BY: Molly Gray
Did you know that September 15 through October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month? There is a large chance that you did not. However, we need to remember that this is an opportunity to celebrate the Hispanic community for all the contributions they have made to the United States. According to Brannon Barragán, Spanish professor at Auburn University at Montgomery, Hispanic Heritage Month “shines a light on the social and cultural contributions that Latinos have made and continue to make, which ultimately makes us a stronger more unified nation.”
As we see the importance of celebrating, it is also important to know the facts. According to hispanicheritagemonth.org, Hispanic Heritage Month starts on September 15 because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Three other Latin American countries also gained independence in the following days of the month. Approximately 53 million people of Hispanic descent live in the United States today. Spanish has become the second most spoken language in the United States.
One influential person of Hispanic descent is Sonia Maria Sotomayor. She became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice. This was only after years of working to make it to that position. We see many people in the news or in the media who make a difference in the United States and are of Hispanic descent. There are celebrities, athletes, political figures, etc. who stand up and are proud to be Hispanic-Americans. Professor Barragán also stated that “Hispanic Heritage Month is [also] important because the Latino community is part of our community as Americans.”
It is easy for us to all label ourselves Americans. However, we are all made up of different cultures that make us unique. Therefore, it is important for us to celebrate just one of the many cultures that we see here in the United States as Hispanic Heritage Month is upon us. Let us use this opportunity to celebrate and learn more about Hispanic heritage.
