History – In 1987, Rep. Esteban Torres submitted a bill to expand the National Hispanic Heritage Week to a month. He stated that the bill would “allow our nation to properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.” However, Esteban’s bill was never passed. Later Sen. Paul Simon submitted a similar bill that was and signed and passed by President Reagan on August 17, 1988. Since then the U.S. celebrates Hispanic National Hispanic Month from September 15th- October 15th.

Significance of Date
September 15th is an incredibly important day for five Central American countries. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua all gained their independence from Spain in 1821 on this date.

Other Central and South America countries celebrate their Independence Days around this time; Mexico’s Independence Day is on Sept.16th, Chile’s on Sept. 18th, and Belize’s on Sept. 21st to name a few.

The Importance of Hispanic Heritage Month to the Food Bank
We are committed to recognizing and embracing the diversity of our staff, and members of the communities in which we work and serve. As we work to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion at the Food Bank, it is imperative to recognize and celebrate the diverse backgrounds and identities of our staff, partners, and those that we serve.

How is it Celebrated?
WITH YOU! Take some personal time to learn with your family and friends about the diversity of the Hispanic/Latinx diaspora. Some ideas to dive into are:
Afro-Latinidad
Chicano culture
The meaning of Latinx/e
Dolores Huerta, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and the Puerto Rican Poets Café
Learn about a Latinx country
Try an authentic Latinx restaurant in your area
Explore (or donate to) the Smithsonian Institute’s Latinx Center
Check out the National Hispanic Heritage Month’s website
Visit the Nasher Museum’s Art of the Americas gallery to see art originating from Central and South America