How to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

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Last Updated: October 17, 2024 References

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual event (September 15 - October 15) that celebrates the various achievements of Hispanic people across the United States. If you want to celebrate Hispanic culture as an ally, or if you are Hispanic-American yourself, here are some ways to celebrate this event.

1

Understand what the term "Hispanic" means.

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Remember to use the term "Hispanic" appropriately! Many people use the words "Latin-American" (or "Latino", "Latina", or "Latinx") and "Hispanic" interchangeably. They actually mean slightly different things:
- The term Latin-American describes people who came from Latin-American countries (or have relatives and ancestors who came from those countries). This includes the regions of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. It also includes Latin-American countries that use Portuguese as an official language, such as Brazil. ^{[1]
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- The term Hispanic describes people with heritage from a Spanish-speaking country in Latin America, or from Spain in Europe.^{[3]
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- Not every Hispanic person is Latino and not every Latino person is Hispanic. For example, a person of Spanish ethnicity born in Spain is Hispanic, but not Latino. Likewise, a person of Brazilian ethnicity would be Latino and not Hispanic, since the official language of Brazil is Portuguese.

2

Read up on the origins of the event.

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Use credible websites when searching for the history of the event. In June of 1968, George E. Brown began the tradition of celebrating Hispanic Americans by creating a commemorative week for them. American president Lyndon B. Johnson signed the law, declaring that September 15 be the start of Hispanic Heritage month. ^{[4]
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- The event started on September 15 because multiple Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua) have their independence day on this day. Mexico and Chile have their independence days on September 16th and September 18th, making the time frame suitable for most Latin-American countries. ^{[6]
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3

Learn about traditional Hispanic and Latin-American holidays.

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Read up on Latin-American traditional holidays to understand the culture. Search for credible websites, such as educational or government websites for better results. You can also use encyclopedias or books on the topic. ^{[7]
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- Some of the most popular holidays include Cinco De Mayo (on May 5) and Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead (celebrated on November 1, the day after Halloween).

4

Check out educational websites about famous people of Hispanic heritage.

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Read about famous Hispanic people to increase your knowledge of Hispanic culture. Websites like Google Arts and Culture, BrainPOP, and PBS are great ways to increase your knowledge in the celebration. For example, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta fought for better working conditions for migrant workers in the United States. ^{[9]
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Research source} Other famous Hispanic people include:
- Sonia Sotomayor (born 1954): a Puerto Rican lawyer who became the first Latina Supreme Court justice, nominated by President Barack Obama in 2009 ^{[12]
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- Jean-Michel Basquiat (born 1960, died 1988): an artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent whose paintings described subjects such as poverty and racism ^{[13]
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- Selena Quintanilla (born 1971, died 1995): a Mexican-American singer who popularized the Tejano music style in the late 20th century ^{[14]
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5

Watch films, documentaries, and movies with Hispanic-Americans in them.

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Expose yourself to Hispanic-Americans in film to increase your knowledge of many different cultures. You can learn more about how people of different cultures interact and celebrate various holidays this way. Some popular movies that feature Hispanic heritage include: ^{[15]
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- Selena (1997)
- La Bamba (1987)
- Real Women Have Curves (2002)
- Frida (2002)
- Coco (2017)
- Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)
- Encanto (2021)
- The Casagrandes Movie (2024)

6

Watch TV shows featuring Hispanic culture.

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There are a lot of TV shows which focus on Hispanic people and their cultures. Some of the most popular include:
- I Love Lucy (1951–1957)
- The George Lopez Show (2002–2007)
- Ugly Betty (2007–2010)
- El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera (2007–2008)
- Dora the Explorer (2000–)
- Elena of Avalor (2016–2020)
- Primos (2024–)

7

Look at artwork and books created by Hispanic people.

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Look at art made by Hispanic-Americans. This will help you understand their culture more.
- Some books written by Hispanic-Americans include: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Márquez, "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Muñoz Ryan, and "Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo.^{[17]
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- Kids, tweens, and teens can read up on books written by Hispanic-Americans too! Some age-appropriate books include Furia" by Yamile Saied Méndez, "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina, and "Too Many Tamales" by Gary Soto. ^{[18]
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8

Listen to music by Hispanic or Latin-American artists.

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Enjoy tunes from Hispanic and Latin-American artists! Music is a way to bring people of various cultures together. If you enjoy listening to music, try broadening your perspective by listening to artists of Hispanic or Latin-American heritage. Many of these artists are well-known in their respective countries as well as across the globe. Some Hispanic artists include: ^{[19]
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- Celia Cruz (b. 1925 - d. 2003)
- Vicente Fernández (b. 1940 - d. 2021)
- Julio Iglesias (b. 1943)
- Gloria Estefan (b. 1957)
- Irene Cara (b. 1959 - d. 2022)
- Jennifer Lopez (b. 1969)
- Luis Miguel (b. 1970)
- Selena Quintanilla (b. 1971 - d. 1995)
- Juanes (b. 1972)
- Enrique Iglesias (b. 1975)
- Shakira (b. 1977)
- Christina Aguilera (b. 1980)
- Selena Gomez (b. 1992)

9

Attend Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations and events.

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Attend these events to gain a deeper understanding of the traditions associated with the Hispanic culture. A great way to spread awareness of the event and increase your knowledge of it is to attend related events. If you want, you can attend or host Hispanic Heritage Month activities. You could host a potluck or play a trivia game related to Hispanic holidays and traditions with friends.^{[21]
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10

Spread awareness about Hispanic Heritage Month with social media.

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You don't have to be a celebrity or a famous person in order to spread the word about Hispanic Heritage Month! Anyone can spread awareness of the event by posting about it on social media. Include hashtags such as "#HispanicHeritageMonth" in your posts, and like and share related posts to celebrate the event.
- You could also collaborate with others online to celebrate!

11

Donate to Hispanic charities.

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Show your support by donating to charity and advocacy groups.
- Look online to find Hispanic charities you can donate to in order to support the cause. Examples include UnidosUS, the Hispanic Federation, and the Hispanic Access Foundation. ^{[22]
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