Hispanic Heritage Month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and is a time to celebrate Hispanic and Latin people’s history, contributions and culture.
This month focuses on the hardships and history of Hispanic and Latin people, but it also spotlights the current culture. Latin culture differs from country to country, but there are notable similarities uniting them. Some common examples include dancing, like the bachata and salsa, or food, like tamales and empanadas.
Not only does this month celebrate dancing, food and family, but it also highlights contributions made by Latin and Hispanic people. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s contributions to art and theater with “Hamilton,” “Moana” and
In the Heights,” activist Cesar Chavez and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are modern examples of recognizable Hispanic and Latin contributors.
Hispanic and Latin people celebrate this month, but all races and ethnicities also recognize it through appreciation and acknowledgment of the struggle, resilience and culture they have cultivated for centuries.
“Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration that pays tribute to the rich and diverse cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans in the United States,” said GCSU’s Office of Inclusion & Belonging website. “September 15 holds historical significance as it is the Independence Day of five Latin American countries.”
These 31 days allow for the celebration of the Hispanic and Latin people. Although they are only celebrated for a short time. Latin culture impacts people’s everyday lives. It allows Latin and Hispanic people to highlight the accomplishments of their ancestors.
Maria Justo is a senior psychology major at GCSU. Her family is from Acapulco, Guerro, Mexico, and she serves as director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the Eta Chi chapter of Delta Gamma.
“Truly sit down and appreciate the people that you have around you,” Justo said. “There are things I do in my daily life that are related back to my culture and that are so cool, and other people don’t get to experience that.”
Both Hispanic and Latin people as well as those from other cultures can understand the importance and significance of this month. All people have the opportunity to learn and embrace the culture. Latin or Latin-inspired food and drinks are very popular in Georgia and can be an example of how Latin culture affects all people.
“Everybody loves to go get margs,” Justo said.
Anyone can appreciate the culture, but this month specifically serves as an opportunity to truly learn and allow people in the culture to have a voice.
Family is an important cornerstone of Latin and Hispanic culture, and there is a focus on being there to support one another through the ups and downs of life.
“The big thing with being Hispanic is that it is so family-oriented,” said Justo. “I just remember there always being a big crowd, and it was not just family.”
A pillar of the Hispanic community is that they are usually known to be very tight-knit and supportive of one another. Many who are raised in this culture are positively shaped into family-centered individuals.
“It’s such a strong community,” Justo said. “No matter if you’ve known each other for two months or been there your whole life for each other, there’s always a big team that will always rally around you and show up for you to celebrate you.”
“I think asking them about their experiences as a person of color in a majority white school,” said Ava Cartes, a senior mass communication major from Chile. “It’s an important conversation to have, especially as a white person.”
In Fall 2023, GCSU’s Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness found that out of 5,681 enrolled undergraduate students, 4,665 identified their ethnicity as white while only 400 students were reported to be Hispanic or Latin.
Since GCSU has primarily white students, informing students about Latin and Hispanic student experiences could be beneficial to the development of the liberal arts education that the university strives for. This month is the perfect time to educate and pave the way for students to feel empathy among many cultures.
“I think those are the things majority of people overlook, and they don’t really notice how certain things, certain looks, words or gestures that they do can come across as discriminative,” said Cartes. “And sometimes being the single person in your class with brown hair can feel very targeting. I’m the only person here in this entire room who has a different experience and it can make it hard to connect to others.”
Part of becoming an empathetic and supportive person in the world involves learning about other cultures and the experiences that they live through. Developing that understanding creates a more accepting society altogether for people of all cultures, and Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity for that to become a priority.
“A white person who wants to get connected with people from different backgrounds should ask them about those things, and what their opinion is and how they can make the environment better,” said Cartes.
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end on Oct. 15, students should continue celebrating the culture, history and contributions of Hispanic and Latin people, continuing the conversations that this month inspires day-to-day.
