Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

In 1968 Hispanic Heritage Week was established, and September 15th was chosen as the start date because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Hispanic and Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, followed by Mexico's Independence Day on Sept. 16, Chile's on Sept. 18, and Belize on Sept. 21. In 1988, the week was expanded into a month but kept the start date. The theme for Hispanic Heritage Month 2025 is "Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future." The LatinX presence in America spans centuries, and predates Spain’s colonization of parts of what is now the U. S.

Hispanic refers to someone whose heritage is from Spain and is generally used to identify Spanish-speaking countries. A more inclusive term is LatinX/Latine or Latino, referring to all people with Latin American heritage and including non-Spanish speakers. LatinX creates space to acknowledge cultural or ancestral ties to Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Black, Indigenous, Asian and other heritages.

According to the National Museum of the American Latino, the LatinX population in the US today is over 60 million, which is 18.9% of the total population. The LatinX presence in America spans centuries, and LatinX people influence all aspects of our culture, from entertainment, to sports, to business, to science, and beyond. 

Here are some resources, if you want to dig a little deeper:

Smithsonian

25 Latinas You Should Know | National Museum of the American Latino

Smithsonian/Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

Hispanic Heritage Month Resources | National Museum of the American Latino

Fun fact: Columbian superstar Shakira recently kicked off her North American tour in Charlotte, NC, and featured 50 prominent LatinX North Carolinians. Here’s a quick look:

Shakira walks onto Charlotte concert stage with 50 accomplished Latina women | WFAE 90.7

And here’s a spotlight on five of those women:

Five Women Who Are Making an Impact