Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States September 15 to October 15. During this time of year, we want to celebrate the heritage, history and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans past and present. Celebrating Hispanic heritage on a national level started in 1968. Read on below about tips to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month as well as learn about local resources and organizations that serve the Hispanic and Latino communities.

Celebrar la herencia hispana

• Learn about important Hispanic/Latino figures – read about some of the most influential Hispanic Americans. Read about the accomplishments of the Hispanic/Latino community throughout art, pop culture, sports, politics and sports.
• Check out Hispanic art, literature and music – Hispanic and Latino cultures have a great influence on our communities and country. This resource from the U.S. Library of Congress provides extensive information on Hispanic and Latino contributions to art, architecture, culture, literature, history, music and performing arts.
• Make your own Hispanic-inspired art – One way to learn about Hispanic and Latino culture is to replicate some of the beautiful examples of Folk art. For art ideas like how to make Taino petroglyphs, Quetzal crafts, and many others works of art from Mexico and Central and South America, check out this guide from the blog Growing Up Bilingual.
• Visit local Hispanic businesses – Our communities boast a diverse array of Hispanic and Latino influenced businesses. Consider patronizing a locally-owned business. While many people enjoy food from Mexican restaurants, seek out cuisines from other countries from Latin America as well. Our community boasts restaurants with cuisines from Venezuela, Puerto Rico, El Salvador and Argentina.

Resources and Organizations for the Hispanic and Latino Community

Now, we want to highlight some organizations in our community that serve members of the Hispanic and Latino communities. Check out their websites for more information.

• La Casa de Amistad – this organization seeks to empower the Latino/Hispanic community in Michiana by providing education, cultural and advocacy services in a welcoming, bilingual environment.
• The Latin American Chamber of Commerce – this liaison organization engages and promotes economic and social advancement for the Latin community and businesses.
• Sabor Latino Radio Station – this organization serves the Hispanic community of St. Joseph County, Indiana and surrounding areas by providing information, motivation and educational radio programming in an entertaining format and distributes all revenues as college financial aid and scholarships.
• Northern Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition – this coalition provides preventative healthcare programs to the community through education, advocacy, physical referral, research and leadership building for the Hispanic community so they may lead healthier lifestyles.