It’s Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month! Read on to learn about all of the different terms and history associated with this month, as well as why it’s important.
TERMS
Hispanic – A Spanish-speaking person who lives in the US. Some people don’t prefer this term because it can leave out people from countries that speak languages like Portuguese.
Latinx – A gender-neutral term used to describe people who identify as Latina or Latino. Some people do not like this term because it takes away from the tradition of using gender-based suffixes in the Spanish language.
Heritage – Heritage refers to one’s ancestry or roots.
Chicano/Chicana – A Mexican American who embraces their Mexican heritage.
In this article, I will be using Latinx to refer to these people. I hope I am not offending anyone by doing this, but if I am feel free to reach out to me.
History of Hispanic Heritage Month
George E Brown, a congressman who came from areas that had lots of Latinx members, wanted people to understand the impact of these people on our society. When he first started the event, it was simply Hispanic Heritage Week, until President Ronald Reagon extended it to last from September 15 to October 15, causing it to be Hispanic Heritage Month. This time was chosen because it was similar to the dates of a lot of independence days in the honored nations.
Importance of Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is Important because it is a time to honor and celebrate all of the different, vibrant, and unique cultures of Latinx people and communities, and their contributions to society. It is a time for members of the community to shine, and for us to recognize their achievements.
There is unfortunately a lot of hate and discrimination directed towards Latinx folks, but Hispanic Heritage Month is a good time to learn more about the stereotypes and why they may be wrong. I would recommend doing your own research to learn more about the different Latinx figures in history, and the importance of their contributions. The journalism class also put up posters around the school about different Latinx figures so I would recommend you check those out as well. Remember that people can be awesome BECAUSE of where they’re from, not just despite it.
Sources
The Oxford Dictionary
https://www.history.com/topics/hispanic-history/hispanic-heritage-month
