Hershey,
15
September
2021
|
08:52 AM
America/New_York

HE&R Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

HE&R kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month with this company-wide email and will be celebrating the month-long celebration. 

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Today, HE&R marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, the celebration of ancestral contributions from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The annual celebration of these vibrant and vital cultures begins today because September 15, 1821, marks a Day of Collective Independence when Central American countries declared freedom from the Spanish empire. This year’s theme, Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope, is an invitation ‘to celebrate Hispanic Heritage and to reflect on how great our tomorrow can be if we hold onto our resilience and hope...and a reminder that we are stronger together.’ 

According to the Library of Congress, Hispanic Heritage Week began in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, when it was enacted into law, to cover a 30-day period from September 15 through October 15.

Did you know that more than 15 countries are considered Hispanic nations? Hispanic countries include Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela. With a combined population of more than 450 million people, Hispanic culture makes significant contributions and impacts across the globe. In 2019, Pew Research reported that the U.S. Hispanic population exceeded more than 60 million people and according to Readers Digest, Latinos are the largest minority group in the U.S. 

With so many individuals falling within the Hispanic category, it is important to understand the unique and distinct terminology used by this population. The terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" refer to ethnicity, geography, and culture rather than skin color or race, or other physical features. However, the groups are also broader than ethnicity, which can make the terms confusing. Latino and Latina refer to people whose origin or ancestry is in Latin America. Latinx, a gender-neutral term that has been adopted by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, replaces the masculine “o” or feminine “a” in Latino and Latina with “x” to be more inclusive to those who are gender non-conforming or queer. The term Hispanic is a language-based term and generally refers to people of Spanish-speaking descent. According to ClickOrlando.com, the term Spanish is meant to reference both a language and a nationality in its definition. 

Throughout the month, we look forward to exploring Hispanic culture and influences, as well as learn about some of our team members. 

Thank you.