As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, it’s important to acknowledge that our culture should be celebrated and recognized far beyond just a 30-day observation. I encourage everyone to continue in their path to making Hispanic and Latino voices heard everywhere, all year round!
Equally as important as honoring and celebrating, we should also be taking the time to encourage change and catalyze action against discrimination.
This year’s theme is Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America, which overall pays tribute to the immense economic, political, and social strides that Latinos and Hispanics have made in the U.S.
https://diversity-inclusion-speakers.com/news/top-10-lists/trending-hispanic-heritage-month-speakers/#daisy
Significance of September 15–October 15
Why does Hispanic Heritage Month begin in the middle of the month? September 15 marks the anniversary of Independence from Spain for multiple Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also celebrate their independence on September 16 and 18, respectively.
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/hispanic-heritage-month.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CEach%20year%2C%20Americans%20observe%20National,and%20Central%20and%20South%20America
We celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of the American people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
The observation first began in 1968 as a week-long observation under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
And in 1988, a former intern for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Robert Lopez, helped amend the law to change it from a week to a month-long celebration. However, it wasn’t as easy as that; Robert faced a great amount of pushback from some subcommittees.
“I got resistance at first. People just didn’t want to support commemorative legislation. People said things like, ‘Well, why would we do that? Aren’t we all American? That’s not a thing we want to support.” — Robert Lopez
https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/16/opinion/hispanic-heritage-month-history/index.html
Fortunately, the bill was eventually passed in August 1988 under the Ronald Reagan presidency.
Key Terms to Know:
• The term “Hispanic” refers to the cultures that are from Spanish-speaking countries. This includes all of Central America, the Caribbean, Spain, and part of South America. Brazil, for example, is not a Hispanic country given that Brazilians speak Portuguese.
• “Latino” refers to the cultures that come from Latin America, including Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia, and more.
• The term “Latinx” emerged in the early 21st century, reportedly first used online in 2004. Latinx is the gender-neutral alternative to Latina or Latino. It is a term used to describe a diverse group of people who have roots in Latin America.
Look at Our Prosperity, Power, and Progress:
Pulling in the theme for this year, we begin to explore the prosperity, power, and progress within the community.
This is a great time to spotlight some strides that Hispanic Americans have made for the economy. From small startups to huge corporations, we are starting businesses, buying homes, and actively investing in our futures. As the largest ethnic minority population in the U.S., we are driving America’s economic prosperity and continuously driving innovation and economic growth in so many ways.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/our-2023-hispanic-heritage-month-toolkit-ready-claudia-romo-edelman/
According to Insider Intelligence, “Latino buying power is projected to reach $2.6 trillion by 2025; the population’s growth in buying power from 2020 will be nearly 50% more than that of white households, which hold the largest share of the market.”
https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/hispanic-consumers-drive-us-population-spending-growth
Below are just a few amazing Hispanic and Latin-owned businesses.
• Modelo, a famous beer brand, became the top-selling beer in the United States in May 2023, overtaking Bud Light.
https://www.vox.com/money/2023/8/4/23818909/modelo-bud-light-sales-ab-inbev-constellation-brands-dylan-mulvaney
• Born x Raised is a clothing company launched by Spanto, a Mexican American artist who just wanted to start a brand surrounded by tradition and the values within his community. He began from nothing, growing up in the streets of Venice, CA, to now collaborating with one of the largest NFL teams in the country.
https://www.therams.com/news/rams-born-x-raised-capsule-collection-2023-home-opener
• Yerba Mate began with Argentinian co-founder, Alex Pryor, and when he introduced this idea to his business partner while studying at Cal Poly, it later led to making Yerba Mate more accessible for all, outside of just South America.
https://www.instagram.com/guayaki/
• Rare Beauty is a cosmetic company started by none other than Selena Gomez. It’s huge. The blush category alone accounts for $70 million of the brand’s yearly revenue.
https://fashionista.com/2023/07/selena-gomez-rare-beauty-makes-70-billion-on-blush#:~:text=As%20first%20reported%20by%20Bloomberg,3.1%20million%20units%20in%202022
• Not just consumer goods, Hispanic and Latino people are dominating the private equity sector as well: Thoma Bravo, an American private equity firm known for buying over 300 software companies. The co-founder, Orlando Bravo, was listed in the Forbes 400 as the first Puerto Rican-born billionaire in 2019.
https://www.forbes.com/profile/orlando-bravo/?sh=42099fb55070
Nearly 5 million Hispanic-owned businesses contribute over $800 billion to the U.S. economy annually. Hispanic employer businesses employ about 3 million workers.
https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2022/9/fast-facts-about-the-economic-status-of-hispanic-americans#:~:text=Nearly%205%20million%20Hispanic-owned,employ%20about%203%20million%20workers.
But along with driving a prosperous economy, we must also touch on the prosperity in representation in Corporate America, or lack thereof.
Latinos make up 19% of the U.S. population but occupy only 3.4% of corporate executive suites and only 4.1% of Fortune 500 board seats. By comparison, whites held 82.5% of those seats, Blacks held 8.7%, and Asians held 4.6%.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/latinos-are-vastly-underrepresented-corporate-boards-rcna49022
This is just yet another important reminder that Hispanics need to be seen, heard, and, most importantly, valued, and we’re more likely to engage with individuals or organizations that actively invest in and celebrate our contributions to America.
Speaking to the ‘power’ aspect of this year’s theme, our community is making strides in every sector, and we are gaining power and influence in all industries. Our power truly comes from within, and a few people who demonstrate such power within the community are people like Bad Bunny, the Three Amigos, Eva Longoria, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and so many more!
Lastly, progress, which is about being your authentic self—and not dulling your light for anyone.
This year, we want to highlight two powerful concepts: “Flip the Script” and “Asset Values Framing.” “Flip the Script” challenges negative stereotypes and biases about Hispanics, promoting a more inclusive and positive narrative that reflects the strength and resilience of our communities.
“Asset Values Framing” allows us to shift the focus from deficits to strengths, highlighting the positive contributions of Hispanics to our society.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/our-2023-hispanic-heritage-month-toolkit-ready-claudia-romo-edelman/
Actionable Steps to Take:
On an individual level, self-reflect on your own cultural barriers, find your voice, share your story, and educate yourself. Be sure to immerse yourself in the culture which celebrates all things music and food!
Allies:
• Check in with Hispanic/Latin friends, colleagues, and community.
• Do not allow microaggressions to be normalized in the workplace.
• Don’t be silent. Acknowledge what’s going on.
• Educate yourself on the history and stereotypes.
Companies/Organizations:
• Offer resources to educate your organization.
• Create sustainable solutions beyond September/October to support Hispanic and Latin employees (Mentorship programs, professional development, mental health, etc.)
• Create space to amplify the Hispanic and Latin voices of employees.
• This is not an expense, it’s a worthy investment.
How Can I Support:
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund
- Hispanic Heritage Foundation
- The Committee for Hispanic Families and Children (CHFC)
- Support Hispanic and Latin-owned businesses!
Consumer goods:
• DEZI sunglasses
• LYBRE Lashes
• Taste Salud
• Nopalera
Food:
• Angels Tacos – Los Angeles
• Rincon Chileno Deli – Lawndale
• El Zarape Melrose – Los Angeles
• Villa’s Tacos – Los Angeles
Music: Do not forget to indulge in the music! See below for some amazing Spotify playlist premade for you.
• Latin Hit Mix
• Mexican Party Anthems
• Latin Party Anthems
• Salsa Classics
• Latin Dance Mix
Vanessa Gallardo, Assistant Account Executive, is an innovative self-starter
bringing a comprehensive background to the advertising industry. She is a dependable marketer, successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. While supporting top financial service brands, she continuously drives engaging and relevant strategies through each project.
