Hispanic Heritage Month: Amplifying their Voices
for September 30, 2020
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th, as it coincides with the celebration of independence for many Latin American countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, followed by many others until October 15th. We recognize that there are some misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding the difference between being Hispanic and Latinx so we created a diagram that helps us understand the differences and similarities.
Highlighting organizations led by Hispanic and Latinx leaders is crucial in uplifting their voices, so these past couple of weeks we have been drawing attention to Hispanic and Latinx non-profit organizations, people and books. Non-profit organizations such as Raices and United We Dream empower families and youth with educational leadership opportunities for youth and provide resources for immigrants and refugees. We also highlighted civil rights activists like Dolores Huerta, who was an activist for farmworkers alongside Ceasar Chavez. Dolores coined the term, “Si Se Puede”, (“Yes We Can”). “The Battle for Paradise” by Naomi Klein allowed us to talk about the vulnerability that Puerto Rico faces after natural disasters which is forcing them to fight back through grassroots organizations like JunteGente. Naomi gives all of the profits from her books to JunteGente to empower the people from Puerto Rico to continue fighting for public schools, hospitals and food. “Enrique’s Journey” by Sonia Nazario, was a heartbreaking story about the journey that thousands of children take to chase their dreams and a better life.
Hispanic Heritage Month is about recognizing the amazing contributions and influence that Hispanic culture had and continues to have in the US. Celebrate with us by sharing their stories and amplifying their voices!
Resources for your reference:
- Raices: https://www.raicestexas.org
- United We Dream: https://unitedwedream.org
- Chicanos Por La Causa: https://www.cplc.org
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation: https://hispanicheritage.org
- “Enrique’s Journey” by, Sonia Nazario
- “The Battle for Paradise” by, Naomi Klein