National LatinX/Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15- October 15
September 15th - October 15th
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.
The day of September 15 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 September18, respectively. Also, Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30 day period. There are many resources and lessons for teachers to use at a variety of sites including PBS Learning Media, Smithsonian Education, EDSITEment, and the National Education Association.
The terms Latino, Hispanic, and LatinX are often used interchangeably. What is the difference?
Hispanic – refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a Spanish-speaking country. This can include Caribbean countries, Spain itself, or other Spanish-speaking countries.
Latino/a or LatinX – refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a country in Latin America.
Latino/Latina – a term traditionally reserved for specific genders of male and female
LatinX – this is a gender-neutral term to be used in place of the gendered Latino/a
Join us for the District’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at East High School on Thursday, October 12, at 5:30 pm. We will recognize students for their academic achievement, community service, and leadership. The following special awards will also be presented:
Roberto Clemente Student Award
Volunteer Youth Award
Outstanding Academic Achievement Award
Community Service Award
28 de octubre del 2023 11am
October 28th 2023 11am
EVENTS
October 12th: ¡Pa’Lante! Moving Forward 7-9pm
Presented by Community Curator Henry Padrón
(VSM Microcinema)
October 19th Iris Morales at Hipocampo! 6-9 pm
638 South Avenue Rochester, NY 14620
Join us in welcoming activist, film maker and author Iris Morales to Rochester to watch her documentary, ¡Pa'lante, Siempre Pa'lante! and discuss the history of the Young Lords and the influence of women in the movement for Puerto Rican independence!
"In the midst of the African American civil rights struggle, protests to end the Vietnam War and the women's movement for equality, Puerto Rican and Latino communities fought for economic and social justice. From Chicago streets to the barrios of New York City and other urban centers, the Young Lords emerged to demand decent living conditions and raised a militant voice for the empowerment of the Puerto Rican people in the United States. Palante, Siempre Palante documents the history with on-camera interviews, archival footage, photographs and music. The documentary surveys Puerto Rican history, the Young Lords' activities and philosophy, the torturous end of the organization and its inspiring legacy."
"Iris Morales' film, ¡Pa'lante, Siempre Pa'lante! tells the moving story of the formation of the Young Lords, and shows how a group of committed, militant youth tackled the long neglected problems of their barrio community."- Virginia Sanchez-Korrol, Historian, Huffington Post
Iris Morales is a human rights activist, educator, and attorney. Her work focuses on issues of racial justice, women’s rights, and the decolonization of Puerto Rico. She brings her activism to projects with young people, educators, and media producers and has built organizations dedicated to grassroots organizing, community empowerment, and media education. Her love of storytelling and history led her to create Red Sugarcane Press to publish books about the BIPOC and Puerto Rican experience in the Americas.
Currently, Ms. Morales is a member of the advisory board of the Instituto de Formación Política de Mijente, a political home for Latinx and Chicanx people who seek racial, economic, gender, and climate justice. She is also a board member of Todos Arte, overseeing the grants program of La Borinqueña, the Puerto Rican comic book superheroine, supporting grassroots community projects in Puerto Rico.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Morales was a leading member of the New York Young Lords, serving as Deputy Minister of Education and cofounder of the Women's Caucus and Women's Union. She documents these experiences in the documentary, !Palante Siempre Palante!, which continues to be screened in venues across the United States and Puerto Rico. Her writings about the Young Lords have appeared in books such as Palante: Voices and Photographs of the Young Lords, 1969-1971 and The Norton Anthology of Latino Literature, among others.
Ms. Morales is a graduate of New York University School of Law and earned an MFA in Integrated Media Arts from Hunter College in New York.
Antiracist Curriculum Project: Latinx Civil Rights Leaders in Rochester
Curriculum -Grade 5 Latinx Civil Rights Case Studies (PDF) Slides
Edwini Rivera Maria Lopez Samuel Torres Dr. Olga Sarda Henry Padron Carmen Delgado Roberto Burgos
What is your school doing to highlight amazing LatinX leaders? Let us know.
Intermediate-Level Lessons
Local Businesses
What are your favorites? Let us know and we'll highlight them here.
LatinX Americans
500 Years of History
The PBS series Latino Americans premiered in September 2013. It chronicles the rich and varied history and experiences of Latinos, who have helped shape North America over the last 500-plus years. You can view an introduction to the series below and view full episodes and resources HERE.
Puerto Rican Heritage
Poster Series
The Hunter College Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños has produced a poster series documents the history of Puerto Rican migration and the experiences and contributions of Puerto Ricans to United States Society. Links to the posters are below; an accompanying study guide and timeline were also produced.
Explore Latin@ Culture in the US with Goolge Arts & Culture
Las Musas: Las Musas is a collective of LatinX women and otherwise marginalized people whose gender identity aligns with femininity, writing and/or illustrating in traditional children's literature. Their mission is to spotlight the new contributions of Las Musas in the evolving canon of children's literature and celebrate the diversity of voice, experience, and power in our communities. (Teacher Resources) & (Elementary School Educator's Guide)
Additional Resources:
Los Sures: Living Los Sures is a site produced over 5 years by 60 artists at UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art, LIVING LOS SURES is an expansive project about the Southside of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Known by its long-term Latino residents as Los Sures, the neighborhood was one of the poorest in New York City in the late 70s and early 80s. [...] With the restoration of LOS SURES, a brilliant work of cinéma vérité filmmaking as a starting point, the project has developed into a collection of 40 SHORT FILMS, the interactive documentary 89 STEPS, and the cinematic people’s history SHOT BY SHOT, demonstrating new possibilities for collaboration between an arts institution and its surrounding community to collect memories and share local culture.
Listening to Puerto Rico Teach Out: Understanding begins with listening. But “listening” is not just about hearing people’s words: it also implies taking notice of, and acting on, what people say. Shaped by the individual experience of everyday life, the Listening to Puerto Rico Teach-Out invites you to hear many voices from a distressed but resilient island and discover how you can contribute to the island’s recovery.
Puerto Rico Encyclopedia: The Puerto Rico Online Encyclopedia is an educational project that is unique among the Puerto Rican Endowment for the Humanities’ programs and services. Its purpose is to support and spread knowledge of our history and identity as a people, as well as our collective memory. It is a free, online publication with information in Spanish and English that familiarizes both Puerto Ricans and other users from around the world with aspects of the society, history and culture of Puerto Rico, as well as the Caribbean region.
Latinos in Math & Science: A guide which includes a selection of resources for children K-12 on Latinos in science, mathematics, engineering, medicine, and related fields. It also includes resources for teachers on multicultural science education and science for English Language Learners (ELLs). Most of the sources are in English, with selected children's books and websites in Spanish.
Book Lists
Top 40 Children’s Picture Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage by Hispanic Mama
27 Books to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month – Scholastic
15 Picture Books That Celebrate Hispanic Culture – ReadBrightly
Read-Alouds
A Paintbrush for Paco by Tracey Kyle
Senorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer
Proud to be Latino! : Food / Comida by Ashley Marie Mireles
I Remember Abuelito by Janice Levy
Mommy, Tell Me Why I Am Radiant by Sandra Gonzalez and Julia Rae Rodriguez
Dias y Dias (Days and Days) by Ginger Foglesong Guy
Dream Away Suena (BiLingual Poetry Book) by Julia Durango and Katie Belle Trupiank
Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies! By Jorge Lacera (In English)
Los Zombis No Comen Verduras! By Jorge Lacera (In Spanish)
The Empanadas that Abuela Made/ Las Empanadas Que Hacía La Abuela by Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Areli is a Dreamer, A True Story by Areli Morales
My Papi has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
Videos
Hispanic Heritage Month Read Alouds Playlist on YouTube
Latinx KidLit Book Festival Playlist on YouTube
Learn Spanish for Kids – Numbers, Colors & More by Rock ‘N Learn
Spanish Greetings for Kids by Spanish Academy TV
Colors in Spanish by Language Learners