by Rolando Fernandez, Jr., president, Local Government Hispanic Network

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) is upon us, and there are many ways local governments can recognize the many contributions of Latinos/Hispanics in your communities during this month. Latinos/Hispanics are the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority in the U.S., accounting for 18.1 percent of the population as of 2017. Many local governments have much larger and growing Latino/Hispanic populations.

Hispanic Heritage Week was initiated by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and expanded to a month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The dates were chosen because September 15 is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua). Three other countries also celebrate their independence in this month (Mexico, Chile, and Belize), and Columbus Day or Día de La Raza is on October 12.

Local governments can celebrate the month in a number of ways, including:

  1. Inviting speakers to discuss the history of Latino/Hispanics in your community. In 2017, for example, Montgomery County, Maryland, hosted a panel discussion on "Hispanic and Latino leaders in Montgomery County whose work has helped to shape our community."  
  2. Hosting cultural celebrations exhibiting the food and arts of Latin American countries. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, has a good example of this. They are hosting an exhibit by a Puerto Rican artist who moved to Harrisburg after Hurricane Maria. 
  3. Highlighting historical or famous Latino/Hispanics through such communication methods as websites and social media. 
  4. Supporting/partnering with local nonprofits hosting cultural celebrations. Holland, Michigan, is working with local nonprofits as well as the local university and library to collect stories about the Hispanic population of Holland that dates back to the 1920s.  
  5. Promoting a reading campaign in libraries highlighting Latino/Hispanic authors. The San Antonio Public Library in 2017 did a full range of events, including a dramatic reading of the Urban legend La Lorona.   
  6. Displaying in community facilities the art of Latino/Hispanic artists or historical photographs of Latinos/Hispanics in your community. In Kissimmee, Florida, for example, city hall hosted an event that included a Hispanic art exhibit along with music and traditional food.  
  7. Issuing a proclamation from the local governing body acknowledging the importance of the month. Almada, California, has an example proclamation that highlights some of the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans.   

As our population in the U. S. grows more diverse, communities should find ways to embrace and celebrate our diversity throughout the year.

For more information and resources on National Hispanic Heritage Month, visit www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov or contact the Local Government Hispanic Network at https://lghn.org.

Related Resources 

Reflections on Hispanic Heritage Month. In this blog post from 2017, former ICMA staff member Rita Soler Ossolinski reflects on both the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and her own journey in both local government and the nonprofit world.

10 Must Reads on Equity and Social Inclusion. A 2018 blog that brings together the most current and important equity and social inclusion ideas, insights, and leading practices.

Q&A: Evanston, Illinois, Turns to Town Hall Meetings to Build Equity and Equality. Evanston set about doing intentional, focused, and good work around the issues of equity and empowerment and committed to doing so in full conversation with the community.

New, Reduced Membership Dues

A new, reduced dues rate is available for CAOs/ACAOs, along with additional discounts for those in smaller communities, has been implemented. Learn more and be sure to join or renew today!

LEARN MORE