Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month from the Cooke Foundation
National Hispanic Heritage Month, 30 days to celebrate Hispanic/Latinx American contributions and achievements, is observed from September 15 – October 15 every year. The Latin American countries Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Costa Rica celebrate their independence from Spain on September 15, and shortly after, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and 18.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, 18% of Americans identify as Hispanic or Latino – almost a 25% increase since the 2010 U.S. Census. During these 30 days of appreciation and acknowledgement, here are some ways you can participate in National Hispanic Heritage Month:
Learn Something New
What’s the difference between Hispanic, Latino, Latinx, and other identities? UnidosUS breaks it down here.
The Library of Congress, Smithsonian museum, and PBS, among others, all have free resources celebrating Hispanic/Latinx history and culture.
You can even host a teambuilding exercise with your classmates, coworkers, friends, or family to honor Hispanic/Latinx heritage. Some of our favorite ideas are Huffington Post’s crafts by country, and free online cooking classes.
Listen to Hispanic/Latinx Voices
UnidosUS blog has a curated reading and watch list here. Listen to the Latino USA podcast for free.
Some book recommendations from Cooke Foundation Staff:
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
- The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
- In the Times of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
- When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago (former AMP mentor for Young Scholars)
- Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
- I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Academic Support for Hispanic/Latinx Students
The Pew Research Center reports that the number of Hispanic students on college campuses continues to increase. This is partially due to more scholarship and financial aid opportunities for Hispanic/Latinx students.
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund has opportunities available for graduating high school seniors, undergraduate students in all years of study, community college students looking to transfer to a four-year institution, and graduate students. This list on Scholarships.com contains more opportunities.
While the Cooke Foundation’s scholarship programs are not specific to students of any race or ethnicity, we offer generous awards and comprehensive advising for high-achieving middle school students, graduating high school seniors, and transfer students.