Celebrating National Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
Happy National Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month! This month-long celebration begins on September 15th and goes until October 15th, paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. We also honor the cultural richness of Hispanic Americans, whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
September 15th is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Indigenous Peoples Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period.
Explore more about this national observation on HispanicHeritageMonth.gov. The web portal is a collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
The County of San Mateo’s success depends on making sure that all residents, including immigrants, feel welcome here. In celebration of Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, the County of San Mateo's Office of Community Affairs honor the spirit of unity that is bringing neighbors together across San Mateo County. Led by the national nonprofit Welcoming America since 2012, Welcoming Week serves as the annual campaign and celebration to showcase the growing movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Join us in celebrating Welcoming Week, with a lot of different events (both in-person & virtual events)! Learn more about Welcoming Week 2023 from San Mateo County.
There are 2 events to celebrate National Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month at the Brisbane Library. Come celebrate with Mariachi Tapatio at the Brisbane Library on Thursday, September 21 at 3:30pm. For nearly 40 years, Mariachi Tapatio has been delighting audiences by developing a unique sound rooted in the traditions of mariachi music in Jalisco. Mariachi Tapatio now strives for musical innovation while still preserving their traditional mariachi style. The second event takes place the following month on October 1st and features dance!
Ballet Folklorico México Vivo was established to promote Mexican culture through dance. Since 1997 they have served the community of Redwood City and surrounding areas by sharing rich traditions of dance through performances. The organization is composed of many families, and they are proud to showcase fathers, mothers, sons and daughters dancing side by side – passing their culture from one generation to another. Join them at the Brisbane Library Sunday, October 1st at 11am!
The inaugural Latino Heritage Month Speaker Series kicks off on Friday, Sept. 15 at 5:45 pm with Civil Rights activist and Medal of Freedom recipient Sylvia Mendez at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center. Mendez is also a retired nurse who at age eight, played an instrumental role in the Mendez v. Westminster case, the landmark desegregation case of 1946. The case successfully ended de jure segregation in California and paved the way for integration and the American civil rights movement. Organized by the Latino Leaders Coalition of the Bay Area (LLCBA), the speaker series celebrates and showcases the rich diversity of the Latino community and is focused on reaching students to help them turn their dreams into reality.
LLCBA is a newly formed organization of San Mateo County Latino school board members and superintendents, which was established to educate, engage, and empower Latino students, families and educators throughout San Mateo County. Kudos to Jennifer Blanco, a San Bruno Park School District trustee and founding member of the coalition, for her effort in launching this exciting new speaker series.
