Celebrate Latinx Heritage
It may come as a surprise to many, but Cinco de mayo is not Mexico’s version of the Fourth of July. September 16 is the day those of Mexican heritage celebrate the beginning of the movement of their country’s independence from Spain.
Five other Latin American countries celebrate their independence the day before, on September 15—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—and Chile marks its anniversary on September 18. It should not come as a surprise, then, that the period of time from September 15—October 15 is designated Hispanic Heritage Month.
Although some would prefer that the name of the celebration be changed to distance Latin American countries from their connection to Spanish colonization, across the United States organizations from National Public Radio (NPR) to T-Mobile are coming together to honor “Hispanic Americans: A History of Serving our Nation.”
In the Charlottesville area, many nonprofits celebrate the accomplishments of and support the culture of our Latinx neighbors. Creciendo Juntos, Sin Barreras, UVa. Department of Health – Latino Health Initiative, and Forward/Adelante are a few of the organizations that contribute to a strong, vibrant Latinx community.
Take a peek at the noteworthy section below—and in the upcoming issues of the newsletter through the end Hispanic Heritage month—for information about events in our area.