Celebrating Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month
September 15, 2021
As OneCoolSys, we are proud of the diversity of our people and the many cultures and communities we represent. Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month begins September 15, and we’re highlighting our Hispanic and Latinx employees and their families and celebrating their rich cultures and histories, as well as their many contributions to life in the United States.
During this special time, we specifically recognize Americans who are from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America or whose ancestors came from those regions.
History of Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month
Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month originated in 1968 as a celebratory week under President Lyndon B. Johnson, when spurred by the civil rights movement, there was increased attention on various multicultural groups living in the U.S.
President Ronald Reagan extended the week to a 30-day annual celebration from September 15 to October 15. September 15 is the starting date because it marks significant events in Hispanic/Latinx history, including the anniversary of independence days for El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. In addition, Mexico’s Independence Day is on September 16 and Chile’s is on the 18th.
Did You Know?
There are 60.5 million Hispanic/Latinx people living in the U.S., representing the largest ethnic minority in the country (18.4% of the total U.S. population).
There are differences between the terms Hispanic and Latinx. Hispanic refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries and descendants of people from those countries. Latinx refers to people from Latin American countries or regions, as well as the descendants of people from those places, whether or not they are Spanish-speaking. (For example, people from Brazil speak Portuguese, so they are typically not considered Hispanic but are Latinx.) For more information on the differences between the terms, click here.
Spanish is the official language of 21 countries and territories around the world. Can you name them all? Here’s the list.
Learn More About Hispanic/Latinx Cultures
There are many rich and diverse cultures among Hispanics and Latinxs. Here are a few ways you can learn more about these cultures:
Plan a fiesta with delicious food
Hispanic/Latinx food culture extends well beyond tacos and guacamole! The cuisine is incredibly diverse, with the exciting flavors of exotic spices, condiments and styles that vary from country to country. Paella, chicken fajitas, pupusas, ceviche, ropa vieja and loma saltado are just a few of the dishes waiting for you to discover. So explore a new recipe, play some great music, hang a piñata filled with treats (learn about the history of the piñata) and have some fun!
Watch great movies about famous Hispanic/Latinx Americans
Frida: Thisbiopic traces the bold and controversial life and relationships of surrealist artist Frida Kahlo. Salma Hayek earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the title character.
The Mambo Kings: Check out the movie based on the Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos, the first Hispanic-American to win a Pulitzer Prize in fiction.
Learn how to speak Spanish
Spanish is the most common non-English language in the U.S., and the U.S. has the second-highest concentration of Spanish-speakers in the world (second only to Mexico). If you don’t speak Spanish and are eager to learn, there are lots of opportunities to learn in your local community and online. Here are 101 useful Spanish phrases you can start to learn now.
Most important, reach out and connect to your Hispanic/Latinx peers and colleagues at CoolSys!
Learn about their ancestry, culture, family traditions and more. Make sure to check out one of our CoolSys family members as she shares some of her family’s traditions.