history.
  2. Donate to the community – With more than 62 million Hispanics living in the United States, there are plenty of organizations that aim to support the well-being, education, and professional pursuits of Latinx people. Consider donating to The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), the first Latino professional organization in the U.S., The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), which promotes higher education in the Spanish community, or The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (CPLC), which aims to combat discrimination in Latino and Spanish-speaking communities.
  3. Enjoy a classic Latin American dish – Try a Venezuelan arepa, or get a taste of El Salvador with a warm and chewy-filled pupusa. There are so many national and regional foods to choose from.
  4. Support a Hispanic or Latino-owned business – Check out all the local Latinx businesses in Portland here.
  5. Take/offer a dance class – Mambo, rumba, cha-cha, or flamenco—dance your way into Hispanic Heritage Month. You don’t even need to leave the building to perfect your salsa steps with Salsanerd‘s virtual classes. Prefer to mix it up? Even beginners can learn to dance merengue, cumbia, and more through the aptly named Latin Dancing Online.
  6. Play a game of lotería or dominoes – Gather around the table for a round of lotería, a Mexican bingo game known for its colorful cards, which has long held a powerful nostalgic meaning within Latinx and Hispanic communities. Dominoes are another popular pastime for many Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican heritages in particular.
  7. Make a playlist of Hispanic artists – Pop hits from Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Rosalia, J Balvin, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny, and Selena songs are perfect for your workout mix, for example. Round up some of your favorites and discover acts you’ve never heard before.

Important Considerations for Activities

Here are some best practices for Hispanic Heritage Month in the workplace and when you’re hosting these events.

  • Pay homage to history without appropriating culture – There is no single way to represent one monolithic Latinx or Hispanic experience. It is important to celebrate the diversity of the community while planning programming. Showcase unique stories and experiences of individuals to deliver universally relatable, yet specific perspectives from different Hispanic cultures.
  • Avoid Stereotypes – Like many groups, Hispanics have battled for generations to overcome stereotypes. Perpetrators do not always mean harm. Human beings tend to gravitate toward the familiar. Leaning too heavily on the well-known aspects of Latinx and Hispanic culture can reinforce the message that certain symbols, like sombreros and tacos, are representative of the entire identity. You can use the month as an opportunity to explore and introduce employees to new concepts.
  • Be inclusive – You do not have to be of Latinx descent to enjoy Hispanic Heritage Month. The month is about giving members of the community due praise and attention and acknowledging the contributions these individuals make to society as a whole. You should not make your Hispanic staff feel singled out. While you can ask for volunteers to lead activities, you should not make your Hispanic staff feel obligated to participate or take on the responsibility of planning. This gesture may be well-meaning yet can make staff feel alienated. Expressions of culture are highly personal, and you should leave matters of identity up to staff comfort level.

Resources:

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