Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the many cultures that make up this large and diverse group of Americans. However, it’s also a good opportunity to talk about the complexity of the Hispanic experience and identity.
The Hispanic population in the United States is estimated to be more than 62 million people, comprising about 20% of the national population. Despite its huge size, the culture of Hispanics is often misunderstood in popular culture and by many outsiders. This can be attributed in part to the way Latinos are classified: in the 1930s, for example, door-to-door Census Bureau staff would ask respondents to identify as either Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish. This led to some serious errors, including the underreporting of people from the South and Central Americas, according to Pew Research Center.
During Hispanic Heritage Month, it’s important to highlight the many contributions that Latinos have made and continue to make in all walks of life. This can be done by educating children about their contributions in the arts, sciences and business, and by honoring veterans, such as William Douglas Lansford, a Marine Raider who served in the Pacific, Enrique Cervantes, a B-17 pilot who flew missions in Europe, and Rosemary Fagot, a Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) who helped serve in World War II.
In addition, it’s important to learn about the many traditions that Hispanics celebrate, such as el Dia de la Muerte (Death Day), Las Posadas (The Twelve Days of Christmas), La Fiesta Nacional del Charro (Charro Fest), and many more. This can be a great way to connect with family and friends and also expose younger children to their cultural history.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center in New York City, for example, offers performances and educational programming that highlight the richness of the Latino experience. Its website also features an extensive collection of online resources by grade level that educators can use to plan lessons.
For example, the Hispanic Heritage Month theme study for grades K-8, available in English and Spanish, offers essays and activities focusing on the contributions of Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and other Hispanics. There is also an online version of a board game called Loteria, Mexico’s version of Bingo, in which players match words that are read aloud (such as el arbol – the tree, or el camaron – shrimp) to pictures on their boards to form a row. The first player to complete a row wins.
The Hispanic Heritage Month website also includes a list of resources from the Smithsonian, which offers events and other activities, such as the virtual tour of artist Frida Kahlo’s former home, La Casa Azul. The site recommends using the term Latinx (or a variation such as Latina) instead of Hispanic whenever possible to promote inclusion, especially if the person or topic under discussion includes an LBGTQ+ community or touches on issues involving gender.