5 Ways to Honor Latino Heritage
Support Latino communities all year long! Although the national celebration of Latino Heritage is only one month long, that doesn’t mean we should stop celebrating Latinos and their accomplishments.
Reading time: 4 minutes.
Latino Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize not only the history of the Latino community in the United States, but those who are part of this community today.
The last national census indicated that Latinas and Latinos make up 18% of the national population – that’s about 62 million people!
People with Latino heritage are entrepreneurial and contribute greatly to keeping the national economy afloat. A census report noted that more than 312,700 businesses across the country are owned by Hispanics and/or Latinos.
The economic impact of the Latino workforce is one of the many reasons that for many years has allowed us to celebrate National Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, a time that gives the United States the opportunity to honor the contributions of those from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Latino Caribbean countries.
How do you celebrate?
There are many ways to celebrate Latino Heritage Month: whether it’s consuming books, music or audiovisual materials produced by Latinos or addressing issues that positively engage them, attending museums, attending parades or any other activity that teaches you about the relevance and diversity of the Latino community.
Here are 5 ideas!
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Learn:
Educate yourself on the history and current issues affecting Latinos. Celebrate the successes, but also be aware of the difficulties the Latino community has faced and still faces today.
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Consume relevant content:
As a way to lift up the voices of the Latino community, we encourage you to watch TV shows, documentaries and movies that uplift Latino stories. We recommend, just to give you a few examples, Después de Maria, Roma, Vida, Frida and Coco.
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Support Latino businesses:
Shop at Latino-owned businesses in your area and online. You’re sure to find a wide variety of products and services that boost the Latino community’s economy.
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Raise your voice:
Raise awareness about political, social and environmental issues that affect Latino communities.
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Listen:
Reach out to your neighbor, friend, or co-worker or schoolmate with Latino backgrounds. Learn about who they are and why they are where they are. You’ll probably find out a lot of things in common.
And if you belong to the Latino community, remember:
- Emphasize what’s good about your culture.
- Honor your heritage.
- Pass on your traditions.
- And stay close to your family and friends – appreciate and celebrate them!
